Williams wrote me about a “subject of vital importance.”
Vandalia resident is among the folks who have written or called me this summer outraged by dancers or standers at concerts.
“My wife and I attended a show at The Fraze (Kettering). It was an enjoyable evening except for the people who have to STAND the entire show and want to argue with you when you ask them to sit down,” he wrote. “The ushers were doing what they could, but some people feel the need to stand. In my section, a woman had to stand directly in front of me, blocking my view. My wife and at least 10 people were grumbling. I finally told her to sit down and a minor argument ensued.”
Williams says he believes there should be a standard policy at all shows that formalizes the unspoken rule of concerts — you stand when everyone else stands and sit when everyone else sits.
For example, he said an announcement was made at Eagles concert he attended in Cincinnati that instructed concert-goers to take a seat if they were blocking the view of the person behind them.
“I feel that should be a standard policy at all shows,” he wrote. “I humbly ask you Amelia, with the power of the mass media, to spread the word.”
I sympathize with Williams.
The problem is that I disagree with him… at least in part.
The unspoken rule should definitely be followed if it means blocking someone behind you, but that’s as far as it should go. No announcements or formalized policies necessary.
The fact is that sometimes the music moves you and you’ve literally got to move.
Yeah, it is rude to stand if everyone else is sitting, but people sort of have to expect that there will be dancing (and blocking) at certain shows when tickets are purchased. And who is going to measure what everyone means?
Bobbing up and down and swaying to the music is part of the experience.
Take this situation for instance: a few months back, I went to Elton John’s show at the Nutter Center with my husband and a few friends.
We splurged and got the floor seats expecting the music to compel us to dance as it did.
I sat when the people in front of me sat and danced when everyone else did.
Well, not quite everyone.
The group behind us on the floor were in no dancing mood.
A woman in the group grumbled — I mean GRUMBLED — the entire time, outraged that so many people were standing and shamelessly dancing to dance songs.
Even if I did sit down, her view would be blocked by the thousands of other people in front of us rocking out.
That apparently didn’t dawn on her.
That scene is played out every weekend at concerts in this area.
The dancing vs. sitting crews are likely to clash more and more often.
Diane Schoeffler-Warren, a spokeswoman for the Victoria Theatre Association, said dancing at shows is becoming more and more common — and not just at traditional concerts.
The cast of the "Million Dollar Quartet" encouraged the crowd attending their shows at the Schuster Center to dance in the aisles.
Schoeffler-Warren said dancers walk a fine line.
“It depends on what it (the show) is,” she said. “You don’t want to irritate the people behind you, but if the music is moving you…”
What do you think?
Contact this blogger at arobinson@DaytonDailyNews.com or Twitter.com/DDNSmartMouth
Join the Conversation. Share your summer photos with us on Twitter and Instagram using #DaytonSummer.
About the Author
