Almost by accident we noticed an ad for a ballroom dance class at the local community centre. We used to take dance lessons at the U of C. They were good, we met lots of neat people, including a couple of people we are still buddies with today. Hint, look for The Mama Runs on my blog roll, even though she hasn't updated it for a while.
For a while it worked out well. I worked downtown, Linda just south of downtown with free parking. I'd walk across to the parking lot by the curling club where she'd pick me up. We'd have an amazing dinner, usually at the Lazy Loaf and Kettle, then head up to the University, or the Varsity Community Centre, or the Euro-Canadian club, where ever our lessons were. Then home after.
Then I got a job way NE Calgary, up north of Deerfoot mall. It was usually 40 minutes home. Then 40 minutes at least back up to the U of C. Then home again. And because we were teaching assistants, it was 3 nights a week, plus dances every month or so. The commute killed it for us.
We took a bit of Argentine Tango about 5 years ago at the Southland Leisure Centre, but I've since forgotten it all. I was a bit worried about tonight, but it turns out it's coming back fairly quickly. Once I see a pattern I knew, I'm usually good to go. So that was an hour tonight, brisk enough to work up a bit of a sweat.
That was on top of 30 minutes swimming this morning, regular stuff, stroke coming back to me. After that I water ran for maybe 10 minutes with my buddy Katie, and got caught up.
28 words, please and thank you readers! I hadn't thought it would be difficult. I know some of you are reading, I can see the nose prints on my blog afterward. I can hear you breathing, and sometimes giggling to yourselves. Lots of words to go and just over a week to do it.
I love dancing, Keith - The Husband, not so much, so taking dance lessons is out of the question. One day I hope to get up the nerve to go take tap classes - always wanted to tap.
ReplyDeleteWords? I keep reading you want words, and am intrigued. Do you want us to just drop a random word here? If so: dance. Want two, since I've been here reading but not commenting: rhythmic. Yep, intrigued!!
Two more words, thanks so much! We see that all the time, more women want to dance than men. I keep telling my single male non-gay friends it's a great way to meet women. However, you have to know that learning to dance is much, much harder for men than women. Yes they have to do it backwards and in high heels. The heels are optional, and backwards is a mindset.
DeletePicture some poor guy deciding to learn. He has to touch this woman in front of him that he might have never met before, in a very specific way, using muscles he doesn't know he has. At first someone will tell him what the dance is, and when to start, but later he has to hear it for himself. He has to start on beat, hold his frame (so the woman knows what to do) go through the basic steps while planning the next pattern, knowing when to lead it, and how, (not forgetting to clear the 'do!) doing his part through it, which might be quite different than what the woman is doing, getting out of the pattern, which is sometimes harder than getting in, while navigating around the dance floor and not running the woman into other people or obstacles. Oh, and carrying on a conversation while doing all that. No wonder the guys are all sweaty and nervous.
Sorry I've been lax in commenting. Have done a fair bit of skimming instead of reading too so I'm not even sure what the "word" thing is. Know that I am thinking of you and hoping this finds you well. I love dancing - though am happy to do it partnerless (line dancing) in a pinch. I dance better with other men, than with husband, but he is secure enough not to care. That said, it's been years.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment, the only thing I need is 28 words. So far I have 6. What am I going to do with them? It's a surprise.
DeleteOk, ok - I'll update my blog finally! It's just so much easier to record your workouts in dailymile tho....
ReplyDelete