Why Millennials Don’t Dance

One of America’s most popular pastimes is surprisingly absent from today’s culture. But maybe there’s a way we can get it back.

When was the last time you truly went dancing? Where were you? Was it at a party? A dance hall? Or maybe a wedding?

Back in the ’50s, ’60s, and ‘70s, your answer probably would’ve been something like: “well, a few nights ago, of course, at the dance hall downtown.”

Today, however, your answer is much more likely to be: “Danced? Wait, what kind of dance? I mean, I was at a night club a few weeks back and I guess we danced but… not exactly together? Wait, why are you asking again?”

Dancing, especially in any sort of romantic or courtship manner—heck, even just for fun—has become a nearly foreign concept to us these days. Millennials most certainly would not consider it a normal weekend activity, if they did it’d be one of the last options if all else failed, even then karaoke has a better chance of suiting the group.

Sure, one might go to a salsa class once with that one super outgoing friend or maybe you try swing dancing at your cousin’s wedding after a few too many beers, but the act of dancing as a common experience nowadays seems odd, to some even just downright weird.