As someone who felt this way and now is an avid dancer: The hardest part of learning to dance is ignoring your self-conscious urges to go sit in the corner. And it’s a lot of fun once you get better at that.
Also, some varieties of dance are more welcoming to newbies and easy to get started in than others. See the comments on contra dancing, above.
The hardest part of learning to dance is ignoring your self-conscious urges to go sit in the corner. And it’s a lot of fun once you get better at that.
It turned out that way for you, but it has not for me. I’ve done that (yes, really done that), and it doesn’t do much for me.
That’s fair. My prior probability on “person who says they can’t dance, actually cannot physically dance” is pretty low, that’s all...
I do find it somewhat hard to believe that you can’t do any kind of dancing, however. Contra dancing, for example, is basically just walking in the pattern you’re told to. I’m finding it hard to imagine a person for whom that would be impossible.
What have your experiences been like? If you don’t mind talking about it, that is.
Oh, I can do it, I’m fit and well coordinated. I just don’t find it an enjoyable thing to do, not even in private without an audience. I’ve done unstructured writhing to disco music, and I once tried this for a few months, but...well, no. These have been the sort of learning experiences where what is learned is “this is something I do not want to do”.
Oh, okay. I misunderstood. Thought you meant “dancing was too difficult,” not “dancing was not enjoyable.”
(I’m still tempted to say, “You could try another kind of dancing! Your experience probably doesn’t generalize to other types,” but even if that’s the case, it might not be worth your time to try.)
Perhaps doing tai chi forms in a group has a similar effect.
I think of most ‘stretching’ exercises done at team sports training in about the same way. From what I understand they are of themselves problem slightly harmful on net but do serve a ‘group bonding’ role.
I’ve done quite a lot of tai chi, although not currently (combination of having taken it as far as I think I’m going to and my teacher having moved abroad), and some yoga. But for me these aren’t group activities, they’re things I practice for personal development, and went to classes for because that’s where teaching happens. What I currently do in a class is Japanese drumming, but again, that’s for the drumming, not the social bonding.
I love the idea of dancing on aesthetic and philosophical as well as pragmatic grounds.
I can’t execute at all.
:(
As someone who felt this way and now is an avid dancer: The hardest part of learning to dance is ignoring your self-conscious urges to go sit in the corner. And it’s a lot of fun once you get better at that.
Also, some varieties of dance are more welcoming to newbies and easy to get started in than others. See the comments on contra dancing, above.
It turned out that way for you, but it has not for me. I’ve done that (yes, really done that), and it doesn’t do much for me.
That’s fair. My prior probability on “person who says they can’t dance, actually cannot physically dance” is pretty low, that’s all...
I do find it somewhat hard to believe that you can’t do any kind of dancing, however. Contra dancing, for example, is basically just walking in the pattern you’re told to. I’m finding it hard to imagine a person for whom that would be impossible.
What have your experiences been like? If you don’t mind talking about it, that is.
Oh, I can do it, I’m fit and well coordinated. I just don’t find it an enjoyable thing to do, not even in private without an audience. I’ve done unstructured writhing to disco music, and I once tried this for a few months, but...well, no. These have been the sort of learning experiences where what is learned is “this is something I do not want to do”.
Oh, okay. I misunderstood. Thought you meant “dancing was too difficult,” not “dancing was not enjoyable.”
(I’m still tempted to say, “You could try another kind of dancing! Your experience probably doesn’t generalize to other types,” but even if that’s the case, it might not be worth your time to try.)
Perhaps doing tai chi forms in a group has a similar effect.
Not that I’ve noticed for myself, but I’m more likely to bond to people if I can get some sort of synchrony in conversation with them.
I think of most ‘stretching’ exercises done at team sports training in about the same way. From what I understand they are of themselves problem slightly harmful on net but do serve a ‘group bonding’ role.
Or warmups that drama kids do before plays.
I’ve done quite a lot of tai chi, although not currently (combination of having taken it as far as I think I’m going to and my teacher having moved abroad), and some yoga. But for me these aren’t group activities, they’re things I practice for personal development, and went to classes for because that’s where teaching happens. What I currently do in a class is Japanese drumming, but again, that’s for the drumming, not the social bonding.