Oh those who dance at concerts, no matter what way you move and groove at a live show, this one’s for you.
There’s so many different kinds of dancers that deserve praise but today I’ll just be shouting out a few.
Here’s to you, Head-Bobber.
Your ability to retain the same dance move no matter the mood or feel of a song is uncanny. Sure, there’s other people in the crowd who express their love for a song with shouts, jumps, and full-on head banging but you don’t feel the need to do that. Your level of chill in the crowd beats that of a “Chill Vibes” playlist on Spotify. It even beats that of a Jimmy Buffet concert on the beach in the summer. The lead singer could be performing two inches from your face and you would still maintain the same steady rhythm. Your lack of crazy dance moves and passionate expressions doesn’t mean that you aren’t enjoying the music but rather that you simply don’t feel the need to express your love for the music very publicly. Keep on bobbin’.
Here’s to you, Interpretive Dancer.
When you’re at a concert, the music drifts you off into another universe altogether, into one that transcends this Earth and causes you to move your body freely without a care in the world. You sway and at times even seem to act out the lyrics. You have an unrivaled ability to feel the full spectrum of emotions in the songs and convey that through your body language. The space in the room is the canvas and your body the paintbrush, painting the air with the emotions behind the music. The space is caressed with a gentle sway as the band croons about the meeting of a new lover in the springtime. The space is slashed and cut as the band roars about seeking revenge on a friend who did them wrong. The space becomes steamy and thick as you swing your hips and slide your body around with a sultry confidence. Some people might write off your dancing as weird or bizarre but I think your confidence to dance freely without a care about being judged as well as your ability to publicly show how deeply your feel the music in your soul is admirable.
Here’s to you, Mosher.
Drinks might be spilled in the wake of your wave of energy but that doesn’t stop you. As soon as there’s a build-up in the intensity of the song or the lead guitarist launches into a heavy solo, you can be counted on first to transform into a flurry of jumps, yells, head-banging, and fist pumps. You live for adrenaline rushes and build-ups in songs are where you thrive. You could probably be convinced to crowd-surf. You don’t even need to workout for a few days after a concert because you burned so many calories dancing while you were there. You believe that those who sit up in the balconies at concerts and everyone else who isn’t in the pit are missing out on the fun.
Finally, here’s to you, Hype Man.
You arguably have more energy in you than the rest of the room combined. This is because you have to have enough energy to dance crazily while also hyping up everyone in the crowd around you to dance. When you’re in the crowd and your favorite songs come on, you’ve been known to hold your hand like a microphone and lean in to others around you to get them to sing lyrics with you. You’re the Richard Simmons of concerts, motivating everyone around you with your endless energy. It doesn’t matter if there’s an 80-year-old woman or a young teenager next to you- your friendly personality enables you to make friends with anyone in the crowd and persuade them to shake off any self-consciousness about dancing in order to have a good time. You rival Chik-Fil-A customer service with your friendliness. You could go to a concert alone and walk out at the end of the night having made ten new friends. You’ll be walking out in comfortable shoes though, because you know you go hard in the crowd and don’t have time to worry about blisters.
It doesn’t matter if you’re the Head-Bobber, the Interpretative Dancer, the Mosher, the Hype Man, or some other kind of dancer- keep doing your thing and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks. Concerts should be a judgment-free place where we can all collectively bond over our shared love of the artist performing on stage.
