We Got The Beat: The 1980s Dance!
Go Retro and enjoy a Fun-Filled, Family-Friendly Expedition into the Excitement, Fashions and of course the Pop & New Wave Music of the 1980s!
(EXTRA COOL BONUS! We'll throw in some 1970s too!)
October 26th, 2024
There are plenty of dance vid links and event info further below... but first, let's talk some '80s. :o)
The 1980s. Everyone under thirty seems to be fascinated by the music and fashion of the 1980s!
And why not? The 1980s were a fun decade for young people, a fascinating era with an unanticipated explosion of new "Gen X" youth culture radically different than the immediately previous era of "Boomer" youth culture which had spanned the late '60s and most of the decade of the '70s. But even to make that statement is to oversimplify and to use terminology from a later perspective, proving just how interesting and unexpected the '80s were!
This is especially true of the early '80s. For a few beautiful and innovative years a significant part of youth culture outsmarted and stepped ahead of the powerful (and often controlling and predatory) forces of mass marketing and politics, came to their own conclusions and established their own trends in music, dance and fashion.
These youth were going to be very different than the "Boomers" and at the time there was a very clear delineation among young people as to who was who. Even in politics this created an earthquake. After the '60s it was almost considered political law that the youth vote would always favor the left and the democrats, yet brand new "Gen X" voters turned out in droves for Republican nominee Ronald Reagan in the '80s with one CBS presidential election poll of 1984 showing Reagan leading his opponent among those youth aged 18-24 by 61 points to 30 - as opposed to only 11% of the same age group having been identified as leaning Republican back in 1968! But enough of political history. Let's talk about youth culture; especially music, dance and fashion!
There was a general feeling among many young people that they had somehow been robbed by the generation a little older (now labeled as "Boomers") and they wanted a return to good things and a sense of "cool" and fun that had been lost, thrown out or abandoned along the way. Thus, a wide variety of their tastes had what we would now call a "retro" influence as many young people began scouring used and vintage clothing stores for apparel from the '50s and early to mid '60s instead of doing their shopping according to the dictates of mass marketing. Likewise, in music and even in slang terms, many young people reached back two or three decades to rediscover lost nuggets of "cool" which they sometimes took as they found them and sometimes creatively adapted for their own new decade and generation. Fashion was cool again! The classic idea of pop music as simple and energetic, and as just for fun rather than as politicized or philosophical - also returned, even if restyled in new ways such as New Wave, Punk, Mod, Rockabilly or New Romantic.
The 1980s was very much a dance craze decade! It was cool to have FUN dancing again and though the dancing was innovative and freestyle, one could easily see the influence of the earlier dance crazes of the late '50s to early '60s on their dance moves as young people would watch old TV shows or movies for inspiration. (Newly popular music groups like the GoGos and the B52s would even sing about the return of dances such as the Pony and the Watusi.) With all the "retro" influences so present in the 1980s one could even say that by holding a 1980s dance we are going Double Retro!
The 1980s were FUN and a great time to be young! Is it any wonder that the young people of the 2020s want to escape social media and the tyrannies of the 21st century to give the '80s a try?
So step into your time machine and set it to forty years ago for We Got The Beat: The 1980s Dance!
Fashion: If you lived in the '80s, dig out a classic outfit that still fits, use some Aquanet hairspray or Tenax gel and come have some fun! If you are younger, raid the dark recesses of your parents' closets (where you might even find a pair of Guess jeans, stretchies, an '80s concert tee shirt or a black leather jacket) or do some shopping at a thrift store or antique clothing shop. There were many interesting fashions and hairstyles that came and went from 1980-1989. Some even had names such as Preppy, New Wave, NuRo, Rockabilly, Mod, Headbanger, Trendy and DayGlo Trendy, to name a few! Hairstyle was VERY important for both dudes and chicks, and for chicks the hairstyles were usually BIG with lots of hairspray!
'80s Talk: Learn the meaning of terms such as - dude, chick, cool, so cool, uncool, lame, so lame, rad, awesome, totally, totally awesome, the scene, poseur, trendy, un...believable, no way, go-for-it, later, what...ever and I'm so sure. Learn to use the term "like" several times in just one sentence. Also, practice your eye rolls, especially when using the term "what...ever" with an annoyed flourish. With a little practice you'll be able to say things like... "So like this lame poseur dude asked this weird chick to dance and she goes "No way!" and he's all like "whatever." Anyway, I'm outta here. Gotta jam. Later dude."
