In our last post, we made a case that the spoons position is totally played out. But infuriatingly, we failed to give you a better option. That was our evil plan… we were hoping to get you to come back.

Now that you have, we can present you with our first recommended cuddling position. Of course, one of the reasons we’d like to reduce your spooning time is so that you can experiment with new ways to cuddle for yourselves. But, just in case you need some scientific inspiration, allow us to present the structurally-sound PROM DANCE.

Scientists Cuddling Face-to-Face... A sort of floor hug.

Pajamas Recommended for Cuddling--Lab Coats for Doing Science Only. (We promise to get better pictures soon.)

Read on to learn more about this wonderful position.

You remember fifth-grade prom… and the awkward slow-dance-from-an-arm’s-length-away. And while you probably don’t think of this position as terribly exciting, turning it horizontal certainly livens things up. (Interestingly, the opposite is true of the spoon, which becomes a full-on club grind when you stand.) Besides, now that you’re unchaperoned (we hope) you can feel free to bring things a little closer, and snuggle up:
A Tight Hug in the Same Position

The Prom Dance actually allows for two cuddling configurations, with the same lower body position.

Of course, this position is pretty intuitive, and we expect that most of you will have done it before, whether you’ve thought about it or not. So we won’t waste time on the basics of assuming the Prom Dance. What we will discuss are the benefits of this position, and in particular, its advantages over the spoon.

Let’s analyze this cuddle using the same metrics we applied to spooning.

First—Utilization of Comfortable Body Parts
The Prom Dance clearly beats the spoon when it comes to taking advantage of comfortable body parts. If you bring it in for the hug, which is the closer equivalent of the spoon position, you’ll be padded by your chest and stomach areas. This represents some of your prime pillow mass. You’ll also be able to touch each other’s comfy parts more easily—butt included!—as the Prom Dance allows for the front-of-body hand motions nature intended (see the Third metric.)

Second—Neutralization of Uncomfortable Body Parts
This is where the Prom Dance really starts its Usain-Bolt-like pull ahead. The legs can interlock in the Prom Dance to a degree not offered by the spoon. This makes for a very comfortable lower-body cuddle indeed. Have you ever heard a sleep specialist recommend that side-sleepers place a pillow between their legs? Doing so allows for a more neutral and comfortable spinal alignment. In this case, cuddling expertise means you don’t need to invest in cushions to benefit!

Your arms will also prefer dancing to spooning. With your upper bodies pulled somewhat further apart, your arms will retain their circulation indefinitely! This is because your arms become thinner nearer to the wrists. Furthermore, you can rest your arms on your partner’s torso, preventing that strange “what do I do with these?” self-hug feeling. If you want to go the extra “prom nostalgia” mile, the lead’s hands can be placed on the follower’s waist, and the follower’s hands on the lead’s shoulders.

In terms of head and neck comfort, the Prom Dance and the spoon are basically tied. All positions in which you rest on your side tend to require pillows or another elevation tool to make your head comfortable. It has been suggested that the Prom Dance allows for partners to help support each others’ heads with their arms (and, when cuddled up, for one partner to use the other’s head as a pillow)… but at this point, we don’t feel the need to take any unwarranted jabs at the spoon.

Third—Hands Freedom
Actually, we almost feel bad tearing the spoon to shreds like this.

Almost.

In terms of manual stimulation of oxytocin, the Prom Dance wins again. As you’ll recall, the spoons position allows caressing and massaging only from the big spoon’s free hand. In the case of the Prom Dance, all hands are free to frolic and explore as they please! Because your hands are unhindered and directly in front of you, you can set about really teasing out some oxytocin in this position. The best ways to do it will depend on your partner, so do explore… but we will offer some general “caressing and massaging” advice in an upcoming post.

Little Issues
We applied two other metrics during our spooning evaluation: heat transfer and eye contact. These are factors for which one extreme is not always preferable. For example, during the winter you might prefer a high heat transfer rate, whereas during the summer you would desire a lower one. Likewise, some people find it uncomfortable to be seen as they fall asleep, or just don’t like to be gazed at for so long under any circumstances. Amazingly, Prom Dancing trounces spooning for these first two little considerations as well. It allows you to adjust the rate of heat transfer and the level of eye contact according to your momentary desire.

When your upper bodies are pressed together, the heat transfer rate is high, and you can’t easily make eye contact (as is the case in the spoon.) This configuration might be preferable in a cold room, or for napping, but it also results in some of the same difficulties as the spoon–you could start to lose arm circulation if this position is held for too long.

These factors can be easily reversed in the Prom Dance, however, by moving your torsos apart. (In the spoon, this means you’ve stopped cuddling altogether—in the Prom Dance, your legs maintain the intimacy.) When you pull your upper bodies back, the heat transfer rate is reduced—allowing you to cuddle in hotter environments—and eye contact is easily established.


There you have it, cuddlers. If you’ve ever cursed the name of the dreaded spoon, you now have the first tool needed to slay it for good. And if you’re a Spooninite, we recommend that you at least try the Prom Dance. Because it’s more sustainable and allows for eye contact, it especially outshines the spoon for prolonged, intimate conversation. We bet you’ll learn to like it… and if not, we’ve got plenty of other alternatives for you.

Either way, let us know what you think in the comments! (And if you liked this post, like and/or share us on Facebook!)