Back in Montreal

A few days ago, I finally gathered up all of my memories of My Great Dance Adventure and put them all away. I had been home just over a week and I thought the time had come, to put the little pile of mementos away in my special memory box.

I tidied up the table tops and thought wistfully about the anticipation, the hype, the excitement, the wind-up, the reality, the wind-down of this whole experience. I believe that it was about the middle of December that this dream started becoming very real to me. February is almost drawing to a close. I have spent the better part of the past three months anticipating, living and reflecting on a dream. It has been heavenly.

I feel changed inside. Just because the mementos of the experience aren't in full view, it doesn't change a thing. There is this little piece of happy inside of me. I'm sure that I will be able to pull out this experience and relive it for decades to come. It's the magic of a first experience with a sprinkle of dancing and seasoned with a most wonderful group of people. Ahhh ...

I was ever so slowly drifting back into my regularly scheduled life. I'm winding up another course at school. I've been working at my book keeping regularly once again. I started cooking meals (finally). Real life was taking precedence in my thoughts.

Then ... I got yesterday's mail!

I saw a large envelope sticking out of the mailbox as I drove up the driveway. I thought "This is it! This could be my DVD of the dances that I danced in Montreal."

And it was.

I was so excited. Not only because I received this DVD ... but because a cheque spilled out of the envelope right along with it. A cheque that would cover half of the expense of getting my hair back to a shade that is a little less shocking. A cheque that I received because they didn't capture three of the dances that I had paid for (I was relieved that choice was taken out of my hands - I had no idea how to pick and choose which dances to tape, so I just chose all of them).

I watched that DVD over and over again. I was back in Montreal! I was reliving the moment. I would catch a glimpse of a look or an interaction between my dance instructor and myself and I'd remember a moment that I may have otherwise forgotten.

I picked myself apart. The very first thing I noticed was that my skimpy rhythm costume rode up much higher than I thought. I just wanted reach right through the screen and yank it down - no respectable 'person of my age' should be wearing such a short skirt!

Then I started watching my feet ... my arms ... my dance position ... and all of the many things we had worked on. I thought to myself "I don't think I learned a thing! It looks like I'm out there social dancing." It didn't look like I was performing in front of judges (my scores reflected that). But ... I was having fun.

Then ... the moment of truth. I noticed my hair.

The Man Who Knows All (the owner of the dance studio) was right. My hair looked (I'm only saying this because I had nothing to do with it) great!

The brilliant orange highlights were simply that - highlights. From the distance of the camera (and the judges), these highlights did as they were intended to do. They made my hair noticeable - but not gaudy. The cut? I have fought with this hair and cursed it every time I've washed it since this new style. It takes an extraordinary amount of time and energy to tame it down and this hair just makes me angry. But ... it looked perfect (again - this had nothing to do with me so I can be honest about what I think). The Man Who Knows All still holds that honor in my mind. He knew what he was talking about. I'm glad that I trusted him.

I spent last night 'in Montreal' and it was a very good visit. After I turned off the DVD, I turned on the theme song that I correlate with this whole event (I Gotta Feeling). I played it loud. I sang. I danced a little. I let the music into my soul. I felt everything wonderful ... all over again (and over and over and over, as I replayed this song enough times to drive the other members of my house insane).

It's nice when a little piece of wonderful is rekindled. I have no doubt that these memories will remain my the 'Top 10' for a very, very long time.

If ever my life flashes before me ... what will I see? My kids ... my family ... my friends ... and dancing.