"Dance! Dance! Dance! Everybody dance!"

i have never felt so completely uncoordinated in my LIFE. after 10ish years of west african dancing, the movements for modern dance are as comfortable to me as a conversation in sanskrit.
i was talking to myself the whole time.
telling myself how awkward i felt, how hairy and sweaty my pits were (yes i said it), and how confused and unrhythmic i must have looked.

well... the person teaching the class is like... nationally famous here. and has gone abroad and studied all kinds of forms. she runs a variety of classes for a living. i imagine this is what lesley will be like in several decades (hopefully minus the arthritis).

i decided i could either punk out and spend another year sitting at home complaining OR i could suck it up and take up the challenge of learning a different style of dance.

i felt good, frustrated and very sweaty all over after 1.5 hours of jumping around on my toes in "first" "fourth" and "fifth position", "Plie-ing" and "demonstrating" and "brushing" ...whatever the hell those all mean.

i'm going to get it. I'M GOING TO BE LESS AWKWARD!

i think the last time i felt like such a walking mess was when i was a gangly 13 year old with crazy hair and funky fashion.

i think, though, that i'll make the effort to do both this class and join a folk group. i had the option of joining them last weekend, but they're rehearsing a play for a national competition to come up in 2 weeks. that's too much pressure for me - seeing as i haven't practised anything regularly for over a year.

BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSTED...

plus, they were halfway through choreographing and memorising the skit. i know if I was part of the group, i'd be like "who the hell is this girl anyway?" plus, given that they have to pause dancing to tighten up the speaking parts, i know i'd be pissed that so much time was passing by without doing something. i could see myself sitting in the back of the hall with marking on my sweaty lap.

mmmm

dust + sweat = the new GAP fragrance

you heard it hear folks!

in other news, i really enjoy my job. teaching is good times =)