Rational Steps

At my alma mater, the folks who are usually called geeks or nerds in other environments were also called "weens." The word had expanded beyond describing just the science-loving pocket protector crowd, so that to study heavily was to "ween out." But it still carried the impression of social awkwardness and seeing the world primarily as a field for analysis rather than experience.

So the instructor of a special non-credit course that teaches engineering students how to do the Lindy Hop might seem to be a bit out of whack. But the instructor says that even though the students may at first try to ween out and analyze the technical aspects of the Lindy, most eventually make the switch from pure analysis to practice, bringing a sometimes unfamiliar set of skills into play that might help them in their primary fields.

He points out that swing dancing is collaborative (you have a partner) and so success requires cooperation. Switching partners broadens the experience of different styles and opens up new cooperation. Dancers improvise on the basic Lindy form, offering some experience in approaching objects of study in different and possibly unexpected ways.

The college where I used to work produces a lot of top dancers in the country, and conversations with them showed many had some knowledge of the physics of their art at the most basic level. Their legs were load-bearing structures and had to be braced properly, as did arms when they lifted a partner. Joint flexibility was not endless and could only be improved by pre-stretching. Weight changes in the body could affect the center of gravity and throw off rhythm. Certain curves and positions of the arms and legs were aesthetically pleasing as well as load-bearing and others were not, and the angle of view of an audience could make the difference.

Plus, the idea of dancers learning physics or engineers learning dance strikes me as much more closely related to actual education than a course about how Genghis Khan's cruelty to those he conquered reflects his patriarchal tendency.