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

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.

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!

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.

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 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.

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

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 😍

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

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?"

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..

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.

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.

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.

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'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.

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!
😍

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.

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.

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!!!

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 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 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’.

Sorry Anglo/German

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.

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?