A note from Rich Stoneking…
Dancing is something that usually enters our lives at a young age and stays with us, in some form, into our senior years.
Dance lessons today are quite popular, especially among young girls who want to learn tap or become ballet dancers. Taking classes gives them the opportunity to meet new people, get exercise, and build confidence as they perform in recitals.
My first experience with dancing, however, did not occur under such “privileged” circumstances. As I recall, it took place at a junior high school dance held in the gymnasium. Girls on one side, boys on the other, all of us too nervous to break the ice and ask someone to dance. Awkward, to say the least.
By the time I reached high school, dances like the prom were attended with a date. These events were more formal and held at places like Cedar Gardens or Angeloni’s in Trenton and Hamilton Township. I know I’m dating myself, as these establishments no longer exist.
Once I was able to drive and got to college, my friends and I would usually make our way to fraternity parties and bars. Dancing was very informal, freestyle, and generally just an opportunity to strike up a conversation.
After college, there were weddings to attend and plenty of opportunities to dance. There were group dances like the “Conga” that got everyone onto the floor, and my least favorite, the “Macarena.”
Sometimes, as adults, we don’t need a special occasion to dance. Who hasn’t seen me swiveling my hips while listening to music in the therapy clinic? At one point, I even played “Who Stole the Kishka” after buying a polka CD.
Today, if you’re looking for a night out with live music and dancing, good luck. Lounges and clubs used to be packed, often filled with smoke, as smoking was common back then.
Recently, I was talking with a friend who asked where he could go for some Saturday night dancing. I had to tell him, unfortunately, that those opportunities are few and far between unless you’re willing to dance on your own.
We both agreed that today’s generation doesn’t know what it missed.
In the end, maybe the goal isn’t to find the perfect place to dance, but to keep dancing through life wherever the music finds you….