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It's the time to DISCO
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Dancing is great fun, but you can have a good time by observing small courtesies.
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LORD CHESTERFIELD, in his letters to his son, said: "Dancing is one of those established follies to which people of sense are sometimes obliged to conform; and then they should be able to do it well. But the greatest advantage of dancing well is, that it necessarily teaches you to present yourself, to sit, stand, and walk genteelly."
This was his opinion on the more sedate ballroom dancing of yesteryear. Even though there are dance clubs where the waltz, salsa, samba, line, and country western are organised, what we see here is mainly the disco variety which is untutored and completely freestyle. It allows so much freedom for your creative abilities and everyone moves rhythmically, (may be not) to the beat. The music itself is earthy and the resonance of the percussion in full blast stereo has everyone swaying after some time. As creative and individualistic as disco dancing is, there are still some basic courtesies one needs to practice.
Be aware of the crowded dance floor while entering, dancing and exiting. This is really not the time to try out wild movements where you end up stepping on people behind you or knocking them off their feet. If you do bump into someone, don't glare at him or her, have the grace to apologise and move on. Remember that it is the female partner who decides how close she wants to dance with you. Let her take the initiative in setting the spatial limit.
As much as it sounds pretty elementary, this is definitely a place where you need to smell good, or at least neutral. There is nothing more obnoxious than bad breath and body odour assaulting everybody's senses. Dancers are too close for you to stick to your principles of "I like to be natural!" Others will thank you to stay home with your convictions.
As for appearance, dress according to what is culturally acceptable, comfortable, tasteful and age appropriate. This is not the place for gym shoes and do be careful of shoes with rubber soles, which have the tendency to stick to the floor causing you to injure your ankle. Ladies, don't carry your big handbags slung on your shoulders on to the dance floor. If you must carry one, do invest in some cute little bags made of a softer material with a long stringy strap. This way, you can sling it across and it will give you freedom of movement and not hit the other people on the floor.
If you have come as a group, it is all right to ask others in your group as partners. Be mindful of the one or two in the group who are sitting it out most of the time because no one has asked them to dance. Having said that, the time when only men asked women to a dance is history. Women can take the initiative too, without any eyebrows being raised. It is also courtesy to say "thank you" to your partner and the response to this is a "thank you", and not "you are welcome!"
If you do not wish to dance with the person who has just asked you, you may turn it down; but be gracious about it. Having turned that person down, don't jump up immediately to dance the same number with someone else. At least have the consideration to sit out that song.
The dance floor is also not the place to have a cigarette or a drink, in your hand. You can give someone a cigarette burn or spill your drink and make the floor slippery.
Now, sing along, "It's the time to disco" and shake a leg!
CHITRA DANGER
(The writer is the director of ProEt Centre for International Protocol and Etiquette; e- mail: proetique@yahoo.co.in; website: www.proetique.com)
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