Of course different generations have their own styles of dancing, and between the 1950s (in the UK, with jiving, in the US a bit earlier, with the Lindy Hop) and some 15 years ago, different youth groups had their own styles - punks pogoed, skinheads did the moon stomp, bikers headbanged, and so on.
But generally speaking, since the passing from fashion of moving around clasped in each others arms and following the steps of the waltz, or the military two step ("Oh what a pity the pubs in the city all close at half past ten" / "Oh what a pity she'd only one titty to feed the baby from") or whatever the music dictated, individual dancers moved individually, perhaps echoing their partner in doing The Twist, or The Hitchhiker or whatever, but not in any case repeating the same movements all night.
I've noticed another generational difference in movement, this time on the street, and I've watched it appear and grow in popularity over the past five years or so.
In walking, the natural way to move your arms is to swing them backwards and forwards, in turn, at the side of your body, in line with the direction of travel. This action is seen at its most exaggerated in soldiers marching, when the arms are raised level with the shoulders.
Some years ago, I started to notice young women in their twenties swinging their arms from side to side across the front of their body when walking. Then I noticed slightly older women doing it, and then I noticed young men doing it.
I've tried doing it myself to see if there's anything in it, and it feels not just counterintuitive and odd, but actually contrived and awkward - it breaks the rhythm of your pace, and you have to swing your upper body from side to side to accommodate it.
I'm not saying everyone under the age of forty walks like this, but it's definitely getting more popular.
Where does it come from? Who started it, and why?Old, left, New, right
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