BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Sherlock loves dancing

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** February 23, 2014 9:12 am

Do you think Sherlock really does love dancing? Or was everything he was saying and doing in this episode all part of his long term plan to woo Janine eventually and worm his way into Magnussen's office? I mean, did he just say that he likes dancing because he wants Janine to see this warm, human side for him and start to fall for him even heavier?

And then, when he looked over at Janine at the end and saw she was dancing with the geeky guy, did he only look disappointed because she wasn't falling for him as quickly as he had hoped?

**Posted by SusiGo** February 23, 2014 10:45 am

I think he really does. I always assumed that Lady Smallwood contacts him only after the wedding so he was not interested in Janine because of her position with CAM. Moreover, I do not think he was interested in her as a woman at all but maybe got carried away a bit by the mood. He had just solved a case and John had saved a life and was elated by this. And he had prepared everything about the wedding meticulously so that it would be perfect - including the dance of bridesmaid and best man.
As for the scene on the dance floor - I think he was disappointed that he did not get the chance to dance. And he realised that he did not belong there after all. But I do not think he was trying to make Janine fall for him at this point.
But then again, who knows?

**Posted by QuiteExtraordinary** February 23, 2014 11:47 am

Sherlock can dance quite well, which means he practices frequently, although it has never been useful for a case yet, as he said. So he must like it, I'd say. He also loves music/playing the violin, so why shouldn't he like dancing.

**Posted by SusiGo** February 23, 2014 11:58 am

And he ususally moves with a certain grace and agility. And he was practising the wedding waltz alone in his flat.

**Posted by SherlocklivesinOH** February 24, 2014 4:10 am

SusiGo[i wrote:
] I always assumed that Lady Smallwood contacts him only after the wedding so he was not interested in Janine because of her position with CAM[/i].

I assumed this at first...later I began to wonder. Sherlock's behavior with Janine at the wedding (receptive to her flirting) is more in-character if he's already targeting her as part of a case. In canon, Holmes (in disguise) moves in on a maid who works for the blackmailer Milverton - after he is approached by a client for help with Milverton.

But there is also the fact that being a good enough dancer to teach John him an excuse to spend time with John at Baker Street (it seems that John hasn't lived there since meeting Mary) and to hold John in his arms. One way to take his behavior toward the end is that he wished he could dance with John now, in public!

I could imagine homophobic males making fun of Sherlock for being gay-in-love-with-John due to the dancing with John and also the speech he makes. It's not right that men who are perceived to be gay get that treatment. But part of what makes Sherlock rather adorable in this episode is that he doesn't seem to realize those implications are there.

**Posted by Morton** March 15, 2014 2:04 am

Sherlock's parent's line dancing is mentioned and coupled with his knowing how to dance I'd say he was telling the truth that he likes to dance. It doesn't mean he is gay or not so I agree that it's really not good if women or men who are percieved as gay are still treated with less consideration than someone who passes as straight. I don't care what his orentation is, a person is far more than simply their sexual preferences.

**Posted by tonnaree** March 15, 2014 3:24 am

Morton wrote:
Sherlock's parent's line dancing is mentioned and coupled with his knowing how to dance I'd say he was telling the truth that he likes to dance. It doesn't mean he is gay or not so I agree that it's really not good if women or men who are percieved as gay are still treated with less consideration than someone who passes as straight. I don't care what his orentation is, a person is far more than simply their sexual preferences.

I don't remember anyone saying that Sherlock enjoying dancing as an indication of him being gay?

**Posted by SherlocklivesinOH** March 22, 2014 3:17 am

tonnaree wrote:
Morton wrote:
Sherlock's parent's line dancing is mentioned and coupled with his knowing how to dance I'd say he was telling the truth that he likes to dance. It doesn't mean he is gay or not so I agree that it's really not good if women or men who are percieved as gay are still treated with less consideration than someone who passes as straight. I don't care what his orentation is, a person is far more than simply their sexual preferences.
I don't remember anyone saying that Sherlock enjoying dancing as an indication of him being gay?

I certainly didn't mean that. Nor did I mean to imply that it was OK to treat anyone badly because they're gay.

And the feelings Sherlock expresses for John in the speech don't HAVE to mean he's gay...but they could be...without him being socially-savvy enough to even realize that someone might think that.

But it's hard not to hear them actually say they danced together and not find it, well...Johnlock-y. A few fan fics have been written where the "knee grab" leads to...well, explicit Johnlock (see that thread), but I picture Sherlock either getting John to practice dancing with him just so he can hold John, or them realizing while dancing how much like holding each other.