For the love of dance

 I have written a lot about dance - it's power to heal, it's mood lifting effect, it's sense of community, the science of dance and it's many other benefits for wellbeing..  Hell, even when I do karoke, I tend to throw in a dance for good measure. I am not a good dancer. I don't even know my left from right. I'm that white person with no rhythm the trope is laughing at. And I'm old. I just love it so much, and the serotonin it gives me (dopamine? I'm also not a doctor or biology student or clearly that smart), that I just don't care. Dancing is the quickest route to joy.

Walking to the restaurant to meet my friend before Hot Potato Band the other night, I was flooded with endorphins and getting high in anticipation of dancing. I said on arrival, 'the next best thing to the high you get dancing is the feeling of anticipation that you're going dancing!' And for me, it's true.

The next morning, my husband sent me this article with the preface 'it's not for the bit about hating your body, it's for the dancing bit'. He is not a dancer. At weddings, I'm allowed one dance with him. He warns me to choose the song wisely. He prefers seated concerts, where as I prefer to stand up the front in the crowd. My widowed brother-in-law is now my main dance partner at family weddings, because he likes to dance or doesn't know how to say no. I don't really understand people don't like to dance. I realise there's a self-conscious aspect, fear of looking stupid etc but if you give yourself over to the music, you just don't care. The serotonin released (or whatever) is worth it. In fact, as I've mentioned before, I'm sure there's footage of me on youtube being mocked for the way I dance...I just hope I never stumble across it.

Back to the article, Julia Baird sums up the regret people have late in life as their body physically declines '“If I had only known,” they would say, “I would have danced more.”' and she concludes "But for now, when alive, when upright, when walking through days with purpose, without pain, they [your body] are vessels for adventure, for sleep, for song, for dance, and a place where we experience joy." (full article is worth reading here). Dance is the most immediate path to joy in my opinion.

When in lockdown, as the weeks rolled on, I would be filled with existential panic, mainly about how I only had a limited time left to travel and dance, and do all the physical things I like to do. If people were talking about lockdown, I'd tap at my wrist and say "Tick tock! I'm running out of time". They'd laugh and say that I could still do all that but I don't think they realise what's involved. You need a certain amount of agility and strength to be able to throw yourself fully into the experience. And that, I know, is running out with age as my body physically declines. (And I accept all accusations of lockdown privilege. It's a fair call. Worrying about getting old when people are dying makes me a jerk, but this post is about my love of dance - because it is something I truly love. I stuck by the rules and still mask and sanitise but I will whinge away).

If you're a little lethargic, get up and dance. If you're down in the dumps, blast some music and dance hard. If you're in a crowd, focus on the stage and tune everything else out. I promise you, there's a shift. 

I have nothing on the cards until Duke Dumont hits our shores but I am counting down the days! In the meantime, I'll just have to settle for my morning dancing while I get dressed to Daily Drive....(another post on how much I love Spotify pending).

As for you, if you don't dance, I challenge you. Give it a go. Get your dirty boots on the floor!

 "A’a i ka hula, waiho i ka maka’u i ka hale." Dare to dance, leave shame at home.

In other news, I'm getting a new phone cos this one is dying and as you can see, can barely take photos anymore. What should I get?

Linking with #Tellusabout Dance

“Any kind of dancing is better than no dancing at all.” Lynda Barr

I have spoken before about the benefits of dancing. I think now is a time to regularly dance to uplift your soul. There are however more scientific studies on the benefits of dancing for both physical and mental health. Dancing together, even if streamed apart, has the same mental health benefit as a hug. This article Why dancing is the best thing you can do for your body is worth a read.

Currently, when I do my youtube workouts, if they include an exercise that won't be good for my back, I just dance through it, rather than fast forward. I don't listen to the workout - I mute it and have my dance playlist running so am quite elated while doing the workout each morning.

Every second Saturday from 6-8, Hot Dub Time Machine is streaming live. Grab a cocktail, put on some party lights and pretend you're with the 40, 000 other people streaming it for #HotDubAtHome. Catch past shows here.

Play all the #FurnaceatHome clips together for a good 20 mins of dancing. There are 4 so far...but this one is my fav, because of Dolly.


