I started this post as a reply to Mertuil and realized it should probably be an actual journal entry.
Mertuil included this quote in her post: Shaw defines dance as: “The vertical expression of a horizontal desire legalized by music.” Discussion and comments followed describing the sexual nature of dancing.
I think it might be going a little to far (just a little) to say dancing is to a level of a sexual experience. I think it qualifies as a sensual experience that some affect some people to the level of sexual. Sort of that a square is a rectangle but a rectangle is not a square thing.
I really like social dancing but I love dancing. I had to give up on social dancing in college because the entire meat market mentality of the places where I could go to dance. Thank God for the 80′s and New Wave. I discovered that I could dance by myself, with another or with an entire group. 5 nights a week I would go dancing (Friday and Sat were for the “normal” people and “normal” music). I enjoy how my body feels when I dance. It can move. It is confident. It is powerful. It is graceful and can flow. I am in it instead of my head.
After finding the social dancing here in California (Starry Plough, Gaskell’s, PEERS, Friday Night Waltz), I have been able to partake of the joy of being able to dance in tandem with another being. Sometimes this can go to the level of a sexual thrill if there is something between me and my partner. But almost every other time it is the joy of dance in a structure. Very sensual in that it engages the senses. I can feel my body, my weight, my partner’s body, weight, our momentum. All to the music.
And on that tangent: Truth be told, I don’t need the music. I read a cartoon once that made a joke about how a teenager can dance to anything including the garbage disposal. I have found this to be true for me as well. The music adds a wonderful layer but it is not required. Just the beat.
Interesting. I know some once-Ploughfolk that now don’t go because of that same “meat market” bit.
As with, I discovered/remembered somebody that I just do not connect well with on the dance floor, and I suspect it would reflect similarly on any attempts to do the same in bed. S’okay, I think we both started things out with a “cute, but utterly not my type” reaction 
Not sure what either of these have to do with your post.
Sometimes this can go to the level of a sexual thrill if there is something between me and my partner. But almost every other time it is the joy of dance in a structure. Very sensual in that it engages the senses. I can feel my body, my weight, my partner’s body, weight, our momentum. All to the music.
There are times when I have moments like that. Bates and Dawn’s wedding was good for that. I think it depends on the energy of your partner as well.
When it works, it works!
I’ve seen…
Lindy folks dance to all kinds of things – they’ll dance to the Star Spangled Banner if they have to.
I’ve also seen the Birthday Jam, after the band had gone home, after the DJ had quit, just a bunch of people circled together, clapping in time, trying to sing “Sing, Sing, Sing”.
You’re not alone in that beat, not music, thing.