Teach Me How to Dance!
You might not believe it, but I love to dance. Yep, your buddy Caleb thinks dancing is one of the most enjoyable things to do in college. Massive dance parties, social events, tailgates, and even swing dancing (which I’m terrible at btw), are all a blast to me. I’m not at all graceful or swift, but I have a lot of fun with it anyways.
For most of my life, I was completely indifferent to dancing. It just wasn’t my thing. I always made an intentional effort to avoid those awkward middle school dances and I didn’t go to my high school’s homecoming dance until my junior year. To me, I simply saw it as a large group of people gathered together jumping up and down while generating a stifling amount of body heat. It seemed ridiculously pointless. That all changed during my senior year of high school when I went to a prom with a good friend of mine in Macon, GA. I figured it would be like every other high school dance- typical pop music amidst a large crowd of sweaty people working out their calf muscles (i.e. jumping up and down) for three hours. I was wrong. From that point on, every negative presupposition I had about dancing was shattered. From modern pop hits to shaggy swing dances, the students I met at this prom could flat out move. Whether by themselves, with a partner, or in a group, I had never met people my age who were so good at dancing and had such a fun time going all out on the floor. Feeling absurdly incompetent and in over my head, I tried my best to keep pace and ended up leaving with a new appreciation for hanging out with friends through dancing. I still keep in touch with many of the people that I met in that short window of time.
As crazy as it may sound, dancing can play an essential role in many college social events and goes a long way in building friendships. Amidst the loud music and crowded space, we develop a shared experience with the people around us. Just about every social event that I attend involves dancing in one way or another, and it’s a chance to establish something in common in with others. Here at UGA, massive Phi Slam parties and swing dancing are all the rage. They are very different from each other, but they both create atmospheres that encourage community and fellowship.
Last semester, I made a road trip up to Clemson with the ONE2 Conferences team- a group of college students and recent graduates focused on creating conference spaces for conversations about faith and work. Our goal was to connect with as many Clemson students as we could in order begin creating a local team for ONE2 Clemson. So here we are- college kids on a fairly serious, almost “business” type of trip, and one of our first stops was an FCA party. There was dancing. And it actually contributed to the success of our trip. We instantly connected with Clemson’s culture and started the process of setting up meetings with many of the FCA leaders. The next day, we had lined up several meetings as a result of the dance party, despite the loud music and crazy atmosphere (or maybe because of it). Over coffee and my almost nonexistent voice, we capitalized on the opportunities afforded by the event. We had established a common experience that provided us with a higher level of influence and connection to the university and its students. No, it didn’t make or break the trip, but it served as a launching pad into the future.
Maybe you despise dancing like I once did. Here’s my challenge to you: give it a shot. Hop out of your comfort zone for a couple hours and see what happens. See if it doesn’t help you connect with others, solidify friendships, and open up new doors for positive influence.
