How does a person possibly know whether it is acceptable to get up and dance by reading a room of persons wondering if it is acceptable to get up and dance? Perhaps best to be led by the performers?
Good Morning Monday 11th May 2026
Went to a music show last night at our local theatre. First half a well known disco diva; 2nd half an popular 80s band.
I got up to dance towards the end of the first half, having checked with the row behind and thinking they were OK about my standing up.
However, DH then started telling me to sit down and stop embarrassing him and everyone else.
I did, for the following number. Then there was a break so I picked up my stuff and walked out. Maybe an overreaction but I felt so angry.
What annoys me too is the amount of people in the theatre, videoing the performance so all you could see was a sea of screens between us and the stage. If anything, that's ruder than dancing. I was not the only one up either and when the music's good, I dance! (Classical music is totally different of course)
I just didn't want to sit through the 2nd half with my arms crossed as that to me is just not fun.
Have I missed the memo where the etiquette at performances like this is laid out?
How does a person possibly know whether it is acceptable to get up and dance by reading a room of persons wondering if it is acceptable to get up and dance? Perhaps best to be led by the performers?
If audience participation has been encouraged - dance.
If dancing is not encouraged by most everyone - NO.
Grandma70s
I have a vision of members of the audience doing ppirouettes and falling flat on their faces!
I didn’t know people stood up and danced. I’ve never been to that kind of concert. Doesn’t happen at the ballet. Admittedly when I was a child I wanted to join in, but I did wait until the interval, when I could be seen practising my arabesque in any space I could find.
Barleyfields
Stop making excuses OP. Haven’t you got the message yet? If you had been in front of me, ruining my enjoyment because ‘when the music’s good you dance’ I would have been furious and you’d have known it. It’s not all about you.
Yes, this. I'd be the same. Why can't you just sit and enjoy the concert like everyone else? Stop trying to make it all about you.
ftm420
Next time I'll just sit on my hands and video the whole thing. Or same my money & just watch it on TV.
Why are they your only options other than standing up and dancing, potentially spoiling the show for others? Videoing it would probably spoil others' pleasure too.
What's wrong with just watching the show in the seat you've paid for?
Stop making excuses OP. Haven’t you got the message yet? If you had been in front of me, ruining my enjoyment because ‘when the music’s good you dance’ I would have been furious and you’d have known it. It’s not all about you.
ftm420
BlueBelle: you missed the bit where I said I wasn't the only one standing in my OP. Not by a long shot. You also misread that I wasn't standing up the whole time. One number. I managed a whole 45 minutes without standing up - yay me.
Hmm.
Youd’ve stayed up dancing for sure I think if your husband hadn’t called you out on it.
L
Our granddaughter and her boyfriend recently went to the theatre. They said that a couple behind them talked incessantly throughout the first half. In the interval, GD turned to them and said 'Have you been to the theatre before?' They said they had. GD said 'So I assume you realise you are not supposed to talk constantly throughout the show?'. They were very quiet in the second half.
Kate1949
I get up to dance but only after most people in the theatre, including the people behind me, have got up.
Me too
BlueBelle: you missed the bit where I said I wasn't the only one standing in my OP. Not by a long shot. You also misread that I wasn't standing up the whole time. One number. I managed a whole 45 minutes without standing up - yay me.
Not quite what you’d pay for MissA. 😂
When someone stands,it means you get a prime view of their crotch and bum jiggling around in front of you.
Very rarely go to gigs. Folk's behaviour has put me right off. Usually at shows/ gigs they may encourage you to get up to dance at the last few numbers. What really annoys me is the talking right through performances, it actually bugs me more than folk dancing and the ever present mobile phones. How many photos of yourself can you take in one night? I was recently at a Bee Gees Tribute Band, tickets were not cheap, but what really annoyed people was a couple ( who'd had a few) yacking so loudly you could hear them over the singers! I go to very few events now. The behaviour definitely worsened after Covid.
"When the music's good, I dance" = "I like showing off"
When we went to see Mama Mia at the Novello, I was pleased to be upstairs towards the end, I wouldn`t have enjoyed having my view blocked by people dancing, even in the aisles.
I was at a Stadium to see the Stones. We were in the upper seats area which wasn't cheap as brilliant view. Everyone seated then some woman stands up to dance, concert had only just started she was about 3 rows from the front of the section.
Around her a chorus of big sighs, then this when a chap reaches over taps her on the shoulder and tells her to sit down or clear off to the "mosh pit", everyone echoed him with sit down.
She didn't move after that, time and place of a bop!
Let your hair down for once in a while, why don't you
What an unpleasant reply! .
I would say read the room. If everyone (or most people) are dancing and you're not restricting anyone's view, it's fine.
Pans people. 🤭
The problem is,that standing up means the people behind need to stand, and the people behind them need to then stand up....
Where would we be with a world full of people,who stand up?
It's a shame if you're moved to dance, though.
I wonder if anyone dares challenge these ‘Pan’s People’ in a theatre? I wonder what they’d say if someone politely asked them ‘would you sit down?’
😮
My husband bought me tickets for Michael Buble for my birthday. I waited six months to see him and it was the only concert we could afford that year so I was really excited. Unfortunately, as soon as he appeared on stage two women stood up right in front of us, screaming ‘ Michael’ and danced, waving their arms above their heads the whole time. I never actually saw him and neither did many people behind us. It was lovely to hear him live though despite him partly being drowned out by these women’s very loud out of tune singing. Lots of people were asking them to sit down and complained to ushers but they just ignored them. It was so selfish. Yes, it is more fun to dance and loudly sing along but it was a seated concert where people have gone to see and hear a star they admire and it isn’t acceptable to spoil it for others.
dogsmother
I’m a dancer but go with the flow, last time I was in this situation my glutes had quite the work out as I seat danced away on them …..
Chair ballet and chair dance are quite a thing these days! You can get a pretty good workout without standing up.
I would never class jigging about between rows of seats in a theatre as dancing.
I’m a dancer but go with the flow, last time I was in this situation my glutes had quite the work out as I seat danced away on them …..
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