I’m currently working on the second in The Spencer Family series and a couple of days ago I found myself writing yet another dance scene. I just can’t seem to help myself.
There’s no better feeling that being able to move your body to music without a care in the world about who might be watching. Not to mention the romance of a nice, sweet slow dance with someone you love, or at least have the potential to love. My husband refuses to dance. *sigh* So I’ll just have to keep living vicariously through my characters.
Hoping I wasn’t the only author with a love of dancing, I asked some of my fellow Inspy authors if they included dancing in their stories. Merrillee Whren says she has several in which the characters dance at weddings. That seems to be the most common occurrence.
Janet Ferguson’s characters in The Art of Rivers also dance at a wedding—one they crash. River loves to dance but had to forgo lessons after her mother’s drunk driving accident. She usually dances alone to relieve stress, but it doesn’t compare to when she dances with Cooper on the beach.
Dancing in a crowd with people all around can add energy to your moves, but things can really heat up when you step outside for a breath of fresh air and the man of your dreams joins you. That’s what happens between Avery and Hawthorn in Tara Grace Ericson’s Hoping for Hawthorn.
But weddings are not the only place to cut a move. (None of mine happen at a wedding.) What about at church? In Dancing at Daybreak by Valerie Comer, joining the dance troupe at the neighborhood church plays a significant role in the heroine’s journey to Jesus. I do love a good redemption story, how about you?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on dancing. Do you enjoy it? How about in novels? What’s your favorite fictionalized dance scene? Also, let me know where you hail from. I’m doing two giveaways this time. One paperback copy of Heart’s Desire to a US resident and one eBook copy for those outside the US.
About Heart’s Desire:
Aiden Weaver promised himself this date to the New Year’s Eve ball would be a one-time deal. Then he meets his date, Bailey, and his heart keeps pulling him back to her long after the dance is over.
Bailey Foster wonders if she’s meant for the single life. She’s determined to take it slow and let the right man come to her. Despite her reservations, hope is rekindled when she meets Aiden and his girls.
Each of Andrea Boyd’s series represents a different genre but all fall into the category of romance. All offer an element of her own brand of humor. And all are a tribute to God. Besides writing, she loves spending time with her family, quilting, going to car shows, and driving around in her 1968 Barracuda convertible. Andrea lives with her husband, Tommy, and at least a couple of cats in York County, SC.
I’m the last person to ask about dancing, completely uncoordinated, that’s me!
Can’t say I’ve ever really noticed dancing in stories and would struggle to think of one other than a World War II saga where they danced in the evening at home or at servicemen events.
Mind you dancing around the house has been great for excercise and stress relief during the corona-chaos.
I agree that dancing can be a great stress reliever. And my dancing is now confined to the house. Nobody needs to see that. Lol
I’m not super coordinated. I was so self-conscious that I only dance two slow dances at my prom. But I love to move my body when no one’s watching. Our family bought several Just Dance Wii games, and I will still put one on to get some exercise every once in a while. I just wish they would make one with Christian music.
As to books, I don’t really look for a dance scene. It’s okay, as long as it fits the characters. I just finished watching The Lake House with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves yet again, and their dance scene is probably the most romantic in the entire movie — even better than the happy ending!
I’ve never seen that movie. I’ll have to check it out.
Oh, the Lake House is great! You definitely need to see it! Yeah, we are pretty close! :) Maybe when things open up a bit more, we can meet up. :)
Not sure about Wii games but I know there use to be exercise dvds to Christian music.
Oops! Forgot to say where I’m from — I grew up in Idaho but have lived in western North Carolina for 15 years.
We’re pretty close then. I live in SC close to the border near Charlotte.
As a former classically trained dancer, dancing has always been my happy place .
Love that! I took dance lessons as a child but that’s it.
I have too many joint pains and problems to dance now. But I have one beautiful memory that will always be with me. It’s certainly not the only time I’ve danced, but the one that means the most.
Jeff and I had gone out to eat and pulled into the driveway. There was a song playing on the radio that we both liked. When I got out Jeff turned the radio up and took me in his arms. We danced there in the driveway in the moonlight to the car radio. I felt so loved, so special. I’ll never forget that feeling. The song was”Lady in Red”, but I don’t think that mattered. It was the spontaneity and the feelings shared between us that mattered.
So romantic! What a great memory.
There is nothing like dancing to great music. Though I only dance when I’m alone. Lol. I am looking forward to reading Heart’s Desire!
I hope you enjoy it!
I pretty much stick to dancing alone too.
I love to dance!!! Anywhere and everywhere!!! One of the best things is dancing in the kitchen with my husband, especially when our children were young. They learned to love dancing too. Both of my sons have been known to dance with me in the hardware store :) Just the other day, one of my friends and I (a group of us went to IKEA this week) were dancing in the aisles.