Music & Dance: We'll be traveling "retro" to the energy and excitement of the 1980s! The music will be a mix of pop, new wave and a variety of the many new sounds that made the '80s one of the best decades for dancing! Yes, dancing. The '80s were definitely a decade for dancing! You might enjoy doing some dance study and practice in advance to up your learning curve. But you don't have to be the world's greatest dancer and there will be no judgy vibe on dance skills - so just have fun! If you lived in the era then tap into your memories, do some exercising in advance (because '80s dancing used a LOT of energy), and rediscover your favourite dance moves. If you are younger, do some research and look up authentic videos of real people doing real dancing (not actors or professional dancers doing choreographed dances) during the decade. Or ask your parents to show you their old moves! For educational purposes we've posted links below to some great retro dance vids to get you started on a fun learning journey through some of the dancing, music, fashions and hairstyles of the 1980s! (More vid links still coming, so check back often. :o)
1982 Our Lips Are Sealed / Some Other Girl
1987 Heaven Is A Place On Earth
When: The evening of Saturday, October 26th, 2024 there will be social time beginning at 6:30 with the dance from 7 to approximately 10:30.
Where: The Gym of Mesa Baptist Church at 2425 S. Alma School Rd. in Mesa. This is the southeast corner of Alma School Rd. & Medina Ave. (Medina Ave. is halfway between Baseline & Guadalupe.)
Who: We Make History Dances are designed for the families of the homeschool community. Homeschool families & friends, parents, young adults, teens, and even middle schoolers all enjoy friendly, joyful, multigenerational We Make History dances! It is not at all necessary to be an experienced dancer or even a "good" dancer. We Make History dances aren't performance dances. They are friendly, engaging social dances for real, everyday people. Novices and first-timers are encouraged and very welcome to join in the fun. Expect a room full of smiles!
Come & Welcome: Admission is open to a limited number of well mannered persons of grace and respect. We attract a very joyful and gracious group of people who know how to properly conduct themselves according to our House Standards. Since admission is limited, please do act quickly to secure your place! (We are occasionally asked if persons can come without paying admission just to sit and watch. The answer is no. Everyone attending must have a paid admission.) All attending are expected to actually participate as our dances are family oriented and it is a joyful experience to have parents and their young people smiling, laughing and enjoying an evening of social dancing together. :o)
Families: We Make History events are clean, family oriented and family friendly. Our Historic Balls and Themed Dances are fun, uplifting, educational and multigenerational, with parents, young adults, teens and all ages from middle schoolers to senior citizens enjoying their time together on the dance floor! We welcome families to bring all members of sufficient social and physical maturity to enjoy the occasion. (Be aware though that the dances do require being attentive, listening to and understanding instructions as well as physical coordination and "sticking with it" throughout the length of a dance. Well disciplined, attentive and respectful young people are typically ready (and tall enough) for the social dances at some point from ages 8 to 12. Please do not bring children under the age of eight or children or young people of any age who are not of adequate social maturity or self discipline, who have a bad attitude, who are disrespectful, who don't want to dance or who simply don't want to be there. Also, these are not events for middle-aged adult singles. They are special experiences for homeschool families. Every person attending does need a paid admission (no free bystanders) and we do require that all children be attended by adults. We do not offer childcare or babysitting.
Reservations: Since admission is limited, please do act quickly to secure your place! In advance we ask only $18 each through October 23rd or $30 each at the door. For advance registrations you may use the link below. Admissions are paperless, so there are no printed tickets. All who make advance reservations will have their name and the number of reservations made on a list at the door. (Advance reservations must be received by Wednesday, October 23rd.) We do not offer refunds.
Filming & Photography: Nonprofessional photography of friends and family is welcome. We do not allow filming or videotaping (other than our house videographer) as some attending are not comfortable with being filmed and potentially placed on social media or elsewhere. Please respect everyone's privacy so that all may dance and enjoy the experience.
Special Notes regarding Safety & Personal Responsibility: 1) Dancing is an inherently vigorous physical activity that carries the possibility of trips, strains, slips, falls and other hazards. Please note that by attending We Got The Beat: The 1980s Dance (or any We Make History event), you voluntarily assume all risks, including personal risks, property risks and risks related to exposure to Covid-19. Persons attending do so at their own risk. 2) Covid, Colds, Flu? We ask that safety and respect be coupled with personal liberty and responsibility. It is our desire that all be safe and that all participating respect the safety and be gracious toward the comfort levels of all others attending. Therefore we ask (a) that each person/family attending please bring your own hand sanitizer and also that all consider wearing gloves, both for good hygiene and because they are historically correct for a Ball! (b) We will not be offering refreshments. Please bring a personal water bottle, Hydroflask or Stanley Cup type container. There is a drinking fountain with a water bottle filler. (c) We ask any who have recently (within the past two weeks) had fever, cold or flu symptoms themselves or who have been near someone with such symptoms to please stay home and gift a friend with your admission.
Please also read our House Standards for all attending!
from "We Got The Beat" which peaked on the US charts in the Spring of 1982:
Go-go music really makes us dance
Doin' the Pony puts us in a trance
Do Watusi, just give us a chance
That's when we fall in line
'Cause we got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
Yeah, we got it!
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
Everybody get on your feet
We got the beat
We know you can dance to the beat
We got the beat
Jump back, get down
Round and round and round
Wooooooooooo!
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat
We got the beat!
