Second to last dance class last night. We missed last week to go to Shannon’s company Fourth of July fireworks-watching party.
I’m amazed at how far we’ve come in just five weeks! While we were waiting for everyone to arrive, she played music for us to practice to. We must be doing pretty good, at least with the foxtrot, rumba, and waltz. She didn’t make too many comments about anyone’s technique. We spent a big portion of the class adding steps to our single count swing, then we struggled to add a crossover step and a spin to the chacha. I’m not cut out for the chacha, I’m afraid. The class we missed last week was the tango, but she gave everyone a quick review. Then we gave it a try.
Ok, here’s the dirty truth. It’s a fantastic dance to watch. Haven’t we all seen Al Pacino sweep Gabrielle Anwar around that parquet floor, telling her if she gets tangled up to just tango on and wished that were us? Here’s what I learned last night. If it feels good while you are dancing it (ladies, I mean) you are doing it wrong. It’s awkward. It’s unnatural. I cannot imagine doing it in real heeled dance shoes and a long skirt. THIS is the dance that gets your toes stepped on. I’m determined to get it right, but I’m no longer as dreamily enamored of it as I was. I do enjoy the swing though. I think after this, we’ll take one more survey class to get some more practice in on all of the dances…to learn some turns and move beyond just the basic step-step-side-together part so that we wouldn’t be lost on a dance floor, but then, I think I’d like to get really good at East Coast Swing. Funny, that’s the one I was the most nervous about learning!
I love that you are learning to dance! my hub has wanted to do that for a while. I’ve been too much of a wuss, since I don’t do fancy shoes or anything… but it sounds really fun.
I usually wear these to class. Shannon wore lug-soled Doc Martins last night! There’s one woman who dances in her socks, and most of the rest of the women wear sandals or ballet flats.
I think if you go to a studio and take lessons, they are geared towards pushing everyone into competition. Kind of like how kid’s martial arts classes are all about training them for matches. For those, they are probably sticklers about everyone wearing DANCE shoes (which ain’t cheap). But this is community college continuing education. They’re just happy we pay and show up. None of us will ever go into competitive dancing and I’d rather know how to dance in the shoes I’m most likely to be wearing when I’m out somewhere TO dance!
If I post a video of Shannon and me dancing will you give serious consideration to taking a class? Look at me! I’ve turned into a ballroom dance pusher! It’s just so much fun!!!
You should sign up for a class! It’s good exercise for the butt, hips, thighs, and even the abs!!
How fun!!
We have friends who are very good at tango. And they make it look comfortable. I should ask her whether it actually is or if she just makes it look that way. Truth is, it would totally be like her to be terribly uncomfortable and never mention it.
Glad you are having fun. And those shoes are really something.
I love that–if it feels good, you’re doing it wrong
Video? Video!
And those shoes are freaking ADORABLE!