Dance Party. Never heard of that label before i came to Melbourne. Perhaps it is an Ozzie thing? The first time i heard the phrase i was like "Say What?" The idea of it freaked me out - what exactly IS a dance party? Surveys came back with answer such as "it's like clubbing" and "it's just a party, man!". Totally unsatisfactory answers - what about food? Is there food? Drinks? Tab? Music? Dress code? People? Especially people, what DO they do there?(silly question as it may be, but, seriously, you can't be expected just to dance all night?!) So i did the most logical thing there was to do - I spent a good few hours of my life just trying to figure out what to wear- i mean, dress code for clubbing is simple- as skimpy as you dare without being slutty- But dance party=clubbing? Nah, i didn't think so.
When exactly does one make her entrance? This is worse than going for a ball. At least then, you know to arrive before they started serving the entrees! But then again, when is gWeN ever on time or early for anything? I would term it being fashionably late by the time i arrived. But hey, i figured, if the party sucked, i wouldn't have to sit through so many more minutes and i could always leave early, blaming tomorrow being an early day.
Loud music happily greets my ears, the security guard checks my ID(no surprises there!) and dim lighting. Okay. This is going to be one long night. Take a deep breath and step in. A dance party now, is a LOT LESS crowded than a club. No ques at the bar, if you have a really generous host, your drinks are on tab. Finger food could have been a possibility. People bopping away to the a-bit-the cannot-make-it-type music on the platform they term a dance floor. Dj not good...or maybe i am just prejudiced. i WANT R&B!!!!! They remixed my NELLY....*sighsss*...
The theme seemed to be, get your drink, dance, shout to people you haven't met for ages and try to catch up with them over the LOUD music standing next to unbearably LOUD speakers...sit around for a bit. Mingle. Sort of like, going to a pub where they have a dance floor except for the music. Nah, you don't meet anyone really at a dance party.Basically everyone knows someone or other, so the company's pretty safe-no drugs, no overboard skimpiness(*instinct*) and no ci-ko-pek's around! (is that really a good thing?-Kinda took away my excitement for the night- the enjoyment of laughing at them...) I think it is like the "parents" surpervised "safe" version of clubbing for thier of-age off springs.
Eleven O'clock rolled around(*FINALLY*), happily hopped out onto the bright glow of the street lights with jarred nerves, pounding eardrums, and a splitting headache(although, i admit, the headache is a reoccuring thing of late, not because of the loud music)-i just want to crawl into my nice soft bed under my fluffly doonar next to my d00gie and die in peace...So, maybe the perspective i took on things weren't the best i could have taken. But i was getting bored, Oo Oooh OoO..time to get out of there..(*think Nelly's Hot in Here*)...To be fair and to give it SOME credit, there were people who looked like they were really enjoying themselves, truely there were.
Perhaps, having never been properly accustomed to these "dance parties" i am not able to appreciate and enjoy? such an event. The positive side of things? I wasn't overdressed and i had nice shoes. At least i can now say, i went, i saw, i got bored and i left. Not such a bad thing after all. I can now add a new term into my volcab now-'dance party' and a phrase beside it, *not something i can fully appreciate*.