So Prince William was spotted dancing at a recent Taylor Swift concert and there’s a big uproar. Oh my god! Older man, and a Royal at that, dancing to music! Shock horror! Amazing how this is newsworthy.
A recent article in The Guardian took this opportunity of a dancing middle aged prince to look at Dad Dancing and the thousands of (older) men strutting their stuff recently at the Glastonbury Festival.
Possibly even more embarrassing than Dad Jokes, it seems we find it hard to stomach the fact that older people love to dance too, and especially men?
Old News
We all know dancing is as old as the hills. For example there is clear evidence that there was plenty of dancing in Ancient Greece, and dance is found in every human community around the world.
For most able-bodied people, we spend our days moving around: getting up, going for shower/toilet, shopping, travelling to work, meeting friends etc We are constantly on the move.
And then there is moving to music. The movement is superfluous to our survival or the necessary functions of daily life. Here in the Western world, dancing is put in a separate category: seen as exotic, erotic, revealing, and embarrassing.
Genes
Exploring the Dad Dancing theme, The Guardian article features a dance expert, Dr Peter Lovatt (Dr Dance). His research discovered that:
‘ the way people move was influenced by their hormonal and genetic makeup, and when people watch each other people dance, their ratings of their attractiveness varies as a function of the way they’re moving.’
He goes on to say that older men do dance differently to those that are younger, perhaps to indicate their ‘declining biological fitness’, and yet Dad Dancing should undoubtedly be encouraged for its proven benefits, including for aging men.
From the Guardian: The Science of Dad Dancing
Mood Moves
Lovatt goes on to talk about the benefits of dance including for social bonding, trust and problem solving. There’s also the whole mental health piece: dancing disrupts the limited and narrow thinking that characterises anxiety and depression, at least for a while.
Believe it or not this website hosts the ‘World Dad Dancing Championship’, the aim:
‘Open you mind, throw away your pride and release the ridiculous rhythmic magic locked inside of all of us’.
Sounds good, shame I’m not a dad.
There’s also Dadfest (who knew?). It’s the only festival in the country for father-figures and their children. Lots of outdoor activities including water sports, camping, arts/crafts, and of course Dad Dancing! Yay! Judging by the reviews, these dancefloor delights are a highlight, and the kids love to see their dads ‘being silly (relaxing).
Dadfest also hosts the not-to-be-missed World Dad Dancing Championships!
Seriously, though
Joking aside, this dance thing is an opportunity for men not to have to conform and to find creative expression. And according to Lovatt, age is an advantage when it comes to becoming less inhibited. He says that by their mid-60s, men’s dance ‘goes through the roof’.
Flomotion Dance
At Flomotion you don’t have to go too far to find dads getting down on the dancefloor. There are a few in their 60s who regularly like to let off steam, release stress and enjoy the sense of community.
One of the great things about aging is that you care less about what other people think. Conscious dance practices like Flomotion are all about following your own movement impulses and finding your own creative expression. It’s about being less self-conscious and more spontaneous.
So Dads (and other men), come on down to Archway and set yourself free of the stereotypic button-up guy who has to drink 10 pints to get moving.
You will be welcomed and included whatever moves you make (Prince William too!).
"goes through the roof..." - well I must've reached this amazing milestone as I only started (dad) dancing just over two and a half years ago! This explains e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g...