Dance

I might have mentioned on here before about my love for swing dancing.  But in case I havent, Ill give alittle background.

Growing up, I took a jazz class for a year when I was about 7 years old, and a Ballet class when I was like 13 years old, and hated them both. I could follow the teacher but I just hated the setting and really didnt want to do a recital. Ugh.  Thinking about it now makes me nauseated. In 6th grade PE class we had 6 weeks of learning Country Line dancing, which I secretly loved.   Then youth dances came around.when I was 14 years old, and I the thought of shaking my booty with all these "really cool" people was just beyond me.  I didnt mind slow dancing, but anything I had to do on my own was just not going to happen.  This continued into my college years, except that there were a few friends that I could shake my butt with at a dance and not feel too stupid.  But oh so, very few!  I just couldnt "hear a beat" and figure how to "move to the beat."  That was a foreign concept to me, and just feel like a fool trying to mimic those around me.

When I moved to Boston, I started to want to figure out this dancing thing.  People seem to really enjoy themselves, and I wanted to be apart of that.  But by the time I finally found a class to take, I was traveling bi-monthly and didnt have the time to devote to it. And really, I still wasnt so sure about my ability to not make a fool of myself.

Stephanie, My first teacher,
taken after  sweaty NYC dance!

Fast forward a couple years and a move to NYC.  I finally decided it was time.  To swallow my pride and take a class.  I chose Swing dancing simply because it looked fun, there were a few people I know who did it, and one particular guy that I was interested in who was a swing dancer. (Dont things generally come back to someone of the opposite sex when we are single!?!) As I was new to the city, it was nice to have somewhere to go once a week.  That first class was a bit terrifying. Lucky, I found a small class with a fabulous teacher who gave me the confidence to keep going back. A few months in, and it was growing on me.  I was slowly catching on, or atleast I was enjoying the ride!

Finally after about 4 months of classes I finally got up the nerve to go out social dancing.  Oh man, just the thought of going was terrifying!!  Anyone could ask you to dance, and they didnt know your skill level, or what specific steps you have been taught, and you *cant* walk away in the middle of a song! AHHH.  I stayed for about 4 songs.  Danced for 3 (2 with leads I knew from class, and one random lead) and then high tailed it out of there! I remember calling a few dancing friends on my way home who reminded me that that was how I would get better, and to stick with it. I appreciate there confidence and kinda words, as a few weeks later, I did go back, and stayed for about 4 dances!
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And now, next month will be my 2nd anniversary of having dance in my life!  I love it.  It makes me happy. Seriously, nothing but smiles on my face.  Im not fabulous, but I dont care.  Im just happy to go and make a fool of myself!  And simply through learning swing dancing, I have lost all care of what people think of me.  Ok, maybe not all!  I still get uber nervous when someone with mad skills asks me to dance.  And I like to tell him that I just started.  Makes me feel so much better when he says that Im fabulous for a beginner! :)   I usually cant keep to my lie, and say that I have been dancing for a few months now! :)  24 is a few, right?!  In general,  I am now that much more comfortable to dance in any venue.  Whether its shaking my booty at a church dance, impromptu dance parties with friends, or learning other dances.

Enjoying a dance with my friend Tom

Here in Charlotte, the different dance scenes are pretty inter-mixed.  You will see alot of the same people at Swing dancing that you might see at Salsa, or Tango, or Blues, or Contra.  Yes, I spelled that correctly.  Contra dancing is similar to what you might see watching a "Jane Austin" movie where you have a partner, the moves are called out by a caller,  you dance in rows, and you move in circles of four, etc.  But with Contra it is generally done to old school bluegrass music.  I had been hearing about this ever since I moved to Charlotte, but wasnt so sure about it.  Last night I finally went and had a absolute blast!   Cant wait to go back.
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Im so glad I got over my pride and starting dancing.  I feel like a whole new world was opened up.