I'm very excited because Duke Dumont is streaming live this afternoon, so I'll be dancing again from 4pm. Sign up to Bands in Town, track all your favs. A lot of people are doing concerts almost weekly - and all different types of Musicians. Jon Cleary is doing a tour (so basically the start time is 8pm in different timezones around the States). 

Grab some new grooves with #SundayCovers.

There are also free dance lessons you can join in, so pick your type of dance and get googling. Who knows, you may find a new hobby for you by the end of this.

If you're feeling a little low, the quickest way to lift your mood is to get moving in joyous exercise. 

Do you have tips to get your groove on?

“The job of feets is walking, but their hobby is dancing.”
Amit Kalantri

This week's #SundayCovers will also get you dancing! Or click here to add your own post about music covers.

Old enough to know better...

I went to a party the other day, and it was divided into clusters from the hosts life. There were a fair few in our cluster, so while I spent most of the night with those I knew, I did strike up conversations with others, as we were all there to celebrate a milestone birthday with the host.

At one point in the night, a song I liked came on, so I went to the small group of five that was dancing, and announced I was joining them, even though they were all strangers to me. A few seconds later, the three women whispered to each other, looked at me and left. It was shockingly rude and frankly for 50 year olds, infantile and weird. I turned to the two men who remained dancing (one of them obviously feeling very awkward about whether to stay or go, and one too drunk to care) and apologised for bringing the vibe down. The drunk guy just shrugged and smiled. We danced as if it hadn't happened and then when the new song came on, I went back to my people...

WHO DOES THAT?

I told a friend and her first response was to shriek in a horrified squeal 'That's so high school?!'
And it was. The weirder part, I wasn't trying to talk to them, I literally was just coming to dance. So it seemed an excessive show of poor manners, to prove some point that I clearly missed.

The night before I went to Jungle Giants, where I was easily 30 years older than everyone else. I went with a friend and we merrily danced away. At one point, I noticed three women, maybe 20, looking at me. One was grinning and possibly copying my moves. I wasn't 100% sure if she was making fun of me, as she was smiling at me in a very friendly manner, so it was difficult to read what was happening. Her friend then gave me that look. It's a look I get at lots of concerts where I don't belong. It's not nasty, but there is a patronising air. It's a look that says "Aren't you cute?!" Cute in the sense of a sweet old lady. Betty White cute. The mimicking was an inclusive move, not one with malice. It is something I'm getting used to. It has occasionally had the words 'I hope I still go out like you when I'm old' and other such variations, that are meant to be compliments but are shattering reminders that your outside doesn't match how you feel inside...and yet I'd still take that over the small minded women at the party.

It's a sad reflection of society in a lot of ways. The older we get, the more focused on our 'lot' we become. We're not interested in sharing with the greater community, nor open to new people. I have a lot of faith in the youth of today. I hope they don't follow our bad example.

To borrow from Kate Forsyth, dancing is common ground that allows 'people to connect, despite all our defences and all our differences'.

And who wouldn't want to connect in the easiest and most instantaneous way possible?

"Inclusion is a way of thinking, a way of being, and a way of making everyone feel they belong" 
(not attributed to anyone? If you know, let me know).

Linking off topic for  #KCACOLS #GlobalBlogging #TwinklyTuesday and #DreamTeam

“Dance is the hidden language of the soul” ― Martha Graham

I have written before of how therapeutic I find dancing, and how great it is for confidence and well being, no matter how terrible you are at it. If I go too long without it, I get 'itchy' feet...

A friend sent me a story, that she said reminded her of me. In South Korea, a group of over 65's had thrown away their medicine and walking sticks as a result of government funded day time dance parties for seniors. Some had even met new partners. I love this story so much. I can see easily how it would be so beneficial to their heath and mood.


In China, the elderly all meet up in parks and in the walkways of the Chinese monuments (like Temple of Heaven) to play Go or cards. They have a tradition of dancing in public squares together at night. You don't need to know anyone, you just join in. Squares all over the city are full of people  of all ages dancing at night. The Chinese seem to have a very social view of life. It's easy to see this might lead to greater happiness than being cut off and isolated, and left just to family when they get home from work. I think it's something we've really lost in this country, and probably explains our high rates of depression.

Square dancing in Xian

I'm listening to a book which is talking about all the 80 year olds on Tinder in the West. It's very hard to socially meet people their age in daily activities. I had never even thought about this, so of course Tinder (or such apps) would make sense. However, in those Chinese and South Korean settings, you wouldn't need an app, as you are constantly out mixing with people, so the loneliness and isolation aren't an issue.

