"I Could Have Danced All Night" (MY FAIR LADY)

Well, on Monday night I did something else that I love to do--take dance class. I've always loved to dance at large gatherings like weddings and parties. It's a hidden hobby until this year. I used to be scared to dance in public, I cared too much about what other people thought that I inhibited myself. I could only blame myself for that. I retreated into my own world known as my room to try and learn dance steps where I felt free. The beat and rhythm moved the body, the body becoming an expressive form, uniquely your own. Over the years, I grew to be comfortable with dancing in public, no matter how weird I looked but still never fully realizing the true release. As a heavy person, I knew I would never be considered a dancer but I finally stopped saying that to myself and started taking dance classes back in January. Here is excerpts of my experience from that first night:
"OH MY GOSH!!!!! I have rekindled an old love just in a new form--hip-hop dance. Okay I've never had extensive dance training, just a few classes here and there in jazz and ballet. And those were really minor including a little incident with splitting pants. Don't ask, well let me just say that doing a ballet position and bending doesn't go well with me in pants. And, of course, dancing in clubs here in the city is so crowded, people totally up in my business.
But tonight, after knocking the idea around for months and a lot of ribbing from my co-worker Dennis, an experienced hip-hop dancer/instructor, I finally took a hip-hop dance class at Broadway Dance Center. Let me tell you how much fun I had. I took the basics class, and we started off with what I thought would be a nice, slow warm-up. I mean it's been years since I've taken a dance class and I didn't remember it being like that. What it was--was a lot of pushing that my body hadn't felt in a long time. And I'm sure I will feel it tomorrow, all the muscles in my body will ache.
Then we started learning steps and to feel that structure and teaching of choreography is something I so love, embracing the steps as they move your body, each a personal expression of yourself. To feel that emotion, sense of releasing and freeing of yourself in dance is exhilarating. I sweated more in that class than in any game of volleyball. I may not remember all the steps, but in those movements when the music's beats pound in the air, my muscles lead my body and I went on an amazing ride. I forgot how releasing it felt to just dance. I've always loved to dance but nothing was ever structured about it, no training or anything. I was trying to follow their steps as they did it being the perfection I am. But in hip-hop it is not simply about the steps but it's also about the attitude. And you all know I have plenty of that. I'm already thinking about when to go again. But the love has returned that has been gone far too long."

These last few months in dance classes have been amazing. I might not always get the steps right but at least I'm trying. I also love the saying that one of the instructors says that I have to keep reminding myself--"love yourself when you're learning." I forget that too many times. I also got to experience my first dance convention. One of our programs at Broadway Cares is Dancers Responding to AIDS. They were having a benefit at Broadway Dance Center's Summer Fest where kids from around the country come and take dance classes with professionals in all disciplines. That was an eye-opener because it is a world of types--the prima donna dancer, the pushy parent, the kid pushing around their parent, the naive dancer, and the ones who will not make it past their teens in dance. I'll be helping out more at these conventions to experience more of the dance world.