When did you last go to a ‘proper’ dance?

The last dance evening I went to was a barn dance which had a small band of beardy men playing the music and another (unbearded) man with a microphone who called out the steps as in "Dosey doe and round you go". Good fun but very little dancing skill required. Even those seem to be a thing of the past.

The only dance I ever went to where people did proper ballroom was over 60 years ago. Gosh that makes me feel old.

Last month. Mind you I didn't dance. Just watched but found the music far too loud. Old fogey complaint!

I think it would have been about 1984 or around there so about 40 odd years ago 🤣

Even longer ago than that, Bluebelle 1974 at a guess.

I’ve never been to a proper ‘dinner dance’ like my parents used to. In the corporate world it was dinner, company speech (tax offset) entertainment, then disco, sometimes a hotel room thrown in. So, it would’ve been in the 90’s, as I left in 2000, local government do’s were far more toned down, often self funded.

I think I was probably at university. I loathe ballroom dancing. I like ballet, but that’s not very sociable.

I remember a time when social clubs (often called working mens clubs) were in every town. The town I grew up had at least four, and they would all have been packed on Friday and Saturday nights. Who would have believed they would disappear almost without trace?
When I left home we dressed up and went down the discos and nightclubs (oh what carefree days!) and stayed out until the small hours.
My kids went clubbing too, and now they mostly hang out in cocktail bars and go to the pub for a meal.
I have no idea what my grandkids will get up to when they are old enough... things change, but at least I have those memories. I just can't remember when the last time was...!

Last ever dinner dance - probably 1970s... just one or two works "dos" (which I've always hated) and a couple of presentation evenings since.

Don't miss it at all.
Was expected to go with my parents as a teenager. 😬

...that said I do remember some glorious dresses from the days when I was "shapely"

Around 2000. I went to a naval ball in Portsmouth. We had close friends in the navy and we were invited at various times to join them at the Ward Room's summer ball. They were great fun. Theoretically very formal, tall standup tables to eat at, beaytiful food exquisitely presented, a proper orchestra, and, literally, all the fun of the fair in the gardens. The last one there was a caricaturist who drew caricatures of guests. We had ones done and they are opposite me on the wall as I write this.

They always seemed to play Now is the Hour at Naval as the last dance balls! 😥

Now is the hour
For me to say goodbye
Soon I'll be sailing
Far across the sea

Now is the Hour at Naval Balls as the last dance!

Never.
Not my thing or milieu. At all.
went to barn dance in my youth.

I went to many fishing club and working men’s club annual presentation dinner dances in my time. Always in evening/cocktail dresses and stilettos of course. This was in the 70s early 80s to be honest I never liked them, I never learnt to ‘dance ballroom’ only danced to the disco type and jive music..

welbeck

Never.
Not my thing or milieu. At all.
went to barn dance in my youth.

Yes, those too.

Can’t ballroom dance but probably because I have never had a lesson. Was thrown out of art at school but lived in Spain and attended the local government class to learn drawing and oil, yes, oil painting. A very old teacher who spoke Castellano so we managed and he taught me to draw. I think anything can be taught. Worked for an Anglo/British bank in the City of London and at the annual dance my boss wore a red cummerbund. I was a bit impressed unlike my colleagues who all laughed at him. At a nightclub in Southend in the late seventies, I was there alone and was approached by a German businessman who worked for Siemens, for a dance. I refused explaining that I cannot possibly jive. Had no idea what to do. He told me to trust him, he was a great dancer and would lead me. He also explained that he was in town on business and wasn’t chatting me up as he loved his wife back home. I was so nervous but didn’t need to be. He flung me away from him but always caught me. The dance floor emptied and people stood around clapping. I’m glad I risked it. Such a happy memory and a faithful husband. What’s not to like?

Probably at a school disco about 1963! However me and DH had a very short dance to the orchestras in St Marks Square in Venice two weeks ago.

Sorry Anglo/German

I used to go to dinner dances at conferences my DH was attending. Even had to take long dresses/ black tie when conferences were abroad! I love ballroom dancing - I learnt as a child as my parents would take us with them to dances. I still love to dance and DD shudders in horror at the memory of me starting the dancing in our hotel two years ago. As she constantly reminds me ‘there wasn’t a dance floor’.

I am not by nature a formal dresser, but I have always loved going to formal dances and balls, I love the dressing up in a totally impractical dress, the flurry of getting ready, meeting one's partner, in pre-marriage days, looking really smart (for once) in DJ and bow tie.

At university, most balls ended up with us either going ten pin bowling, have you tried bowling in either a voluminous or a narrow long skirt? Alternatively, we would pack into the cars of the few among us who had cars and drove down to the coast and danced along the pier at Tynemouth. My memories of dances and balls are all of having fun.

I’ve never been to any kind of formal dance. It wasn’t something that my parents or grandparents did so I was only aware of dinner dances and formal balls from watching films and television.

I did, however, go to one ballroom dancing lesson when I was about 8 - a slightly older girl in our street begged me to go with her because her mother thought I would enjoy it . My mum very reluctantly agreed that I could have one trial lesson. As soon as we walked in, the teacher announced that I was far too tall, and would have to dance the boy’s part. I was completely useless and totally uncoordinated. I didn’t go back the following week.

I haven't danced for many years now. When my mother was ill I used to go to occasional dances with my dad - mum taught him to dance as she had been a dancer - and he taught me. It was great fun. It wasn't just ballroom but also rock and roll!! Those were the days!!!

M0nica

I am not by nature a formal dresser, but I have always loved going to formal dances and balls, I love the dressing up in a totally impractical dress, the flurry of getting ready, meeting one's partner, in pre-marriage days, looking really smart (for once) in DJ and bow tie.

At university, most balls ended up with us either going ten pin bowling, have you tried bowling in either a voluminous or a narrow long skirt? Alternatively, we would pack into the cars of the few among us who had cars and drove down to the coast and danced along the pier at Tynemouth. My memories of dances and balls are all of having fun.

I went to a couple Commemoration balls but I can't remember much about them, partly because it was over 50 years ago and partly because I got rather drunk.

I don't remember any dancing but that is not to say there wasn't any. Both balls involved formal dress, dinner and went on all night. I remember eating breakfast in a tent before going back to my lodgings the next day. Happy days.

Never, unless you count the university Union ball, there was no no ballroom dancing, though.
My parents were fairly accomplished ballroom dancers, and often went to dinner dances, but I never learned properly - except that I could still manage a waltz - with a good partner.