There has been an ongoing discourse about how gen Z was robbed from our 20s, and especially the clubs. Growing up, we watched shows like Jersey Shore and constantly heard songs about getting drunk in the club. But now that we are old enough to go out, we feel cheated. People just aren’t dancing the way they used to, and I think dance has become a thing that a lot of people think is embarrassing or “cringe” most of the time. I thought about this after reading “As the Earth Dances,” because it reminded me of how important dance is for individuals and society at large. In a way, I feel like dance has been somewhat colonized much like everything else. Even thinking about a more accepted form of dance… the TikTok dances. Those dances are usually created by black people, and are then watered down for others to easily learn. But even TikTok dances are products which can be bought and sold. But anyway, when someone starts freestyling in the club (which are usually older adults or very drunk people), people record them instead of joining in, further isolating the person. I mean they might like the attention, but it is so individualistic you know? There is no communal dancing. But when I see videos from HBCUs, people have choreography and there are so many people dancing all together and having a good time at almost every event. Its almost like dance has been whitewashed, and it makes me so sad because I love to dance, but I rarely feel comfortable doing it in public without people looking at me like I have 4 heads.
I think bringing back dancing without shame would help society tremendously. It would make people feel more connected to the community, to friends, to music, to nature, and so much more. It would help us start valuing art that is not made to be bought or sold, and also help us to value one another and their bodies. Dance also elevates people’s moods and releases feel good chemicals in the brain. Instead of dancing alone in your room, could you imagine dancing in a club full of people ALL dancing without caring about how they looked? That would be amazing. And there is no doubt that cellphones have impacted this experience. Because everyone is worried about getting recorded and possibly losing their jobs or being made fun of for what they look like while dancing.
Society would be so much better if we valued art that isn’t a product. Because dance IS valuable and it IS necessary. Art is amazing because it communicates through itself, and not necessarily through words. Art has the power to bring people together, and right now it is very individualistic. Going back to my example of TikTok dances, most people learn and perform the dance by themselves and then post it for everyone to see. How isolating is that? We don’t need to make dance an online thing, I wish instead, we could have community dance events where people learn and perform dances together you know – “live.” It’s actually pretty dystopian to think about, especially in comparison with other cultures where they value community and interconnectedness.
PS: We need better music in the clubs and more DJs who identify as women!!
Unruly Bodies 
Say it louder for the people in the back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sadly, everything is so judgemental, especially in the club. People just stand around, looking at each other, trying to look pretty to loud music, and it’s so boring!! I remember my mom telling me how she and her friends would be dancing in the New York clubs until the lights came on and then had to leave quickly because they sweated off their makeup. Where is that?? The pandemic changed club culture a lot because when I went out before the pandemic, people would dance a little bit, but now, no one dances. It feels like everyone has forgotten how to be outside and carefree. As for HBCUs, the last school I went to was an HBCU, and it was the same nonsense, so I think it’s our generation being terrible at socializing. It’s unfortunate to see because the club is supposed to be a place where you can dance however you want in the dark to music that’s too loud and forget about all the problems in the world. Where are we supposed to go to release now?
Also emphasis on DJs who are women! They are always the best!!
I literally couldn’t agree more! When you said the part of dancing in the club with a group of people instead of my bedroom…OOOH I GOT BUTTERFLIES because that would be a dream! Just enjoying a good song with fun people and just letting go…It’s the scene in a coming of age movie I feel like someone pressed fast forward on for a lot of us. Our generation just has so much fear, judgement, and inhibitions embedded inside of us. We don’t trust anyone anymore, we can’t share the vulnerability of telling someone our favorite song and dancing with them too it; it’s too personal, too scary. Social media and technology has really stripped us of a valuable part of building community and that’s actually being close with your community, that’s being able to gather with people like you and being able to just have fun and feel secure doing so because you know you all have that same mindset. No, everyone is just so fearful now, even I think twice before even so much as complimenting someone because I wonder “will they think I’m weird?”; now just imagining letting loose in the club…I get the shivers accompanied by those butterflies. I think it takes being really brave now, unfortunately, to take that first step. You have to let go of your embarrassment to make someone else feel comfortable, if everyone did that, I think we’d have a pretty damn good club.
Oh, and the mentioning of more female DJs reminds me of all female clubs, just vibing with the girlies in a safe space is literally such a dreamscape!
THIS! SO real. When you grow up and watch older siblings, people in movies and tv shows have fun in their 20s, you have this expectation that it will be the same for you. WOW is it disappointingly not the same anymore. It’s not just the people, it’s the music too. Early 2000s club music goes so hard and I listen to it all the time. I don’t find nearly as much music now that hits the same. My favorite thing to do at a party that I don’t get to do in a casual hangout is to dance. I want to get lost in the music and be surrounded by friends and making new ones, just dancing to the same beat. I’ve always been so excited for that feeling and it’s so rare to find it. All my friends are so embarrassed to do anything out of the ordinary or draw attention to themselves. What happened to dancing on tables? I agree that the world of tiktok dance has made everything so skewed. You record yourself alone in your room, trying the same moves over and over again until it’s perfect. Not to mention, stealing those moves from black creators. Bring back dance!
Absolutely agree with this. I personally miss those days of playing Dance Central 3 with a friend in middle school or going to a school dance and just having fun. Now media either only has TikTok dances or people who have trained for years for a competitive scene or something, and it feels like just letting loose and having fun isn’t welcome anymore because we aren’t allowed to draw attention to ourselves. What happened that caused dancing to not be fun? Why do we have to wait or specific events such as the homecoming bonfire to be able to just dance for fun anymore?
The audacity to film and judge someone’s dancing is wild. I hate it. I usually go to bars with dance floors vs clubs. There’s a lot more dancing, but a lot less space. Finding a place that plays good music and has a good environment is difficult, but being able to dance freely is so worth it. Hope you find a place.
Everything you’re saying is true and I don’t really have much to add to what you or the commenters have said but I would encourage us to not rely to heavily on internet tropes or discourse and make them an all encompassing reality as there are so many places where people show up to dance.
If you want to dance freely and be around others who dance freely and are there to enjoy the music and presence of others, I’ve found this most at African and Caribbean clubs/bars/parties.
Aside from that, it’s so true that the fear of being filmed has kept many people from being expressive and free which is very unfortunate. The type of music that is mainstream now also does not necessarily encourage that type of movement either so it’s really a big cycle of people not dancing in public spaces.
But there are few things I love dancing and that “2000s club culture” is still alive and well! I encourage you and others who want to experience it to go out more and try new environments, even alone, because strangers are more accepting than we choose to believe and that kind of freedom and fun is waiting for you somewhere 🙂
Although I rarely attend any sort of party or rave myself, discovering that the clubbing experience has been reduced to standing in a big room holding cups and pretending to hear people was still somehow tragic. At best you get some people clustered together and jumping straight up and down but that doesn’t feel like expression, it’s just homogenous release of energy, which I suppose is better than nothing but it lacks the artistry of yesteryear’s festivals and warehouse moshes. Maybe I’m just antiquated in my tastes but I miss, as much as one can miss a time they were not alive for, I’m sure there’s a psychological term for it, the age where everyone and their mother wore those flowy gossamer shawls and just spun around like an idiot to a Stevie Nicks performance. Then again those people were probably blanked on acid and all attempts to recreate Woodstock ultimately resulted in the empowerment of biker gangs, so maybe a middle ground can be found where expressionism is brought back without the more dangerous extremities.