Mr. Darcy, Folk Dancer

Mr. Darcy knows flourishing requires anticipation of the next move.

Mr. Darcy is sad when people grow older, and rather than gain wisdom, they just get bitter and ignore the youth.

Mr. Darcy knows it is that time of year to do all the dance weekends. Remember to support your local dance series, as well!

Mr. Darcy enjoys dance weekends, but he doesn't forget his local dances, either.

Mr. Darcy has been enjoying many dancers spreading joy and reconnecting as community, as dancing has been back for over a year and a half. It's a shame some people can't seem to move beyond their misplaced anger, especially when there's so many choices of dances.

Mr. Darcy doesn't understand why y'all think he's talking about you, if what he's saying doesn't match your behavior.

Mr. Darcy has heard that some folks enjoy debate over hyper-niche topics like experimental techniques in contra dance calling.

Mr. Darcy is not saying all "Spring-Fall Romances" are bad, but you've seen the type.

Mr. Darcy likes many traditions. This is not one.

Sadly, Mr. Darcy is not just talking about one person. Not by a long shot.

But if the shoe fits, by all means, wear it.

Mr. Darcy did try and warn them.

You ever wish people could just admit they're doing what they want, even though covid is still rampant and people with chronic health conditions and risk factors weren't miraculously cured?

Just stop claiming you're "inclusive".

Mr. Darcy knows it is that simple for people who, you know, demonstrate basic empathy for other human beings, and who do not believe anti-science Wickhams.

Mr. Darcy still appreciates dance hosts who watch the numbers.

Mr. Darcy loves when a dance community can take care of all dancers and ensure everyone gets to dance and feel comfortable!

When a dance has a preponderance of men sitting out, it's frequently more than one flag.

Mr. Darcy's History Snippets #4:
Mr. Darcy cannot post relevant quotes from Henry Ford because they would be taken off Facebook for antisemitism.

Here's a posed photo of Ford with his ridiculously expensive Stradivarius violin, which, purportedly, he loved to play his favorite traditional tune "Turkey in the Straw". Now, maybe you haven't heard, but that song came directly from racist Mistrel shows in the 19th Century, and, in Ford's time, that history absolutely was well-known.

Ford:
- was racist and antisemitic
- no, seriously, not only did he not hide it, he wrote about it openly
- introduced Hi**er to some antisemitic blood libel that Hi**er would make a cornerstone of his propaganda
- thought jazz and klezmer were "immoral' music of black and Jewish folks
- dumped immense amounts of his fortune into spreading square and contra dance and music in America, specifically for the purpose of promoting what he considered "moral" dance
- only gave the money to white communities, of course
- all this had a tremendous effect of diminishing and erasing the huge contributions of black Americans to American folk music in the 19th and early 20th century, such as - the banjo being a black-invented instrument, that calling dances live was a tradition popularized by black servants and slaves, that many many tunes labeled "Traditional" had black authors and whose names were deliberately withheld, and more

What does this have to do with folk dancing today? The concept that "dances are already welcoming to people of all races" is bunk. We have decades and decades of erasure and specific exclusion. Simply claiming "anyone is welcome" doesn't undo the vast rift that was made, and it is up to the people who benefitted the most to do most of the work for healing this rift. It is an active act, not merely writing "anyone is welcome" on a sign or Facebook event.

Mr. Darcy's History Snippet #3:
Let's compare Covid-19 vs Spanish Flu of 1918.
At the time, people had the good sense to trust doctors and experts, mask up, and not have social dance during surges of infections.

Despite Covid-19 being only about half as deadly as Spanish Flu, and despite a century of medical advances, far more people die per year of Covid-19.

You don't like dancing in a mask? None of us do.
You refuse to? You have rewound over 100 years of basic social norms about pandemics.

Mr. Darcy's History Snippet #2: Anyone thinking that contras and squares were always for just straight heterosexual couples? That gender role terms are there for some inscrutable, historical "tradition"? It's not.

Notice how some people, often older men, get squicked out or offended at the mere suggestion of dancing with other men?

Dancing same gender has centuries of history. Dance doesn't have to mean courtship or sexuality.

Or, it can, and, since gay people exist, let's choose to make them feel welcome at any dance, rather than shout them down when they ask for things like "genderfree roles".

Mr. Darcy has heard a variety of comments of contra dancing being "too woke" and "leftist" and "social justice" recently, and some rose-tinted reminiscing of "the good old days". Where men were men, women were women, and gay people stayed in the closet and black and Jewish music was specifically targeted by Henry Ford for erasure. Over the next few posts, Mr. Darcy will focus on some snippets of history.

History Snippet #1: Anyone claiming folk music and dance was never "leftist" does not and/or refuses to understand its history.

Mr. Darcy knows that "I dance both roles" is an invitation, not a threat. Only a Wickham would feel threatened by someone excited about dancing either role.

Mr. Darcy is occasionally tempted to break his "no singling someone out in a meme", rule, but debunked covid misinformation is extra tempting.

Shout out to the good citizens providing scientific debunking whenever ... any ... organizers or callers or otherwise "responsible community leaders" of folk dance spread this misinformation.

Mr. Darcy recongizes lackluster thought process when he hears it.

Mr. Darcy is wondering how long "but there hasn't been covid spread at dances" will be used as justification.

Mr. Darcy appreciates a funny meme.

https://www.facebook.com/417966198541772/posts/1691554671182912/

Mr. Darcy knows that a gentleman realizes that when store clerks are wearing masks, he probably should still, as well.

Mr. Darcy isn't "sad" to wear masks, because he knows it enables the dance to be safe enough for more people to attend.

Mr. Darcy wishes everyone a Merry Christmas, New Year's, and whatever other holidays you may be enjoying!

Mr. Darcy knows when people are just kidding themselves.

Mr. Darcy knows a broken promise about safety when he sees one.

How we all get through this:
If you haven't yet, vaccinate.
If you have, encourage others.
If you can, donate to performers doing online dances and concerts.

Some folks claim toxic masculinity is "fake".

Is it fake? Is it real?

Mr. Darcy has a fan-submitted question which he'd like to give his fans an opportunity to provide answers.

What does "toxic masculinity" mean?
What are some examples, so that it can be made clear whether or not it is "a fake concept lazily bandied about to dismiss anything the user dislikes".