Life is a Dance

Sunday practice, the studio was closed so we just called it off.  We're under orders to take it easy this week anyway. W 216.5

I worked with Samantha on swing basics for an hour, then Jacqueline arrived and we practiced various items for two hours.  We got some basic swing moves down. Most of that time we had the room to ourselves and we had several breakthroughs.  My rumba walks are improving and my foot movements are looking more like latin prowling rather than a leaden golem clomping around. Jacqueline has been practicing her rumba walks for many weeks now and her movements are very elegant and curved. We do our original routines without thinking too much about it-- muscle memory.  Doing them under the pressure of public performance makes them cement harder in the mind. The last hour was... harmonious.  A timeless space.  Movement as art.  Beginner's mind. W 218.2

We took it easy with only two lessons this week, each an hour long (Tuesday and Thursday).  Getting started on Swing and dropping waltz.  It's that stage where I just don't get it. Have you ever pointed at something for a dog?  And the dog just looks at your finger because he can't make the connection?  That's how I feel when Samantha is teaching me something new.  I just can't wrap my head around it.  That's why Samantha is such a great teacher.  She works around things with exercises for the intractably lame individual (such as myself).  For a while she had her fore-arms on my shoulders and just sort of scooted me around like a chair. W 218.4

Not even slightly nervous. My predominant feeling is one of accomplishment.  I set out to learn dance as my self-improvement goal this year and I'm nailing it.  In eight weeks I went from knowing nothing to participating in a local tournament, losing fifteen pounds and adding tone and muscle up top.  I explored a new world. And not done yet.  It's on to Vegas in six weeks. Samantha (instructor, left) and Jacqueline (partner, right) Jacqueline and I arrived together at 9am.  My nine-year-old daughter Willow came along.  The place was crowded with a line almost out the door.  There were a lot of last minute entries, which is great news for the studio, but put everything an hour behind schedule.  All told perhaps eighty souls in the building, all done up in outfits and practicing here and there. Jacqueline had her make-up already done and I could see the stress lines of concern behind her eyes.  It is important to her to do well, a...

I went and got the elements for my waltz outfit-- black pants (which I got a little tighter so it would show off my sweet sweet man-ass), black shirt (could also be white), and a black vest.  I was helped by an old tailor names Roberto who whisked me around the shop to find just the right items. I had to go back for suspenders. One last two hour practice: going over entrance and exit from the dance floor, arm movements and so forth.  The owner of the studio, an energetic man with a thick accent (Martin) was setting up all the decorations.  Martin is a fine host and is a powerhouse of accomplishment behind the scenes.  Jacqueline is a bundle of nerves, but smiling with excitement.  Our routines are becoming second nature, but still could use a lot of polishing.  I routinely forget elements, but we are doing last minute practice on just powering through.

Working on the walk-on and walk-off today, and polishing all three dances.  Nuances like head positioning, arm posture, and when to smile.  Two hours. On the waltz, I am looking at the wrong place, there are angles for the head and also for the eyes. This is Samantha-- a graceful Irish-german amazon Samantha dressed up in both waltz and latin dresses, a bit of a dress rehearsal and she looked out of this world, but refused pictures until she's done up for Saturday, so sorry faithful readers (all one of you-- who actually is Samantha).  Same for Jacqueline, that blue dress is pretty insanely awesome.  You will see all of them in coming days.  At first, I was like "hey, what's the problem guys?" then I remembered that I have also not published the pics of me in my latin dance shirt. This whole world is really amazing.  I like it here. Oh, and I got paid a high compliment by the owner of the studio.  It's not enough for me to do it OK, I want...

Only five days to the local competition, the Utah Star Ball. The second of Jacqueline's two dresses showed up today.  She looked fantastic of course, and we took a turn at the Rumba in it.  Tonight I went on the hunt in local shops for the various elements of my outfits and found everything I needed, so that's a relief. The hardest thing about our waltz training today was just plain keeping my arms up, holding my arms up for a half hour, locked in position.  I am getting stronger-- my stamina for it is increasing.  After two hours of practice I used to be exhausted, now I feel only wilted, doing those repetitions again and again.  I need to continue on, push on and get yet stronger. We are learning to smile, have a "dance persona" and keep track of arm movements.  I still look and feel like a leaden golem. I'm stalled out at 218 lbs. Jacqueline is anxious about the event, but has her chin up as we polish up the details. I feel confident.  ...

