It was a day like any other in New Britain, Connecticut. James Brown was on the boom box while the sun set over a parking lot full of revelers enjoying a drink and the warm spring air. Robert Stitt was one of those celebrating the end of another day, something he'd done a thousand times before, when he was challenged to a dance-off by someone else in the crowd. Stitt had moves, "back in the day he used to do flips," but at 48 Stitt was no longer the spry young man who thrilled crowds like this many times before.
That didn't stop him from entering the fray and becoming a participant in the battle dance, though, and soon the moves were flying fast and furious across the fateful parking lot. Someone did a flip, Stitt's old move, and the crowd began to chant his name. There's no doubt that Stitt felt 18 all over again and, with the crowd's support, felt the surge of energy necessary to pull off a flip that sent the battle to a new high. Sadly, it wasn't to be.
He sprung up and pointed his head and shoulders toward the ground, police said. Stitt hit the pavement face first. Boxley and others in the group rushed to his aid, and Boxley heard Stitt take three labored breaths. Soon, an ambulance arrived to take Stitt to the hospital.
Stitt was pronounced dead later on Monday night, the latest victim of a battle dance gone horribly, horribly wrong. Just last month in Guadalajara, 14 perished in a fire caused by a scorching lambada, reminding us all why it's the forbidden dance, and no one needs a reminder of the "Do-Si-Die" at an Abilene square dance circa 1974. How many battle dancers must we lose before we agree to move our bodies with peace and love for all mankind? We're electing a new President in 18 months, am I the only one who thinks they need to weigh in on this immediately?