On my return, I was delighted to discover the City of Sydney offers classes for Chinese Square dancing (Plaza dancing). It's inclusive for people with disabilities too. So if you know someone who would benefit from this, pass on the details - it could be literally life changing.

As for me, I'm going to check it out - not to find a date but I see myself as a South Korean senior at a daytime rave, and this is close enough. So dusting off my very neglected list, I've one more to add:

Torshlusspanik List:

1. Shooting (check)
2. Fencing (check)
3. Play croquet at Croquet Club
4. Laser skeet
5. Off road buggy driving
6. Play Assassins Creed
7. Jetpacking (check)
8. The Color Run (check)
9. Invent something
10. Cooking Masterclass (check)
11. Master a Masterclass (check)
12. Perform a rap song (check)
13. Trampoline adventure (check)
14. BMX Riding (check)
15. Do a cart wheel (check)
16. Ride an Electric Bike (check)
17. Astonish Myself
18. Write a book.
19. Participate in a distance event (check)
20. Climb Sydney Tower (check)
21. Dance in a dance class (check)
22. Trust a stranger

23. Get a truck for the Landmine Museum and Relief Centre in Siem Reap

24. Paint a picture

25. Go Rollerskating (check)

26. Do Chinese Square Dancing

“Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world.”
― Voltaire

Do you think we've let the elderly down with our way of life? 
Have you noticed how insular we are in Australia these days?
Do you like to dance?


Linking with #TheRandom #GlobalBlogger  #KCACOLS  & #StayClassyMama

"When I dance, I forget everything else, and just feel completely happy." Katherine Jenkins

 I was scrolling on FB and a clip came up where a teacher in Africa (not sure which country - I want to say Nigeria but google is disagreeing with me). Anyway, I noticed the creative teacher was saying he was teaching the school children to dance to improve their confidence and self esteem (and I thought 'how interesting. I'll come and look at that later but then lost it completely and can't find it.)

However, while you may remember, a few years back, I had very low self esteem. In the last few years, I've taken dance lessons (all kinds, ballet, hip hop, samba fitness - I'm pretty terrible at them all, but I don't care, because I just have fun with it) and I go to lots of concerts and dance my heart out, not caring how I look or who sees me.

As a by product, I've become more confident. Not a better dancer, by any means, not even looking like I fit in. I just don't care. My focus is on the experience. The endorphins and energy the movement and music brings.


In the dance classes, I need to concentrate on the task at hand, I tune out all the thoughts of what I look like and if I can do it. The internal voice is muted as I try to remember the order of the routine or the tricky steps. At a concert, I'm so focused on the stage that my tunnel vision tunes out those around me, or those beyond the people I'm dancing with.

Augusten Burroughs explains it perfectly in his book This Is How (but get the audio book as he reads it so brilliantly - it's on audible). Basically the short version is that if you focus, truly focus on the task at hand, you stop thinking about what other people are thinking of you (and your ability). You also stop running the internal judgement on what you are doing. You are only focused on the thing you are doing. You are at ease in yourself because you are task conscious, not self conscious.

I have noticed on reflection (prompted by the FB clip and wondering if dance did raise your self esteem), that this behaviour, that started with dance, has crept into other activities in life. I suspect as I became more focused on the dancing, I started to enjoy that kind of attention to detail (rewarded with the endorphins and buzzy energy), my subconscious took over. It has been over three years since I wrote about my epiphany and I can definitely say I am no longer that girl. Though I am older, wrinklier, greyer, fatter and just generally all those things I should feel more insecure about.

So imagine if when I was little, I learnt the benefits of dance and really revelled in it? Maybe that teacher is on to something....(There is also argument that you improve confidence with the mastery of a dance step but as I never really master it, I can't really comment - I don't think that's necessary for the benefits).

If anyone knows the clip I'm talking about, can you give me a link as I'd love to see what he had to say. Everyone else, read This is How.

Or just dance.

(The photos are from Sculpture at Scenic World a few years ago, and I loved the simplicity of the idea. The focus changed the scenery completely. It highlighted a different beauty by making us focus on a smaller detail.)

Linking with #TellUsAbout Confidence.