Shall We Dance?

I like dancing, and I enjoy dancing. It's one of my favorite things. Then why after all these years I’m still in level one? There’s a good explanation. Learning all the dance steps and flowing grace requires time, and a compatible dancing partner is too hard to find. These make it more difficult for a woman like me who has a busy job and a family to attend to. Every time after a few lessons, I was forced to stop because of other obligations.

Why dance intrigues me? I love music, I love beautiful songs. When beautiful music is on, my heart and my body fly, they want to feel the rhythm. When I dance, my heart sings and I’m happy. Worries or pressure seem so far away. That’s why Whenever I saw people dance beautifully and gracefully, my heart is intrigued and my legs want to prance or shiver with excitement.

Can you imagine that I was awkward at dancing especially with ballet when I was small? My mom sent my sister and me to a dance class even though we could only live from hand to mouth. I don’t know if it was because my muscles developed slowly or because my sister was an excellent dancer that I felt frustrated compared with her. I disappointed my mom and quit the lessons.

Many years later after I entered the college, I found it was easy for me to pick up steps that students danced at that time. Dancing soothed me and helped me liberate myself. Yet I stopped going to parties later because I didn’t like the atmosphere very much and also because I met my boy friend who had two left legs.

Numerous years passed. Just when I was about to give up the hope of dancing, I met my lady friends who also like to dance. We motivate each other to explore the dance world. With Sherry and Linda’s coaching I even tried Japanese dance, the dance that I never even dreamed of doing. Among all of us Lydia is the best ball room dancer. Irene focuses on line- dance. Now it becomes routine for her to show us some new steps whenever we get together. Pamela arranged a few Jitterbug classes for us to learn from her husband. After all these pleasant experiences, I found it almost impossible for me to give up dancing.

But what about all the obstacles? In order to have more options, I began to practice the male part of leading the dance. Everybody says dancing lead is much more difficult than female part and I have to learn all over again. That is not entire true and I believe I can handle it. By dancing the male part, I can always find a partner because male dancers are welcome everywhere. After a few months practice I finally made a difference. At the housewarming party I, as the male dancer, tried my awkward steps with my lady friends.

Surprisingly my lady friends put up with me nicely, they even enjoyed my lead.
It built up my confidence. I shall keep pursuing my dancing dream. I take Lydia my role model. One day I can proudly say “Shall we dance? Or “May I have the next dance?”

Trini