This is a phrase that I have actually heard being used, when in the 60s, at parties, boys would ask you to join them on the dance floor. The movie by that name also gained a lot of traction recently as one of its really great dialogues was used at a much-publicized event. So, I feel borrowing the title is quite okay.
The Western dances popular back then were foxtrot, waltz, cha cha cha, and something called the Madison, with complex steps. Latin dances like Rumba and Samba were also popular. I have no idea how and when I learnt these dance steps from friends, but I did. Later there was the twist and shake and the shiver, which did not require you to dance in pairs. Cliff Richard and Elvis Presley were popular and we sang songs like Heartbreak hotel and Theme for a dream playing the LPs (Long Playing Records) on what was called radiograms, radio and record playing combos, rather large pieces of drawing room furniture, that also had place to store the records. LPS had about 10 to 12 tracks of a movie or a singer. There were EPs or Extended Play with 4 to 5 songs or tracks.
After leaving Delhi, for many years, I forgot all about these dances as there was no occasion to try them out while at college.
While living in Shanghai, decades later, I saw the interest in western dancing . In many parks and open spaces like the river front, there would be an impromptu dance floor as couples practiced their steps at sunset. There was often dancing in the exercise group I joined every morning in our residential complex . They would sometimes put on dance music on the cassette player, after the 45 minutes daily exercise regimen, and teach each other foxtrot and waltz. Sometimes, big fans would be brought and we learnt the local folk fan dance . Learning to switch open and close the fans with a flick of the wrist, was a skill that took time to master. Even if men of the household were not interested in dancing, the women danced with each other and once a week, dressed up and went for a dinner and dance evening with their girl gang, leaving the husbands happy with watching TV and dinner trays. The dancing fans are longer and different from the usual ones and I enjoyed shopping for them in a local market, along with the appropriate music to match!
A couple of years later, in Kolkata, while walking for my Mandarin class at Sunny Park at the Zhongwen Xuexiao, I saw the Calcutta School of Music and a notice board about Western dancing classes. It was a fascinating institution, set up in 1915. I found that they offered a course in Latin and Western dance and signed up for it. The fact that I had enrolled myself for learning Mandarin , including learning characters, meant that I was in for the penny, in for the pound. I signed up for classes for couples as these were the traditional dances for pairs. After the initial classes, my husband’s enthusiasm petered off. That and the fact that the teacher remarked that I seemed to be familiar with the dance steps, which was true. Nestled somewhere in the muscle memory, I found it easy to follow the music and the steps. I was fun while it lasted, but it didn’t last long enough, as I was often travelling to Bombay and the Mandarin course became more demanding.
Dancing in public is something we seldom see in India, except of course during festivals like navaratri, where we make up for the rest of the year! But dance as an exercise as well and enjoyment on a daily basis , is common in countries like China and Vietnam. In Danang, in Vietnam, on the beach after sunset , there is an informal group, playing music and teaching each other various steps of dances like waltz, foxtrot, salsa. Onlookers can just join in if they want, there is always a willing teacher.
Dancing for exercise in the privacy of your home is gaining great popularity especially after the lockdown years when health became a priority for many.
I was looking for an age appropriate program on you tube when I chanced upon Dance with Deepti two years ago. It was quite easy , fun with nostalgic numbers from the 60s and 70s and some exercises done seated on a chair. I began to follow it and tried it 3-4 times a week to begin with.
Then I saw there were so many more videos, and slowly ventured to try a few. By the time a year had passed, I became more adventurous and confident. Meanwhile, through a short paid challenge on her App, I got in touch with Deepti and met her when she visited India last summer. Now as we collate success stories to share on the Dance with Deepti website, I realise that dance as an exercise format can become a method to attain physical and mental health for so many women, of all ages and backgrounds, as they can take charge of their well being in the privacy of their home, with no cost but tremendous benefit.
Shall we dance, can be something you can say to your reflection, as you take charge of your health and happiness.
Hey Margie, lovely to read your post. Dancing feels very liberating, and I am so glad you are dancing regularly!