I've always been interested in odd little
statistical correlations and one that I've noticed in my circle of friends and aquiantances is the fact that
fencers and
belly dancers tend to pair off together. I had noticed this long before my then girlfriend-to-be took up
belly dancing about a year and a half ago. More than one male friend from
fencing has or has had a
girlfriend who's into
belly dancing and I've known several women from fencing that also
belly danced. Not only that, but now that my
girlfriend dances, she has confirmed that a couple women in her class have
boyfriends who
fence.
Why there would be such a strong correlation, I'm not sure. Maybe men who tend to be into swords are also into women who like dancing that is both sensual and traditional, and vice versa. Maybe there's a more general correlation between athletes and dancers. Maybe there's an inherant romanticism in each activity. There certainly is the Ren Faire connection, I know that. Whatever it is, I enjoy it both personally and intellectually.