Thrustrobics

As a lone traveler, many will agree that nights are the most difficult part of backpacking. I personally detest eating dinner alone and worse yet, going home early with no one with whom to pillow talk. It is not hard to make friends with whom to hangout but once in while, I find myself wandering the streets, alone. In Southeast Asia, finding yourself alone after dinner is not as scary as it sounds. In large cities and small towns, there is plenty of green space for families to spend time outside after sunset. I find myself alone but amusingly entertained by all the activity going on in and around parks. There is a myriad of foods and shiny things to buy as well as plenty of night markets with anything from high heels to sea food to delightfully sweet sugar cane juice. Children are playing and laughing, men drinking and playing Chinese chess, elderly speed walking, couples doing the Cha-Cha and my personal favorite, thrustrobics. For those who don’t know, large numbers of people, mainly women, gather in park squares to loud techno pop and pelvic thrust like it’s the most satisfying sexual experience of their lives. In the center of the circle or in front of the crowd, usually a pretty good and very enthusiastic dancer instructs the crowd how to salsa, rumba, thrust or what have you. I sit and laugh as old, young, and hip loose men alike shake their butts in all directions, putting their hands on their hips, dipping and swirling, some on beat but most moving to their own tune. I enjoy watching the different expressions on their faces as some try vigorously to keep up with the music while others just own it, probably imaging themselves on a dance show or music video. After the song is over, there is a small pause for people to catch their breath, chat, and come back to reality. As new people join in, some leave, having given all they had to the audition of a life time, and some jog in place, ready to take on the next routine. I’ve yet to conquer my fear of public humiliation to join in the dancing and much rather watch the spectacle but I notice that there is a dance mania taking over Asia. It is common to see youth break dancing on the streets and playing the oh so ever popular video game where arrows instruct them how to move their feet. I’m happy to see people partaking in these nightly park activities. It not only fosters creativity and self-expression, but keeps them healthy and social. AMERICA, GET OUT AND DANCE!