Initial thoughts on dancing

This past Friday I had the last of my "introductory special" dance lessons. This was basically a very cheap package of four private lessons, a group lesson, and admittance to a weekly dance party that offers just enough to entice you into shelling out the big bucks for further instruction. I now know the fundamentals of the waltz, foxtrot, tango, rumba, cha-cha, salsa, west coast swing, east coast swing, nightclub two-step, and the lindy hop. That might sound impressive, but it really isn't once you realize each dance has essentially the same basic steps with different timings.

The hardest part for me so far is figuring out which dance my partner is doing without staring at his feet. Well, that and not bouncing. I've practiced walking with a pretend book balanced on my head, but once I start listening to the music my dance partners must continually remind me not to bounce up and down with each step. And in most dances, you're not supposed to pick your feet up off the floor, but gracefully glide. (Yet another reason dance shoes help!)

I recently added up that since my first lesson a week ago, I have danced for 9 hours, give or take 15 minutes. Much more fun than a stationary bike! :-)