All of us are moved by music. There’s something about expressing yourself in poetry and melody that makes you feel alive. Naturally, we want to share our musical finds with others, and connect on that deep level. But what are some fun ways to explore music on a date?

See a Musical
Whether you go to Broadway or a local theater, a musical can be an exciting way to dig into some original music that is sure to get stuck in your head whether you like it or not. Pick a familiar story you both enjoy that has been turned into a musical extravaganza, or look into going to the latest hit show. Once you decide on what musical to go to, plan extra events around the theme or setting of the show.

If you feel really ambitious after seeing a high quality musical, see if you can write your own. Make it romantic or silly, full-length or incredibly short. You don’t have to write the musical scores if it’s above your talents, but writing the lyrics is a fun challenge. Write a two-person musical you can act out together, or make it a full-cast production and try to sell it to a local theater.

Go Out Dancing
Dancing is wonderfully romantic – the man sweeps a lady off her feet, while the woman gets to rest in his arms! Many local dance studios have dance nights that include a lesson or two and a couple hours of dancing. It’s a great way to dance together without any experience or skill. A lot of other places offer dancing for beginners as well, such as community colleges, lounges, and even some restaurants. Dancing is a social activity; it helps you get to know your date better, and you will meet new people who you may potentially double date with later on!

Karaoke
This will prove how comfortable you are with one another. Go out and sing karaoke together, playing one another’s favorite songs. If you aren’t brave enough to face the public, hook up a karaoke machine at home, or play a karaoke game such as Singstar or Rock Band (yet another way to play instruments together). Make sure to dedicate your songs to your date!

Write Songs Together
If you both like to play an instrument or write lyrics, try writing a song together. It doesn’t have to be the best song written in the history of the universe – it could be one verse if you wanted. If you do write a full song, make it a duet or a love song about your story.

Learn an Instrument Together
Does your date know how to play an instrument you’d like to try? Is there an instrument you’d both like to learn? Why not teach each other music or take lessons together? Don’t worry about how much better your date is at playing an instrument, just have fun learning and playing together. Encourage and applaud one another.

Do both of you all ready know how to play an instrument? Have a jam session. Pull out some sheet music you both love and play together. Try to create an instrumental duet, or freestyle if you have the talent.

Go to a Festival
Festivals normally includes cultural or periodical music and dance. Strengthen your cultural knowledge by watching for musical events, usually mentioned at the information booth. Take a look at the foreign instruments, the combination of styles, and the dancing techniques. Try to recreate any of the dances you see on stage. Is the festival historical in nature? Research the dances of the time and try to copy them.

See a Concert
Nothing scores you some mega points like buying tickets to your date’s favorite band. Spoil your sweetheart with some surprise tickets to a concert, and throw in a CD that they can have signed at the function. (For those really special occasions, grab some VIP tickets!) Remember to look for bands your date would like, not just bands or style of music you like!

You can also support smaller, cheaper bands in your local area. Many coffee shops and some restaurants have bands on weekends or evenings. It is more than likely that neither of you will know the bands playing, which will result in some fun conversation afterward. Cities may also have concerts in the park on special days or holidays.