Touch, pressure, and a swaying of the hips defines the popular dances of the 21st century, contributing to a mentality of reckless indulgence. On Hillsdale College’s campus, these “mating rituals” reveal the degradation of social dance to an erotically public and unapologetic action.
Parties have shed their romantic mysteries of the past and instead made blatantly obvious the animal-like appetites that pine for instant gratification.
Coinciding with the legalization and improvement of contraceptives throughout the 20th century, the development of alluring dances through each decade led to the sensual trend that stil taints the dance floors today.
Margaret Sanger founded the first American Birth Control League in 1921, which later became Planned Parenthood. The Roaring 20s began the outburst of lewd revelry as dance broke away from its traditional roots.
The rebellion continued as teens of the 1950s defied the swing traditions through dance and rock-and-roll music. The “pill,” announced as an oral contraceptive in the 50s, underwent legal battles regarding advertisement.
In 1972, all women, including the unmarried, were allowed to receive contraceptives by the ruling of the Supreme Court, and by 1990 the FDA established that the “pill” was safe as well as effective.
As the Charleston evolved into “grinding,” a simple sway of two bodies interweaving with one another began to be socially acceptable. Today’s dancing is a mere release from the tensions that writhe within people of our century. “Dancing” at social events, which degrades the true form of dance, has progressed as contraceptive technology and legalization did, adding to the elated crowds’ belief of no ramification.
Basically, I do not want to see what should be left for the bedroom on the dance floor. I want to be able to move comfortably among a crowd as opposed to awkwardly ramming into people who are essentially…doing it.
lreyes@hillsdale.edu
