Do Amish people dance?
The 1997 comedy film “For Richer or Poorer”, set in Amish Country, contains a famous barn dance scene. In the scene, Amish people happily “shake a leg”. In reality, Amish adults do not dance (at least not publicly), though Amish youth sometimes do.
Why don’t Amish adults dance?
Dancing is not considered modest by the Amish. Moving the body to music is seen as a worldly activity. Modern-day popular styles of dancing are associated with sexuality and promiscuity.
Additionally, music and singing are relatively limited in Amish society. Amish sing church hymns, as well as religious hymns in both English and German.
That noted, some Amish people do enjoy popular music, which they might hear while riding in a car with a non-Amish person, while shopping in a store, or at a public venue.
For the most part, Amish people typically do not play musical instruments (though some Amish permit certain instruments, notably the harmonica – read more on Amish music).
Dancing by Amish youth
Amish youth may do some dancing, however. Some young Amish people listen to country, rock, and other types of music. Some Rumspringa-age Amish youth attend parties where naturally people might dance to popular music.
There are even some more traditional “Amish” forms of dancing among youth. Richard Stevick explains that Amish in one community dance “to the accompaniment of a harmonica or simply…to the unaccompanied singing of the young people or to a caller.” (Growing Up Amish, p. 146).
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Thank you for this post. I was wondering about their beliefs on dancing. I would think the Mennonites also believe similarly regarding dancing.
My Dad and his brother were raised Mennonite and both raised their children differently, however, my Uncle wouldn’t let his children dance. Once when both our families went to Marriott’s Great America there was a dance that night and my Dad tried to convince him to allow it by saying the oak tree is a mighty tree, but bends with the wind. My Uncle didn’t change his mind.
Another dance memory of my Dad is one night after his work (building pole buildings), he found us children in the yard listening to music, and for a spoof my Dad broke into a perfect moonwalk, workboots and all 😀