Up there somewher I said:

"The main thing about social dance is simply that it is social and it is about dancing. It is one of the opportunities we have to be in close physical contact with other people. Single people can meet and befriend other single people and people with partners can meet and enjoy the company of other people with out breaking too many taboos."

Richard put it much more succintly:

"I have been saying since the 60s and continue to say that the popularity of a form of music or dance depends largely on the sexual opportunities it gives".

Dancing as a social activity isn't dying out. Wherever it is social and fun it goes well. When people hi-jack social dance of any kind and try to turn it in to aerobics to music or over complicated formation dancing not only does it put most of us off but it misses the central point about dancing as a social event.

Most people at wedding and other community ceilidhs have a great time even though the may never have danced English Social Dances before. If after that they want to dress as the imagine 17C rich people may have done and dance Playford that's perfectly fine, if the want to gather together with likeminded people to dance complicated dances that is also perfectly fine.

I trust loads of people will follow the real tradition of English Social Dances and have a great old knees up with a load of other people.

Cheers

L in C#