Is going dancing a boring pastime or a luxury for the few? Gen Z is increasingly losing the desire to have fun, and the data proves it

DJ Mag has reported that more than 50% of adults don't go dancing out of shyness or fear of being filmed online. The data, which covers Europe and the UK, analyses figures from the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA Market Monitor) and confirms that, overall, the number of "pure" nightclubs and dance clubs has fallen by 36.1% compared to the pre-pandemic period, with a 5.1% contraction in the late-night economy.

The question arises naturally: is shyness really the only reason Gen Z doesn't go dancing? According to DJ Mag, the fear of being filmed and ending up on social media even outweighs the desire to leave the house: according to the survey, 49% of young people aged 18 and over are afraid of being caught on camera in embarrassing situations, while 43% fear looking stupid in public. The latest youth trends seem to point in an entirely different direction from the nightclub: rather than the chaos of strobe lights, Gen Z prefers a dinner out, a photogenic venue to post on Instagram, or a classic night in with a blanket and a herbal tea. But how did we get to this point?

From the Eighties through to the early Two Thousands, nightclubs were a cornerstone of young Europeans' social lives. Every neighbourhood had its own club, and every group knew exactly which venue to head to in order to meet up with friends — not to mention that, while the working week forced everyone into the same dull dress code, the weekend was the perfect moment to express yourself through clothing. There was no fear — or rather, no embarrassment.

It seems strange to think that today all of this has been almost forgotten, yet it's being discussed everywhere — in magazines and publications — and reality seems to confirm it. It's no coincidence that in recent years countless venues have closed, such as the famous Seven Apples in Marina di Pietrasanta, Plastic in Milan, or La Bussola, which used to welcome coachloads of people willing to travel for hours just to spend an evening there. The reason always seems to be the same: poor attendance at events, which led these venues to shut their doors for good, bringing an end to an era that defined entire generations.

In recent years, the number of nightclubs in Italy has fallen dramatically: it is estimated that over the past 14 years more than 2,100 dance venues have closed, dropping from around 7,000 in the Nineties to just over 1,400 currently active. Today, going dancing often involves costs that are hard to avoid. On the other hand, clubs outside major cities, while they may save on transport costs by eliminating the need for coaches or shuttle buses, sometimes tend to offer a rather limited experience. The repetition of the same settings and the same dynamics ends up making nights out feel monotonous, overly familiar, and — over time — repetitive and unstimulating.

Directly tied to this is the role of music, which once served as an absolute binding force and has since undergone countless variations and nuances, adapting to the trends and pace of a youth world in constant flux. Who knows whether clubs will regain the importance they once had, and whether young people will fall in love with clubbing again. All we can do is watch the evolution of a culture that, in the end, will never truly disappear entirely.