The Dance

We drank some too, but our bodies were invigorated by the dance and by the time it was ready to drive home, we were sober.

Then Mothers Against Drunk Drivers or MAD pushed tough legislation through the state legislature. It had a devastating effect on the night clubs with live music. 

The drinks paid for the entertainment. That is still the case, however the number of live dance bands in town went from six to maybe one or two. There were also some DJs but people had to be very careful about drinking because law enforcement would make regular sweeps on the clubs after midnight.

As professionals who enjoyed a drink or two, we found ourselves leaving town and renting a cabin in the mountains for New Year's, just so we would not have to be on the road.

Our dancing almost came to a halt. 

The Dance had always been a part of our lives. Even as a young boy, we can remember learning to dance at the house of a neighbor who had two very attractive daughters and would not allow them to date. However the neighbor would chaperone afternoon dances at her house and we learned to dance to all the popular songs.

The love of dance stayed with us all of our life and still remains, but here in Mexico there is no law against drinking and driving. There are laws against any damage done by one driver to another, whether drunk or not.

So we dance. We always go out to dance on Saturday night and while there is not always live music there is a club on an adjacent beach which provides the best DJ in the business. 

Bob, the Musicman, provides all those great songs from the 1960s, 70s and 80s which we love to dance to. Mind you, this is an older crowd, but one which still enjoys good dance music.

The dance floor is packed and one can tell when a really popular song is played because there is no room left on the dance floor. 

The dancing doesn’t last as long or as late as it used to, when we were younger, however it still is very energetic and great exercise for older people who tend to park in front of the television at home and fall asleep.

One of the biggest problems with people as they age is the lack of exercise. We don’t walk, we certainly don’t run. We don’t ride our bike when it is easier to drive the car to the store and back.

We have become a sedantary society and the risk to our health shows it. So many illnesses can result from lack of exercise, being overweight, diabetes, cancer, respitory, and heart.

Dancing is a natural cure too them all.

So when we see a notice for social dancing at the senior center or in our case dancing at the beach club. We say “Right On!”

Get out there and dance. You will live longer and the life you live will be better because it will not be fighting the pain of illness.