Taking a Date to the Dance

In bygone days, boys asked girls to go to the sock hop with them. This was a dance, generally held in the local school. Because most schools held their dances in gymnasiums, so the teens had to take their hard street shoes off. They would dance to rock and roll music in their socks. The dance was considered informal, and this behavior was perfectly acceptable. It was a way for teens to date in an environment where they were loosely chaperoned but could act more like adults.

Modern teenagers and young adults continue to date, and school dances are still popular. No longer do teens take off their shoes and dance in their socks. Modern health laws have stopped this tradition, but the dances still go on. Teens and young adults are expected to keep their shoes on, but they are still chaperoned. Informal school dances are a popular way for teens to go on a date and be able to dance with a girl. It gives them an opportunity to interact socially in an adult type of setting.

Many modern dances feature music that is currently popular. A good dance beat for fast dances is a standard taken from the days of the golden oldies. Slow dances, where couples sway to the music, is another holdover from that era. There are times when music from the 1950's and early 1960's, golden oldies, is still played at school dances. These are old favorites kids learned from their parents and grandparents. Music such as Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys and Dancing Queen by Abba are still heard at school dances.

Slow dancing is very important in dating. It gives couples a chance to be in physical contact with each other without complete intimacy. While dancing to slow music, it is often a good time to have a private conversation. Golden oldies music such as Hey Jude by the Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water are good slow dance tunes. They give couples a slow dance beat that allows them to talk to each other quietly and privately.