Dance Like No One is Watching

You’ve heard the saying, “dance like no one is watching.” But, have you tried it?

I love to dance. I don’t have any formal training. I just love moving to music.

When I had my own apartment, I used to blast music and dance every morning as I got ready for work. It made me happy. I danced like no one was watching because literally, no one was watching.

Vulnerability in Dancing

I’m not as carefree when I dance in front of other people. There is something vulnerable about dancing that keeps most of us from really letting loose. The thought of other people watching and judging or making fun can be a little intimidating. To dance, however, like no one is watching is fun, uplifting and liberating.

Learning to Line Dance

Whenever I see people line dancing, it always looks like they already know all of the moves. I was usually too self-conscious to join in. I didn’t want to learn the steps for the first time while on the dance floor (and I’d forget to YouTube it beforehand) that I didn’t really try.

A few weeks ago, my boyfriend took me to a line dancing class at the Y. It was to prepare me for a Filipino cultural celebration the next day that was guaranteed to have a lot of line dancing.

We learned the steps to songs that I’ve never heard before. Line dancing is easy to learn because the steps are repetitive and many line dances have the same (or similar) moves.  I started to get the hang of it. I felt more comfortable and less stiff, and I was having fun. It’s even easier than the Zumba and Hip-Hop classes I’ve done at the gym.

Let Go and Let Loose

The next evening, we went to the event. When I got on the dance floor, I initially felt a little self-conscious. Then I looked at my boyfriend who was having such a good time. He didn’t seem to have a care in the world, and so I got out of my head long enough to not care whether or not people were watching.

When the line dancing started, we joined in. I didn’t know many of those dances, but I was able to pick up the steps fairly quickly. Sure, there were moments when I messed up, missed a step or went the wrong direction, but it didn’t matter. I line danced like no one was watching and I had so much fun.

It’s when we dance like no one is watching, that we let go of our inhibitions, let loose and are free.