I can see you doing that. I love that you taught you kids to love it too.
I love dancing! Its always amazed me to watch professional dancers, how thye stay in sync and look so graceful.
Watching the professionals makes me envious. I’d love to be that graceful.
I’ve danced alone in my house, but never anywhere else! I love to watch ballroom dancing, though, and when I was younger I really like tap dancing, though I’m not coordinated enough for that! I watch Dancing with the Stars to watch the dances, though some of the clothes really turn me off! I have a friend who does ballroom dancing, and I went to watch her before. I watched her perform in a few ballet performances, too, one of which was her performance as Esther.
I love ballroom dancing too!
A few years ago I got to see the Rockettes. They are amazing.
I bet so!
For a few years when I was a young teen, my dad was a DJ so we’d always go wherever he was going to be that night & I’d dance with my friends. Had a blast too! I never went to Prom my senior year because I didn’t have a date and I don’t really regret that. The one person I really wanted to ask me was my on again/off again boyfriend, but he never did (we were “off” at the time.) He went into the Navy right after graduation but shortly after that he came off leave and surprised me by showing up at my house (with roses in hand and so handsome in his dress blues)…we went dancing together as much as we could. There was an establishment for people under 21 to go to dance, have alcohol-free drinks & eats and hang out with your friends. He loved to dance and I loved to dance with him. Unfortunately, after over a year he broke off our engagement & broke my heart. I was so devastated because I pictured my future with him in it & I loved him with everything I had in me. Yes, I we were young (19) but I know I loved him & wanted to spend my life with him. Anyway…that’s a story for another time.
My husband doesn’t dance, not even slow dancing. It was a disappointment to me when we started dating to know he didn’t. But really, we didn’t have anywhere to dance anyway & I loved him enough to know that wasn’t the most important thing in our relationship. We’ve been married 23 years and I’d say that there are things we do together that is so much better! I don’t even know if I remember how to dance….lol! I think if I were to take up anything, it would be to learn to country or line dance with my honey :-)
As for books, I haven’t really read any with dancing in them, except for in weddings. For me, as long as the story keeps my interest, it doesn’t matter what it’s about…I enjoy it for the stories sake :-) Lastly, I live on the beautiful Oregon coast (moved here in ’96), though I grew up in Illinois.
Our stories have a lot in common. My first husband was in the Marines and he loved to dance. (And that’s about the only thing good I can say about him. Lol)
I’ve been married to Tommy for over 33 years and even though he doesn’t dance, he’s a great husband. I wouldn’t trade him for the world.
I can’t dance, but I did take ballet for several years as a pre-teen and teen and enjoyed it very much. I drew from that experience when I wrote An Encore for Estelle. One of the characters is a dance choreographer. Oh, I once took a dance class on a cruise ship. That was a lot of fun.
My sister and I took tap and ballet as children. I want to learn tap more and she thought she’d be into ballet more. The opposite ended up being true for both of us.
I am not a dancer. (I do remember having to learn ballroom dancing at school and learning to waltz with a chair). Although when music is on I will move to it. When I was on a tour at one stage (18 – 35 tour group) we did dance to the music there.
I can’t think of books with dance but I know I have read them.
Moving to the music sounds like dancing to me!
I don’t really know how to dance. I enjoyed square dancing a few times when I was younger. That was our first date for my husband and I. We’ve been married 40 years and currently live in Kentucky. We were both born in DC and lived in the greater metro (Maryland, northern Virginia) area for decades.
Congrats on being together forty years!
Hi, I love to dance, it is so nice to dance to happy music, I will even dance with the broom, my husband is not a dancer, ever since I was very young I loved to dance. I really love to watch a couple who really knows how to dance and loves it. These book sound like very good reads.
Happy music and dancing go together, right?
I have had only minimal training but have enjoyed dancing when I could. Even got to do some on stage back in college. My wife and I were in a square dancing club for a while, early in our marriage. I still enjoy dancing by myself, even if it is just a quick move to the music in the grocery store (provided it’s got a decent beat :)).
For those of you who have a partner who doesn’t like to dance, there is an option even simpler than slow dancing: Elevator Dancing. No this is not dancing in the elevator. You join others on the dance floor, a slow song is best. You embrace each other warmly and just stand there, maybe sway a little, enjoying the closeness. Why call it Elevator Dancing? No steps.
Lol
I always remember when I was younger dancing with my daddy as I got older not so much I love now sitting and watching my adult girls dancing they can sure move and oh yes one of my granddaughters I have lived in Ohio my whole life ! Your book sounds like an amazing book because I love reading about dancing have a great weekend!
What a sweet memory!
When I was younger, I loved to go dancing.
USA
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