Dining and dancing in the Philippines

[Gratefuled]

This is why I brought up the subject. My wife and I like to slow dance here at home to romantic music. She follows me very well and likes to dance when we are alone. We do a crazy dance when our 16 year old is around. We call it the Bago Shuffle. He just laughs and says " awkward". It's not meant to be danced in public but just for his amusement.

Anyway, I don't know how popular dining and dancing is in Davao or the Philippines for that matter. I mean nice slow romantic dancing and not the Hip Hop stuff the young kids do. In the states, there are many night spots where one can go with a date or wife and have a nice quiet dinner and a small dance floor. Sometimes a piano bar with a guy playing popular music on the piano for ones listening pleasure or dancing. Other times a small combo like a trio playing and a singer. 

Jack's Ridge has a restaurant that is suitable for dancing but no one dances. Wife is shy to be the only couple dancing. Paradise Island also has a female vocalist and a guy on keyboard at night but again, no one dancing. 

What is your opinion? Would you dance in a public place? Would your wife, significant other or date slow dance with you in a public place? I know Filipinas are shy about public displays of affection but slow dancing doesn't have to be naughty. Davao is a big city but not like Manila or Cebu. it is more conservative. Maybe that's why.

Edited September 10, 2016 by Gratefuled
grammar

[Queenie O.]

Yeah.. I think people are just too shy to get up and dance.. Slow dancing I'd be shy too, but I only know cha cha..-

Used to be back in the day some towns here would have a local "beer house" that amounted to some round outdoor tables with some lights strung about at night in a place that served light food and beer. People seemed less shy to get up and dance where  they were more familiar with their surroundings.

Videoke has long replaced those types of gatherings.

 

[Reboot]

Filipinas don't seem to like to dance as much as I do. Sing yes...but dance not so much.

[Gratefuled]

Filipinas and Filipinos both like Hip Hop and KPOP and they perform well. Yes, it's a young people's thing but even in the sates you will see older and even middle age people dancing to  the fast Hip Hop music. Most feel they are better dancers when they're drunk or high.

What I refer to is the romantic slow dancing at a dinner club or even small cafe. Yes, I do believe shyness is a big reason and that's too bad. They really do not know what they are missing if they could or would just block out everyone else but them on the dance floor. I think even my wife would be likely to dance slow in public if she saw others dancing.

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, Reboot said:

Filipinas don't seem to like to dance as much as I do. Sing yes...but dance not so much.

My experiences at fiestas in the jungle, and at the old Sunflower club (now demolished), and at the Why Not disco tend to make me a believer that filipinas (and even many of the males) like to dance way more than I do.  I particularly don't like getting drawn into a huge group of males dancing up a storm and me being expected to dance with them.  Gotta get good and drunk for that one.

[OnMyWay]

6 minutes ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

I particularly don't like getting drawn into a huge group of males dancing up a storm

The groping bothers you?  

[kalibojerry]

What about RJ he plays with his band on Friday nights in Manila looks like it would be fun to check it out and maybe have dinner there before hand  

[Gratefuled]

On 10 September 2016 at 6:42 AM, Queenie O. said:

Videoke has long replaced those types of gatherings

Maybe here in the Philippines altho I don't know if it ever was popular. 

In the states, it is still a very romantic thing to do and many many restaurants have piano bars or a small combo playing for customers dancing pleasure after dinner. 

Some restaurants stop serving meals after 9 PM and the rest of the evening til closing time is left for dancing.

[Queenie O.]

I know what you mean.

Back when I was here in the Peace Corps, there were town dances during the many fiesta celebrations. There was a mixed crowd of ages from the town that attended. They would have a an emcee, that played tapes of "fast" and "slow" type dancing. Now the Rave type discos dominate during a fiesta.

Back in the day, a fiesta program in the town center wouldn't be complete without a group folk style dance or a couple performing a dance together. Every year our town celebrates "Teachers Night" where many teachers from the different barangay schools dress up and do theme related dances. Very popular among the local townspeople.

It's a given that Filipinos love to sing, but if given a chance, they also love to dance and some still can play instruments.

[Queenie O.]

Ballroom dance competitions are also big in the Philippines.