Columnist re-DISCOvers the fun in dance

Disco music blasted in the background as I fumbled over my steps, struggling to keep up with the woman in the YouTube dance tutorial. I thought maybe if I was wearing the same flared pants and platform boots that she was, I’d get the hang of the steps too.

Disco, born in the 1970s, is a style of music that started in the underground nightclubs of New York City and grew into a popular genre nationwide. But more important than the music itself is the dance style that emerged from it.

As a dancer, I am intrigued by disco, because it is so different from modern dance. In videos of people dancing to disco, they seem to care less about the technique and instead focus more on having fun. The music is so fast and upbeat that it is almost impossible not to start dancing to it.

Actually performing the moves, however, is a lot harder than it looks. I started with beginner moves like “The Bump,” which involves people bumping their hips to the beat. The move is really simple and perfect for anyone unfamiliar with dance.

Then, I tried one of the most famous disco moves, “The Hustle,” which required more advanced musicality skills. Not only did it feel very natural, but I could also incorporate my own style into it, which is a big part of disco. The dancer also shared some of the same basic steps from more recent dances like “The Wobble” or “The Cupid Shuffle,” but executed the moves with a different flare, incorporating the unique hip movements that distinguish disco from other styles.

The last and most complicated move I did was “The Funky Chicken,” and I found myself constantly messing up the feet and moving my hips in the wrong direction. The steps imitate the movements of a chicken, and I had a great time laughing at myself trying to flap my arms to the music.

By the end of this, part of me felt like I was born in the wrong decade. The disco era was all about letting loose and enjoying the moment, and that’s exactly what I was able to do. It was nice not having to worry about perfecting the steps and being able to just dance.

To me, the modern dance scene is excessively cutthroat and competitive, often taking the joy out of dancing. It’s time for disco to make a comeback and bring the fun back into dance.