--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Dancing is, in itself, a very trifling…" description: "\"Dancing is, in itself, a very trifling and silly thing: but it is one of those established follies to which people of sense are sometimes obliged to co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/lord-chesterfield-757_able_dancing-is-in-itself-a-very-trifling-and_2549367.jpg" --- # Dancing is, in itself, a very trifling and silly thing… ![“Dancing is, in itself, a very trifling and silly thing: but it is one of those established follies to which people of sense are sometimes obliged to conform; and then they should be able to do it well. And though I would not have you a dancer, yet, when you do dance, I would have you dance well…” quote by Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/lord-chesterfield-757_able_dancing-is-in-itself-a-very-trifling-and_2549367.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/lord-chesterfield-757_able_dancing-is-in-itself-a-very-trifling-and_2549367.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23a/lord-chesterfield-757_able_dancing-is-in-itself-a-very-trifling-and_2549367.jpg) > “Dancing is, in itself, a very trifling and silly thing: but it is one of those established follies to which people of sense are sometimes obliged to conform; and then they should be able to do it well. And though I would not have you a dancer, yet, when you do dance, I would have you dance well, as I would have you do everything you do well.” [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that even trivial activities like dancing have social expectations, and one should strive to excel at them if they must be performed. **In simple terms:** Even silly tasks have social pressure; do them well if required. Key Takeaway Embrace and master required social conventions. Themes social etiquette self‑improvement conformity skill mastery Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type advice philosophical cultural. When to use this quote - social gatherings - professional networking - team building - public speaking - rituals Key Concepts cultural norms performance anxiety personal standards Questions to Reflect On - Do you perform tasks you find trivial? - How can you balance authenticity with social expectations? A Different Perspective It may undervalue authenticity, urging conformity over genuine expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Dancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancer/) [Dancing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancing/) [Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Silly things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly-things/) ## Related quotes > [Loud laughter is the mirth of the mob, who are only pleased with silly things; for true Wit or good Sense never excited a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/loud-laughter-is-the-mirth-of-the-mob-who-are-only-pleased-with-silly/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [All ceremonies are in themselves very silly things; but yet, a man of the world should know them. They are the outworks of Mannersand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/all-ceremonies-are-in-themselves-very-silly-things-but-yet-a-man-of/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Who can tell the dancer from the dance?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/who-can-tell-the-dancer-from-the-dance/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [I feel like in Atlanta, if you were a female dancer, the more you can dance like the boys, the more respect you get.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janina-gavankar/i-feel-like-in-atlanta-if-you-were-a-female-dancer-the-more-you-can/) [Janina Gavankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janina-gavankar/) > [“O body swayed to music, O brightening glance, How can we know the dancer from the dance?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/o-body-swayed-to-music-o-brightening-glance-how-can-we-know-the/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [The dancer becomes the dance. And I am the writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/the-dancer-becomes-the-dance-and-i-am-the-writing/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [A cardio-funk class - I should have at least taken one of those. But it's always terrified me. I'm never one to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/a-cardio-funk-class-i-should-have-at-least-taken-one-of-those-but-it/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [I wouldn't call myself a dancer. I would never even dance in a club - I can't move my feet! I'm terribly shy about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-james-thomas/i-wouldn-t-call-myself-a-dancer-i-would-never-even-dance-in-a-club-i/) [Matthew James Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-james-thomas/) > [I'm a dancer... When I dance I feel like I'm the only one in the whole world... To me,this make sense... I don't must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ines-petrov/i-m-a-dancer-when-i-dance-i-feel-like-i-m-the-only-one-in-the-whole/) Ines Petrov > [Life is the dancer and you are the dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/life-is-the-dancer-and-you-are-the-dance/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [I was married to a dancer who had a dance company in New York City, and she toured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullum/i-was-married-to-a-dancer-who-had-a-dance-company-in-new-york-city/) [John Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullum/) > [I'm a terrible dancer! I dance like a guy who is trying to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrique-iglesias/i-m-a-terrible-dancer-i-dance-like-a-guy-who-is-trying-to-dance/) [Enrique Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrique-iglesias/) > [I’m a dancer who cannot dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn/i-m-a-dancer-who-cannot-dance/) [Marilyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn/) > [How can we know the dancer from the dance?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/how-can-we-know-the-dancer-from-the-dance/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [“Isadora Duncan Dancing Like sculpture at first. Then, as if the sun rose in her, long gesture. A small smile; then very much so.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinga-fabo/isadora-duncan-dancing-like-sculpture-at-first-then-as-if-the-sun/) [Kinga Fabo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinga-fabo/) ## More by Lord Chesterfield > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [No woman ever yet either reasoned or acted long together consequentially; but some little thing, some love, some resentment, somepresent momentary interest, some supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/no-woman-ever-yet-either-reasoned-or-acted-long-together/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [I am in the pitiable situation of feeling all the force of temptation without having the strength to succumb to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/i-am-in-the-pitiable-situation-of-feeling-all-the-force-of-temptation/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Mankind is made up of inconsistencies, and no man acts invariably up to his predominant character. The wisest man sometimes acts weakly, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/mankind-is-made-up-of-inconsistencies-and-no-man-acts-invariably-up/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Compliments of congratulation are always kindly taken, and cost nothing but pen, ink and paper. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/it-is-commonly-said-that-ridicule-is-the-best-test-of-truth-for-that/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [There is hardly any place or any company where you may not gain knowledge, if you please; almost everybody knows some one thing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/there-is-hardly-any-place-or-any-company-where-you-may-not-gain/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Assurance and intrepidity, under the white banner of seeming modesty, clear the way for merit, that would otherwise be discouraged by difficulties...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/assurance-and-intrepidity-under-the-white-banner-of-seeming-modesty/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“Many a man would rather you heard his story than grant his request.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/many-a-man-would-rather-you-heard-his-story-than-grant-his-request/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) [Explore all 378 Lord Chesterfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. 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