Arriving at the studio, I found two young persons already dancing.  I couldn't tell what they were doing, but they were obviously very experienced.  James and Molly were ever so friendly.  Molly was from out of town (Denver?). I got my practice shoes on and presently Jacqueline showed up with waters and power bars.  We are able to confidently get through our three routines now (waltz, rumba and cha cha).  Rumba, which was baffling when we began, now seems slow and easy.  On Samantha's recommendation we are rotating through the three dances. Normally, Jacqueline counts the timing (2, 3, cha cha cha 2, 3 for example) and I announce the maneuvers (open break, crossbody lead etc.).  Today we tried doing it just from memory and with no count.  It was eerie to go through it in silence like that, but we found that we relied more on motion indicators, like good leading and hand pressure and that we would correct for each other if one was off pace.t ...

One week until the local competition. Hello, Samantha-- you're doing a good job.  And also the only one reading this blog. Dance Training is two hours long, and with many repetitions I'm usually wiped out and ravenously hungry by the end.  Samantha and I worked out the entire Waltz routine.  At first, I thought with the other two dances we couldn't possibly work in a third dance, but now I'm starting to warm to it.  I had real trouble with the waltz, I couldn't wrap my head around it.  Sometimes I feel like a dog that looks at the pointing figure instead of what you're pointing at. Samantha is explaining it, and showing me, but I can't remember the angles.  But like everything it just takes practice.  Now, I think Waltz is the easiest one and I think we'll nail it down. There is a scuff mark on the dance floor where Samantha starts us out each time.  I took a picture of it so I would remember this detail forever.  Samantha wants you to ...

Got my Latin shirt lined up.  Still need pants.  And a whole smooth outfit (that's like a suit coat, tie, and black-collared shirt).  I still need to drop like ten pounds, that Latin shirt is pretty unforgiving to the "dad bod".

Fresh back from the mountains of Timber Lakes I had a two hour dance training.  From one day to the next I seemed to have forgotten part of my routine.  Jacqueline showed up right on time as usual.  She was wearing a yellow scarf that her beau picked up in France. Got a new pair of practice shoes. Got to break them in with 5000 repetitions. We finished up and practiced the cha cha routine.  Samantha gave me a taste of what it looked like at full speed, and I could barely keep up.  No matter, I am determined to learn it all to the best level. At the end we spent some time on the Waltz, just learning the complete basics from the beginning.  I am completely lost.  This dance has all sorts of odd angles.  But as always I'm ready to get it down.  Twelve days until the local competition and I still don't have outfit, and no prospects.    repeat from here (the top) Basic Crossover Breaks Crossbody Lead Basic Sepa...

I drove to Utah valley today to visit a local dance apparel shop.  It's in a home dance studio (basement).  While there was a reasonable selection, nothing in a size larger than Medium for men.  They were comically small on me.  With the October 20th event looming, getting a good costume is a pressing challenge. Also, I'm three pounds up from Valhalla.

Three weeks until the Utah competition. I am up at Valhalla (Timber Lakes).  I have a private room with a balcony that overlooks the valley, dappled with the colors of autumn.  First, a full round of weights (18-18): Bentover Rows Overhead Presses Bicep Curls Goblet Squats with extensions (I call them "Holy Grails") Tricep Extensions Hammers (my favorite, the sexiest of the curls) Farmer's Carry Lunges Reclining Flies Crush Presses Reclining Presses Then an hour of swimming, various strokes as well as doing the whole routine in shallow water. I ate six twinkies in rapid succession.  One of the most spiritual experiences of my life. I drove down in light rain to Salt Lake to make dance training, 4-6pm.  Samantha and I completed the cha cha routine: Basic Butterfly Walkaround turns Triple Cha Lady's Underarm turn and back to the top As usual I am completely lost when learning the new routine.  Time for hundreds of repetitions! Jacqu...