by Sharons Web/flickr
An amazing event happened yesterday as I was waiting in line at the post office. A man in front of me started dancing. He had on headphones. He wasn’t shabbily dressed, at least not for Hollywood. But he wasn’t just nodding to the tunes. He was FULL OUT GROOVING. And everyone else in line immediately averted their eyes, glanced nervously at each other and took a step back, including me.
And then, I was struck by a thought.
Why are we all reacting with a combination of fear, embarrassment and pity? Why are we assuming he must be some homeless dude off his meds?
Why does this man’s joyful dancing terrify us so, and make us so uncomfortable?
WHY AREN’T WE ALL DANCING WHILE WAITING IN LINE? Seems like a damn good use of our time…
If there had been any kids under the age of 5 in that line, I’ll bet they would have joined that man.
***
In the moment, as I looked around at the group of “adults” in which I found myself, I felt a little sad for all of us, for the exuberance and self-confidence we’d lost, for the self-consciousness and inhibition we’d somehow acquired.
I wished for a camera, to capture this man’s freedom. But then I caught sight of a woman ahead of me who was slyly attempting to record the line dancer with her iPhone.
She had a smirk on her face.
I wondered where her little video would surface, and with what kind of commentary. I had a sinking feeling the sentiment attached to the image would not be one of celebration but rather one of ridicule.
The man caught sight of her as well. His face suddenly sagged. He appeared to visibly shrink. He stopped moving. The music continued in his headphones but he became one of us, one of the expressionless adults standing in line.
It made me want to cry, to scream, to apologize, to encourage him to dance again, to dance in defiance myself.
But I did nothing.
And then a postal worker called out, “Next!” and the line moved forward and we all lost a chance for… something.
But I’m adding DANCING IN LINE to my list of intentions.
Would you have the courage to dance in line?
Lindsey
/ March 26, 2010I love this!
I definitely don’t have this courage, but I love when I witness it in others – its like somehow the joy is uncontainable, irresistible – I love that.
emmajames
/ March 28, 2010Lindsey: Yay! And never say never…
olive & hope
/ March 26, 2010I freaking love this! And no I probably would not dance in line…though after reading your account of this, maybe?? I do love to see people with no inhabition or worry of what others may think. I admire that in people. Here’s to hoping that we all take our chance to dance in line…and if and when we witness it for someone else, that we encourage it and don’t squash it. xo
.-= olive & hope´s last blog ..What’s For Dinner?… =-.
emmajames
/ March 28, 2010O&H: Couldn’t agree more. So glad you got as excited by this as I did.
Alana
/ March 26, 2010Wow. What a gift you got from his joy. I love it. I often long for life in a culture where dance and song are part of our daily public lives and not just what the “crazies” do. I think it’s part of why the breakout dances that have happened in public spaces have been so popular. Deep down inside, I think we ALL want to be able to dance in line.
.-= Alana´s last blog ..Half the Sky =-.
emmajames
/ March 28, 2010Alana: I think so too. Now we just have to work on getting the impulse from deep down inside to RIGHT ON TOP.
merry
/ March 26, 2010i thought this was fabulous. great observation and very true and sad for all of us!
however, i’ve decided to decide he felt your admiration and moved on to dance in a new line somewhere else. he’s like the pete’s dragon of line-dancers…
love it!
emmajames
/ March 28, 2010Merry: Thanks, chica! I love your decision. I’m going to adopt it.
whollyjeanne
/ March 27, 2010though i use the term loosely, according to my family, i have a tendency to dance whenever i hear music – which is all the time. probably not as much as the guy in line, and i like to think i would’ve joined him, but it would depend on who i was at the time. wish i could always be the kind of girl who speaks up, speaks out, laughs out loud, cries publicly, and dances in line . . . with or without a partner.
.-= whollyjeanne´s last blog ..communication gone to the dogs =-.
emmajames
/ March 28, 2010Jeanne: What I would give to have seen you join him in dance. I think even the idea of it makes the world spin a little faster in excitement. And please add “dancing” to the list of things we’re going to do before the year is out.
Barbara
/ March 27, 2010Hi Emma.
I don’t know if you have heard about this artist, but she is actually doing exactly what you describe in this post.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2000/jun/03/art
Barbara
emmajames
/ March 28, 2010Barbara: So glad you stopped by! And no, I hadn’t heard about this artist – fan-friggin-tastic!! Thank you muchly for including the link.
Robin
/ March 30, 2010I love this! I love it when I see people just being themselves and enjoying life – because so many people are afraid to do just that! Like the woman with the smirk – she missed an opportunity to experience joy rather than fear and sarcasm and I think that
is a shame. It’s like when I see people singing in their cars – it makes me smile.
.-= Robin´s last blog ..The Spirit of Tai Chi =-.
emmajames
/ April 1, 2010Robin: Me too! We just don’t see it enough, I think – either the dancing in line or the singing in cars. But now that I know the singing in cars makes at least one other person smile, I’m not holding back.