Like most guys I knew in high school, I never did much dancing at our
occasional weekend sock hops at noble Aquinas Institute in Rochester,
N.Y.

The frugs and twists of the 1970s had improved ... or degraded ... into
a free-form collection of swinging arms and quick steps, almost like a
zombie jogging slowly in place. Aquinas was an all-boy school during my
classroom days, so it wasn't like we even had chances to practice with
girls from Latin or English class.

Many of us waited until the last song or two of the night, screwed up
vast courage and asked some solitary Nazareth or Cardinal Mooney girl for
a "dance." And maybe a phone number, if you didn't knock off her glasses
with an errant "dance move."

You always paid the price the following Monday, when friends critiqued
your animation in the gym. You could have found a secluded spot under
basket and backboard, in the dark, but someone would always find you.
And report to the whole table during lunch period.

I haven't much thought much about dance music since my court and spark
days of 1972 and '73. But lately, I've been getting back in the groove.
The reason is the YMCA's new space bikes.

I raved about the Expresso Fit machines a few weeks ago. Expresso cyclists watch a
17-inch video screen as they peda. Terrific graphics put bikes on rolling country
roads, ocean-view passes and even bridges into outer space. I've been
enjoying the workouts.

I've also been enjoying the music hookups that come with the bikes. You
plug in your headphones and can listen to country music, classic rock,
Latin, spiritual, recent rock and a bunch of other genres. "Dance club"
is another one, and one I skipped over during my first couple weeks in the
saddle.

Not anymore. I've been appreciating the dance mix that puts people into
a pedaling state of mind. Today it was the B-52s and "My Own Private
Idaho," Translator and "Everywhere That I'm Not," Prince and "Raspberry
Beret" and Martha and the Muffins and "Echo Beach."

I had never heard of "Echo Beach" or Martha and the Muffins, but learned
the appealing saxophone and guitar band with two singers named Martha
earned its fame in 1980. Just for fun, here's their rolling rocker
"Echo Beach" - just click here

Love the blonde Martha on keyboards. Not too crazy about lead singer
Martha's "Star Trek" outfit.

I've also been on the road with Republica and "Ready to Go" and Linkin
Park's "Somewhere I Belong." Both are bands a 53-year-old has no right
listening to - I guess it's kind of kind of like my parents asking to
borrow my Jethro Tull "Aqualung" album in 1972 - but nobody knows I'm
checking out another generation's music. I'm just pedaling the hills.

I don't like all the selections. "Der Kommisar" and "99 Luft Balloons"
did nothing for me during the 1980s, and do less for me. And Iggy Pop, of
all people, seems to be a staple on the dance club channel. Not my music.

But I do pedal a little harder when "Rock Lobster" shows up, and I'm
passing a bunch of video slowpokes. That's the B-52s - again - for you
musical squares. And I've caught "Whip It" by Devo a couple times.

I don't have to worry about bad moves. Although one guy a few days ago
"stood up" in the pedals and tried to ride a little harder up a "hill."
That's something you might see on the road, for real. Dude - these
bikes are realistic - but they're not that realistic. We'd have been talking
about you all during lunch, at noble Aquinas.

I'm in for the exercise and the music. These new tunes, I'm not sure
you can dance to their beats on the dance floor.

But you can bike to them.