October 1 – “1, 2, 3 …”

Well, how about this one?  Chris and I are taking dance classes.  Who would have thought that there is a different way to dance than the way we used to do it back in the 60’s and 70’s.  Ah, nostalgia.  Fast songs back then meant one of two things 

1) Get out on the floor and move wherever your body took you, often as fast as you could, to keep up with every note of the beat.  And if you remember some of those beats, that meant moving awfully fast. 

2) Forget the actual beat, keep your feet pretty much in one place, and occasionally move your arms or sway from side to side. 

And slow dances meant hugging your partner.  That’s pretty much it.  Hug as tightly as possible.  Well, I guess it was OK to move occasionally, maybe a little bit of a sway here and there.  It was three or four minutes of what teenage boys lived for, as I recall.

I have watched the so-called evolution of dance through my kids as they grew up.  Kel was pretty much a number two style dancer, except he could definitely stay on beat.  Pretty good musical ear on that one.  Josh never did dance much until he got to college.  That’s when he and Christi got caught up in a cultish little swing dance group that performed for audiences and won awards at Houston Baptist University.  Not a sight you would have seen when we were students there, but amazing nonetheless.  Nathan appears to have reverted back to a solid number two, barely moving anything but his arms (at least that’s what Cailyn tells us).  Now April, on the other hand, is a master at all the specific move type line dances that I have a terrible time learning. 

So with that kind of a reverse legacy to live up to, Chris and I signed up for a dance class through the senior adult education wing of UTMB.  I had no idea what I was in for, but I have never been one to turn down a chance to do something new and exciting.  What strange gyrations would they show us?  Couldn’t be too bad since you have to be at least 50 to get in on these classes.  Line dances like April?  Swing dancing like Josh and Christi? Or do your own thing, 60’s style like Kel and Nathan and, well, me?

To my surprise and consternation (not in a bad way.  Just meant I had to actually pay attention), our instructors assured us that we were going to do fine.  And we started with … the rumba.  Yep, the swing your hips, mysterious dance of the movies.  The 1940’s movies.  1-2-3 pause, 4-5-6 pause, start again pause, girl under arm pause, wagon wheel turn pause, swing those hips, pause.  Whew.  What’s next?  Oh, so glad you asked.  How about a little 1950’s swing?  You know, Happy Days from TV.  One, two, three-o’clock, four o’clock, rock.  Five, six, seven o’clock, eight o’clock rock, we’re gonna rock around the clock tonight …  Got it.  Well, the footwork anyway.  We’re still working on the swing and twist parts.  And there is one more thus far … the waltz.  Ah, now that’s more like it.  Way more what I expected.  And to my surprise, I found out that whenever I do dance, like at weddings, I actually do the waltz.  Well, my version of it.  Slavish addiction to footwork has never been my strong suit.  1,2,3, 4,5,6, promenade around the room, junior promenade.  Back to 1,2,3.  Over and over again.  Much easier than the other two.  Hey, we’re gonna get this.  As long as Chris learns my steps and can help me remember what comes next.  Watch out Cailyn.  I will be ready to dance at your wedding.  And Noa … who knows what strange moves DadDad will have at yours.

Hebrews 2:18 says, “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

Father, thank you for this really fun way to exercise and hang out with a really beautiful gal at the same time.  Amen.