So I Thought I Could Dance

I went to "So You Think You Can Dance" (an early Christmas gift from Second Son). And all I can say is "WOW!" I know they can dance.

As I putter around with my dance lessons, a few things start to stick after a while. But all in all, it is ballroom dancing. For the most part, I am following the leader. Maybe a lot is familiar to me because I have repetitively done something ... but I am following. I don't think I can dance.

I watched the fast feet, the amazing choreography, the way these young dancers put their heart and souls into their dancing and I marvelled at it all.

The evening started with a perfectly choreographed group formation dance. Having been part of a formation dance group myself and knowing the vision that our instructor has for us when we are learning our parts, I had an appreciation for the dance.

There are so many elements that I heard our instructor tell us he was aiming for ... confusion, then order ... breaking off into parts where half the group do one thing, the other half do another, then BAM! Everyone is in sync again. Individuality among the group. Technique! technique! technique! You think when you are part of a group of 10 people, that no one would notice. I sure noticed last night.

One person didn't stand out from the group because they were all powerful dancers. You noticed what was meant to be noticed. The artistry of the choreography - the dance as a whole. It was poetry in motion, to the beat of the music as this group danced as one. Amazing.

Then they coupled off and kept entertaining us. A nonstop flow of dancing. I was familiar with some of the dances, some were new and kind of funky to me (but still entertaining to watch) ... all of it was amazing. I wished that I had a score card along with me to see how many times each one of them danced. Sure the dances were brief, but you should have seen their feet move! There was an incredible amount of footwork and dance moves to be memorized. Oh, the elasticity of those young minds! Minds that most likely have been geared towards dance since they were young children. Minds that aren't consumed with squeezing in time for dance in between work, kids, budgeting, errands and all of life's other obligations. Minds that are focused on the task at hand. Dancing.

As I watched each one of the solo routines, I couldn't help but think of the hours that I used to spend in my bedroom in my pre-teen years. Dancing. This was almost 40 years ago. I turned on my music - loud. And I danced. I choreographed many solo routines and I put my heart and soul into them. I dreamed of a day when I would be 'famous' and dance in front of an audience (okay, okay ... in my young, childish mind I was also part of a duo like Sonny and Cher). But I was a star in my mind. I was doing what hadn't been done before. I was dancing my solo routine in front of millions.

I couldn't help but think back on those childhood dreams and think that in some small way, I have accomplished a part of that dream. I dance. I would love to have a life style that afforded the opportunity to lose myself in the world of dance. I watched those athletic young dancers on the stage last night and thought of other types of dance lessons that I would love to take. Then ... I thought of the reality of how I stumble through the elementary dance patterns that I am learning right now. And I thought: are you crazy? But then I thought "No" ... I have the desire to stretch my abilities beyond where they are right now. I may not have the time or money to pursue everything that I wish that I could. But I can most definitely make the most out of what I already have.

Yes ... I thought I could dance. But ... I know I could learn to dance better.