The Freedom to Dance

 


As a US Army veteran, I have spent time in Germany, South Korea, Kuwait, Iraq and a hand full of other countries over my career. In addition to the time spent in these countries I have studied a number of other countries in preparation for this or that. Many of the countries I studied restrict what their citizens can do to express themselves. Being able to gather and dance is what makes it possible to be a DJ. The ability to gather and dance is protected in a variety of ways in America. As a result of my experiences abroad and studies of other countries I feel fortunate to be able to DJ in America.

Of course, America has changed over time and many of us have seen Footloose, filmed right here in Utah County, where Ren moves from the big city to a small town and wants to dance. Reverend Moore has a ban on dancing because he believes that it protects his flock. In typical movie fashion Reverend Moore comes around and the town is able to enjoy dancing. Dancing was a theme in another 80s movie Dirty Dancing where Johnny Castle’s line, “Nobody puts Baby in a corner!” is still uttered today by people who have never seen the movie.

Around the end of 1988, a year after Dirty Dancing came out, The Tetris movie takes place. This movie depicts an underground night club in East Germany that puts out information from beyond the “wall”. The night club was underground because the East German government would shut it down because it did not align with the government’s political outcomes. 

An internet search of countries that restrict gathering and dancing results in a variety of restrictions by many different types of government. The restrictions range from total to context-specific. Governmental oversight of gathering and dancing ranges from minimal to extensive. You can even find some results about government regulation of dance moves.

As a DJ I would not have a job if the government outlawed gathering and dancing. I am grateful for the generally permissive and minimally restricted government that exists in America. It allows me to play music for groups of people who want to have a good time without excessive bureaucracy. The protections that America affords to gathering and dancing makes the governments involvements in things like high school dances, weddings,  quinceañeras and other events transparent to the people gathered to dance. In my opinion, that is the way it should be.

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