Pattern Dancing

Modern dancing reflects modern culture. It is sensual, chaotic, individualistic and undignified. Put on a throbbing Techno tune and everyone gyrates madly; put on a crooning Pop ballad and couples pair off to cling and sway; put on a jarring Rock song and they'll jump up and down, yelling incoherently.

Let me present the civilized alternative. Pattern dancing. Couples form two lines and dance a specific pattern with the couple next to them. Often, in each group of four, the couple nearer the head of the set performs a different dance pattern from that of the couple nearer the foot. After completing the pattern, the bottom couple in each group of four has progressed up the line, and the top couple has progressed down the line, to dance in a new set of four. Once they reach the end of the line, each couple enters again and progresses back the other way, performing the other dance pattern.

A few benefits of pattern dancing:

1. It is an agreeable way to acquire a sense of rhythm, proportion, and good posture.

2. Catchy fiddle tunes and lively dances preserve fitting decorum and order without oppressing an energetic crowd.

3. The complex progression of the dance provides a pleasing and elegant scene for those merely watching on account of indisposition, derth of partners, old age, etc.

4. Young men and women can become better acquainted in a communal and formal setting, discouraging improper intimacy and providing set forms of behavior which distinguish the proper roles of men and women.

5. Some of the loveliest folk music falls into this genre.

5. The dances are such jolly fun!

I most enjoy the English Country Dances. They are danced to a particular song, often to a waltz tempo, and the evening always closes with a series of "regular" waltzes. For those who prefer a more "aerobic" dance, Contra dancing and Irish set dancing offer a rollicking alternative.