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

I have to admit that I've kept two beautiful opera coats which belonged to my mother.
One is a fabulous emerald velvet swing coat (which is a bit too tight for me) and the other is a black and blue silk and wool 1920s stunner complete with lots of beads and tassels. I have worn this one to go out occasionally - and also at university with jeans!
😍

I've never been to anything which could be considered a 'proper dance', which I guess is probably just as well because I'm hopelessly unco-ordinated and can't dance to save myself.

You do nto need to be able to dance if you go to a dance. I am dyspraxic and never learnt to dance, but it didn't stop me enjoying myself. Most of the people present couldn't dance either but we all shuffled around and had a good time.

Dances, whether barn dance, Scottish dancing or alls stops out balls are not things to take serious, they are things to launch yourself into and have fun with your friends.

M0nica

You do nto need to be able to dance if you go to a dance. I am dyspraxic and never learnt to dance, but it didn't stop me enjoying myself. Most of the people present couldn't dance either but we all shuffled around and had a good time.

Dances, whether barn dance, Scottish dancing or alls stops out balls are not things to take serious, they are things to launch yourself into and have fun with your friends.

I just can't bring myself to do it. I feel utterly self-conscious even attempting to dance and feel like everyone's looking at me and laughing. Dancing does not equate to having a good time in my mind. I'm way too introverted to let myself go and enjoy it.

When my late husband was serving in RN we used to go to the Mess do’s’. Always enjoyed them, favourites though was when he was stationed in Scotland and had Burn’s Night and Trafalgar Night. Both formal dinners before hand but great fun had at the Ceilidh afterwards……sometimes until 5 am when some form of breakfast would be served.

I guess for most it depends on your social circle. However for me it was last Friday. Ballroom and Latin dancing was where I met my husband of 42 years. We stopped dancing for 22 years when family and work life took over and we always missed it. However, we went back 7 years ago and now we go dancing every Friday, (latin, ballroom, sequence). We go to a New Year’s Eve ball every year annd other balls 2/3 times a year. Couldn’t be without our dancing now we love it so much, so fingers crossed we are fit and healthy enough to continue for many years to come.

ViceVersa

M0nica

You do nto need to be able to dance if you go to a dance. I am dyspraxic and never learnt to dance, but it didn't stop me enjoying myself. Most of the people present couldn't dance either but we all shuffled around and had a good time.

Dances, whether barn dance, Scottish dancing or alls stops out balls are not things to take serious, they are things to launch yourself into and have fun with your friends.

I just can't bring myself to do it. I feel utterly self-conscious even attempting to dance and feel like everyone's looking at me and laughing. Dancing does not equate to having a good time in my mind. I'm way too introverted to let myself go and enjoy it.

My great release was when I asked myself why anyone would waste their time looking at me - and if they did, so what? One of the advantages of beng an introvert, is you do not care much what other people think of you..

1996, I think.

My sister distinguished the occasion by saying loudly to a very drunk man, who had ignored her previous two more-politely worded requests,

"Will ye tak your haund aff ma erse?"

I must be a strange kind of introvert then, because fretting about what others may think is one of my main anxieties in life.

MrA and I last went to a dance a fortnight ago, ballroom & sequence dancing in a community centre in North Tyneside. I love it. MrA rather less keen 😆
The last posh do was at a Warner Hotels (Nidd Hall near Harrogate) in March where the music was supplied by the wonderful Pasadena Roof Orchestra 😍

Viceversa you re not odd I m the same hate people watching me I feel very self conscious it’s not nearly so bad now I m older but I couldn’t bear being the centre of attention when I was younger
I remember when I was very young probable 10/11 an older cousin took me to a show, half way through we had to stand up and lift our seat and underneath was a number and someone had the lucky number and to my horror it was me I COULD NOT go up to the stage to pick up the gift it was my worst nightmare so I shrunk back in the seat and I think my cousin went and got it
I m not nearly so bad now and no one would believe that’s how I was

I learnt to jive three years ago aged 69!
This week I’ve been 3 times in 5 days.
It’s great fun, great exercise and very sociable.

Many businesses used to have annual dinner dances, as did the company that my DH worked for. We attended those, and enjoyed them. They probably stopped around the mid eighties. Family weddings in the 50’s and 60’s were a bit like dinner dances. I remember my mother reminding my father to ‘ give all the ladies a dance ‘. She used to ask him afterwards if he had!

Being singled out in a crowd and hating it, is a different to thinking people are scrutinising you all the time as you go about your daily life. I cannot understand why anyone thinks that they are the one who will be singled out for scrutiny, when there are so many other people around.

There is nothing more confidence boosting than knowing that you can just bumble around doing your own thing because you are far too insignficant to attract attention.

grannybuy

Many businesses used to have annual dinner dances, as did the company that my DH worked for. We attended those, and enjoyed them. They probably stopped around the mid eighties. Family weddings in the 50’s and 60’s were a bit like dinner dances. I remember my mother reminding my father to ‘ give all the ladies a dance ‘. She used to ask him afterwards if he had!

I must have blocked out the horror that was the dinner dance the Bodach’s company used to take clients to, Saturday lunch till Sunday lunch, in one of three hotels in Aberfoyle, with the obligatory dancing with the clients after dinner on the Saturday night. Had to be best behaviour all weekend, and it depended on the company how good or bad the experience was!

I have danced all types of dancing all my life but sadly gave up dancing five times a week when Covid struck. I now only go occasionally as I no longer have a steady partner and my back is giving in too quickly. I miss it terribly. Dancing was our life. I still have loads of dancing shoes and dresses. Nothing much like that sells Reese days and too good to give away.