Attitudes toward dance may be a major factor preventing people, particularly men, from getting started. Some view dancing as overtly sexual and, perhaps consequentially, as immoral. Certainly there are clubs, sometimes referred to as dance clubs, where the primary activities are consuming alcohol and searching for sexual partners where the dance floor becomes a prospecting ground. In such venues dancing tends to be little more than rhythmic gyration using suggestive motion. Where dance is the primary objective there is very little if anything that is either sexual or immoral. That is not to say friendships begun with dance have not become romantic. At our studio there are couples and singles, both women and men, who dance comfortably with each other.

Another potential problem is the discomfort about being a beginner among a group of more experienced dancers. While there are “dance snobs” I have found very few in several decades. One possible source of such attitudes may come from casual observation of experienced or competitive couples where theatrics play a role. When my partner and I assume a pose to dance in a competition we may appear quite aloof. It is theatre I assure you. Outside of that environment most of these dancers are friendly, encouraging and extremely tolerant toward beginners. Instructors really love working with skilled students but unless they also love beginners their success may be limited.

Each type of dance has character which in certain dances can be very sensual but there are so many dances it is impossible to assign any specific characteristic to all of them. Any type of rhythmic motion can be loosely characterized as dance but beyond that most dances have a set of rules describing the desired motion. If you begin to look at each type of dance you may have to abandon any stereotypical view of dance as sexual or immoral. Believe me, when you are struggling to “get it right” that is all you have on your mind.

I wish I knew a way to get more men to consider trying dance. I see couples where one partner attends dance classes while the other does not. Almost without exception it is the female partner who dances. In the case of people without partners there are again far fewer men in dance classes than women. Historically, dance has been as much about men as women or couples. However, since the mid 1800s dance has been viewed more and more as a female activity which has been strongly reflected in European and North American educational systems. For any man who is strong enough to get past the stereotypical view of dance as effeminate, a world of enjoyment and benefits await.