Dance

[Abbey Marie]

I saw a "news" story today about a study that found kids in dance class actually get very little exercise. The female anchor, who took dance as a child, agreed, from her experience. (I'm sure serious adult dancers do get great exercise).

Which just added to my feeling that dance as an activity is rather pointless.

Thoughts?

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

I saw a "news" story today about a study that found kids in dance class actually get very little exercise. The female anchor, who took dance as a child, agreed, from her experience. (I'm sure serious adult dancers do get great exercise).

Which just added to my feeling that dance as an activity is rather pointless.

Thoughts?

As a young man I loved to dance. Ok, what I really loved was slow dancing and the ability to hug up to a pretty gal without getting angry frowns or slapped! Additionally the set up to be able to speak to that gal in private by way of whispering in her ear as we danced. Communication being the key to any relationship goes max as to its priority in the starting of such relationships.
My friend, never pointless is the ability to hug somebody you are attracted to and do so in a civil and honorable manner.
Worked well for the ladies too, as after a dance, if they found the guy not suitable, they just turned him down each request afterwards,
usually after two rejections the guy figured it out.
Now I only "monkey dance" with my wife in private but, tis a dance I dearly love........ ;)--Tyr

[Kathianne]

I found this link about the story I think Abbey was referring to:

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-dance-class-exercise-20150518-story.html

My impression is that the 'study' of dance, sports, etc., may be a bit flawed.
...the CDC guidelines, offering 27 minutes of significant physical activity over the course of a 50-minute session. It seems that what they are looking to measure is the length of sustained physical activity for the longest periods of time. This ignores the purpose of 'class' is to teach the basics of some activity, then give the participants minutes to apply what they've learned.

Instruction jargon: direct instruction; apply; re-teach; apply; evaluate.

These basics apply to nearly all classes, whether dance; soccer; computer skills; etc.

In a 'class environment' significant time is going to be instructional, which is not physically participatory. Sustained activity by the participants would be found only in a game, recital, etc., and then only when the particpant is performing.

Indeed, this may well be another reason that children need time without adult supervision in formal settings. Even in formal games, there are many that sit on the sidelines for significant amounts of time, while those with more developed skills play more time. Those that need the activity more, get less.

When kids put together their own teams and just begin to play, everyone plays. Yes, the more athletic play harder and certainly those who abhor physical activity play less-but more than they would if not part of the 'team.'

I think that classes with a good teacher may help peak the interests of kids that don't like certain activities by giving them some ideas on how to participate with some measure of confidence. To find sustained activity times though, there needs to be opportunities to apply and enjoy. With 'dance' it seems to me that the kids would be served well by having time to meet in someone's basement or a gym or a studio to just 'dance.'

[jimnyc]

Now I only "monkey dance" with my wife in private but, tis a dance I dearly love........ ;)--Tyr

I danced once in my life, and was laughed at, and that was that. Until a friend married in the mid 90's and I got toasted. They recorded it. I had to move out of the state as a result. But the monkey dance, now that's different. :)

http://i.imgur.com/H5aSvm1.jpg

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

I danced once in my life, and was laughed at, and that was that. Until a friend married in the mid 90's and I got toasted. They recorded it. I had to move out of the state as a result. But the monkey dance, now that's different. :)

http://i.imgur.com/H5aSvm1.jpg

Methinks we both have a far different interpretations of "monkey dance" my friend.
In mine the picture, if ever shown, would be X-RATED... :laugh::laugh::laugh:
And get me killed by my darling wife! ;)
Not that she would ever even allow me to take pictures........ --Tyr

[Noir]

I Which just added to my feeling that dance as an activity is rather pointless.

Thoughts?

Not a fan of ballet?

[jimnyc]

Methinks we both have a far different interpretations of "monkey dance" my friend.
In mine the picture, if ever shown, would be X-RATED... :laugh::laugh::laugh:
And get me killed by my darling wife! ;)
Not that she would ever even allow me to take pictures........ --Tyr

Oh, we're on the same page, trust me! I just don't want to get e-slapped in the face by Abbey and Kath. :laugh2:

[jimnyc]

Not a fan of ballet?

I watched ballet once. Horrid. Horrible. Boring. BUT - I DO give credit to the ladies that can dance like that. The years of effort they must put in. Just not my cup of tea. Do you often go to the ballet? :poke:

[Noir]

I watched ballet once. Horrid. Horrible. Boring. BUT - I DO give credit to the ladies that can dance like that. The years of effort they must put in. Just not my cup of tea. Do you often go to the ballet? :poke:

Yeah I've got an american friend who just graduated and ballet has basically had to guide her choices for most of her life to get to this stage, dedicated is an understatement. Certainly wouldn't say I go often, nor anywhere near as much as my mum and gf would want to, but abbeys remarks that 'dance is an activity is pointless' seems a bit over the end IMO

[jimnyc]

Yeah I've got an american friend who just graduated and ballet has basically had to guide her choices for most of her life to get to this stage, dedicated is an understatement. Certainly wouldn't say I go often, nor anywhere near as much as my mum and gf would want to, but abbeys remarks that 'dance is an activity is pointless' seems a bit over the end IMO

I think she was saying it was pointless as an activity for kids, as per the study. I think you must have misread.

If one wants to go to dance class, and enjoys it, then it's obviously not pointless. And even more so if one dedicates their life and makes it into a profession. But over here it's often seen as an 'activity' for younger girls mostly, as you would send a boy to karate class or basketball at the Y. Everyone wants their kids to be active, and this is a way to help get them exercise, or so many thought. I'm pretty confident (and Abs pointed it out), that for adults like your friend, it's different. Your friend lives the life, much like an athlete would training for their specialty, whether pro or amateur.

[Noir]

I think she was saying it was pointless as an activity for kids, as per the study. I think you must have misread.

If one wants to go to dance class, and enjoys it, then it's obviously not pointless. And even more so if one dedicates their life and makes it into a profession. But over here it's often seen as an 'activity' for younger girls mostly, as you would send a boy to karate class or basketball at the Y. Everyone wants their kids to be active, and this is a way to help get them exercise, or so many thought. I'm pretty confident (and Abs pointed it out), that for adults like your friend, it's different. Your friend lives the life, much like an athlete would training for their specialty, whether pro or amateur.

Well if you view dance as *only* an exercise activity for children then maybe so, but that's missing key components such as socialising and opening opportunities for possible future carriers and hobbies.

[Abbey Marie]

Not a fan of ballet?

Actually, while in law school, I took Ballet classes as a nice antidote to studying. It is incredibly difficult, and I think it stands apart from all other forms of dance. And lest I had any delusions, the Pennsylvania Ballet were rehearsing right in the next room. I never felt like such a cow, lol.

Jim is mostly right, I was focusing on it as an activity for children. As I said, adult professionals are getting a great workout. As a sports fan, I "get" activities that have a particular goal in mind (pun intended), such as winning a game, as opposed to one that culminates in a "performance". Several years ago, I sat through 3 hours of a dance school's end of the year program (it was actually longer; I feigned death to get out of the last hour). My god, it was excruciating. All these attention-seeking kids, and their overbearing parents. And to me, pointless, Kath's instructional/social positives notwithstanding. (And yes, I know that sports have their flaws. Dinna fasch, it's just my opinion).

I knew that I wouldn't find much, if any, agreement on the point. It is too ingrained in our psyches to see dance as a great thing. Love the discussion, though!

I did find one point to dance:



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