Ever wonder how people partied in the past?

They danced, of course! Everybody who was anybody not only knew HOW to dance-- they WANTED to! Even in the 18th century, teenagers were sneaking out to dance the shocking and "godless" partner dance, later to be known as the waltz. In the twenties, people crammed themselves into crowded night clubs to dance the night away to fun new variations of the foxtrot and one-step, and finally swing music. Social scenes revolved purely around who would be hosting the next ball. 

So where did it all go? Many famous minds of the past warned of the dangers involved in a loss of dancing. Confucius wrote, "Never give a sword to a man who can't dance," and Moliere is quoted with "All the ills of mankind, all the tragic misfortunes that fill the history books, all the political blunders, all the failures of the great leaders have arisen merely from a lack of skill at dancing", among others. Well, we seek to correct this problem! Social dance provides a wordless dialogue, a way to communicate and move with another person through the slightest cues, the give-and-take, that transcends rational understanding and makes a deeper connection to music. Through this dance, we learn to be more understanding, more honest, more kind, and more perceptive of our world. 


Social dancing isn't all about rules. It involves accepting new people and their, perhaps different, way of thinking, and adapting to their style of dancing, learning to move with your partner at that moment and develop new creatives ideas. Social dancing helps keep you young in mind and body, as dancing frequently can help ward off diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia, while increasing cognitive acuity at all ages, and doing something physical will be more beneficial if it's fun!  


Join in the conversation on Facebook to get involved or contact us above. Visit the FAQs if you're curious. We hope to build a thriving vintage dance community in Chattanooga that cities all over the world enjoy!