This article is going to be brief for now until I determine a better direction than the one I have been going in (circles). I may either edit this to focus on that or make new posts to focus on those. This is definitely still in draft form, but I’m publishing it to open it up for input since I was sitting on it for months. You may see some of my thinking-aloud notes here: feel free to comment on them if you want to hear more or if you have your own opinion on it.
The swing dance culture is an ever-evolving one and shares quite a bit with organized religion. It generally involves a knowledge of history, culture, famous historical and influential figures, etc. It has all the workings of a church. It even has scripture.
There is really no central authority (see Protestantism, but rather people tend to congregate around certain schools of thought. People tend to idolize certain people, sometimes to the point of fanaticism, emulating them.
These are all important traits, but our main topic of focus is endogamy within the swing dancing community.
Generally, people who dance Lindy Hop either dabble in or fully embrace the culture. What I am describing is the difference between two dancers who have been dancing for 5 years but one has acquired a substantially greater amount of skill and fluency than the other.
Interestingly, an immersed Lindy Hopper often feels the urge to share the joy of swing dancing with one who does not do so, or one who has been doing so for less time. This form of evangelism fortunately seems to be more successful than most other kinds because it includes an activity that many people actually find enjoyable.
Now like it or not, one of the latent functions of a church is to marry its members. Yes, I am saying that a church functions as a singles group, and I touched on it in my last post It is easy to see how this function evolved. Put people with similar values together- sparks are bound to fly. Lindy Hop is the same way. Don’t believe me? I have proof,* with special guest who I won't spoil if you haven't heard it yet.
===partnerships===
To compete effectively, dancers invariable find a partners to practice with or compete with. This may not necessarily be a platonic relationship. However, romantic relationships and dance partnerships can be entwined quite quickly. One can easily see many examples* of where dance partnerships and romantic relationships coincide- it is an extremely beneficial relationship. As romantic partners, the pair spends a lot of time together which is conducive to practice, and as practice partners, the pair spends a lot of time together practicing which is good for the romantic relationship.
However, sometimes one or both members are already engaged in romantic relationships with a third (or sometimes fourth party). This is a definite area of conflict, and I know of several examples* where people divorced over a difference in the prioritization of dancing.
A story I often hear* is that one person started dancing because his or her significant other did, and one of them stopped.
//talk about conflict of values
===the ahnold effect====
//Probably a topic for another post.
In our current society, powerful men tend to become sexually promiscuous (if they weren’t already). Or as to use a crude word, they tend to be pigs. This holds true in the dance community as well.
===funny quote for the conclusion===
With that, I will leave you with this article giving an extremely accurate and disinterested account of the man-woman relationship during dancing.
From The Ballroom To Hell, by T. A. Faulkner, 1892
"She is now in the vile embrace of the Apollo of the evening. Her head rests upon his shoulder, her face is upturned to his, her bare arm is almost around his neck, her partly nude swelling breast heaves tumultuously against his, face to face they whirl on, his limbs interwoven with hers, his strong right arm around her yielding form, he presses her to him until every curve in the contour of her body thrills with the amorous contact. Her eyes look into his, but she sees nothing; the soft music fills the room, but she hears it not; he bends her body to and fro, but she knows it not; his hot breath, tainted with strong drink, is on her hair and cheek, his lips almost fierce, intolerable lust, gloat over her, yet she does not quail. She is filled with the rapture of sin in its intensity; her spirit is inflamed with passion and lust is gratified in thought. With the last low wail the music ceases, and the dance for the night is ended, but not the evil work of the night."
*yes, I know, anecdotal evidence is not a substitute for statistical evidence, but there is virtually zero research done on this subculture
======Other side notes====
Yes, I know this subject is extremely monogamy/heterosexual-centric and doesn’t talk about poly relationships and homosexual/bisexual people. Yes, I know they exist in the dance scene and no, I’m not sure how representative it is.
