This is Why Cities Need More People Dancing

Have you ever walked down a city street and felt that something was missing? The honking horns, the revving engines, the clipped conversations on cell phones – it all speaks to movement and hurry, but where is the rhythm? Where is the music? Most cities move to the mechanical beats of productivity and commerce, but they lack the organic pulses of creativity and joy that dancing brings. Check out this Kizomba/Kompa lady styling dance video from Vika Ritmodance with Kizzafro Girls shot in urban environment and you’ll get what we mean:

We need more dancers in the streets, on the sidewalks, in the parks and plazas, to bring our communities together and liven our shared spaces. Imagine looking out your window and seeing people dancing freely with smiles on their faces as music floats on the breeze. Wouldn’t you want to go outside and join them? Dancing dissolves barriers and connects strangers through a universal language of movement and rhythm. As feet tap and bodies sway, people let go of tensions and start to grin. Even simple head bobs or shoulder shimmies can lift moods out of the doldrums of urban living. Dancing injects playfulness and vitality into the everyday grind.

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Some might say dancing in public spaces seems silly or intrusive, but studies show it has profound impacts. Our minds and bodies are intertwined, so when people dance, they reduce stress and release endorphins which energize and uplift moods organically. People who start dancing together have been shown to feel more connected and willing to cooperate on tasks afterwards. Shared experiences of music and motion can foster trust and dissolving social divisions. Dancing is joy incarnated – it is contagious because it bypasses barriers of language and culture. There is no faster way to spread laughter and lightheartedness through a community.

So let’s encourage more dancing outbreaks to create bonds among residents. Cities can organize community dance events like silent disco parties in plazas, roller skating nights on closed-off streets, or outdoor Milongas where people tango till dawn under strings of lights. Unexpected flash mobs could spontaneously erupt at parks and transportation hubs as portable speakers are connected. Blacktop could become dancefloors. Local businesses can offer dance lessons and put on showcases. Neighborhood dance teams could be formed to dream up their own moves. No expensive infrastructure is needed, just public space opened up to release rhythmic movement and bring vibrancy back into the urban fabric.

As feet find the beat, people will unwittingly exercise and gain confidence in their bodies. New friendships can blossom across walks of life. A sense of belonging will grow. People who dance outdoors have described feeling more connected to their cities and invested in their communities. Public dancing brings cohesion and pride, activating neighborhoods in more ways than concrete ever could.

So let’s rethink the purpose of our parks, sidewalks and streets. They should not just be for walking swiftly from one place to another, but for dancing together joyously without purpose or destination. We need more cities encouraging people to let loose through dance rather than imposing order through rules and barriers intended to keep bodies still and voices quiet. If we open up spaces for natural rhythms to arise and spread contagiously through our communities, then our cities may start pulsating with the beautiful diversity of our populations. Let people dance freely and publicly – it is a simple act with society-changing effects to overcome social divisions and connect communities.

Our cities need more dancing because people will only protect what they love, and it’s hard not to love a place where you dance together with neighbors and strangers alike. We must dance first so our cities can become truly livable public spaces that pulse with possibility.