On a forum I visited recently I came across these questions:
- What got you into swing dancing?
- Why are you still swinging?
Back in the days of high school and church dances I was one of the best dancers ever. People would acknowledge my dancing abilities by pointing fingers at me and laughing hysterically. My friends would show their amazement by pretending they didn’t know me. That was on fast songs anyway. To the slow, more romantic songs like the timeless Lady in Red I was only as good as most everyone else. In other words, I’d put my hands around the girls waist and spin circles like a mad man. That is, if I could get a girl to dance with me after my performance on the fast songs. Since I was such a good dancer they were obviously too nervous to dance with me and would run when they saw me coming. After Lady in Red was over the DJ might put on something like Boot Skootin’ Boogy, which I dislike strongly and continue to loathe to this day. Don’t worry, people that like that song can still be my friends. As long as they don’t try to make me dance to it. I’ll admit I tried to follow the crazy line dance a few times. I like to think of those moments as being “under the influence”. Under the influence of some pretty girl, that is. Then, the DJ became my friend again. He’d play another groovy fast song to which I could act like I was having convulsions. Then it would happen, a swing song! Of course, since all the girls knew I was such a good dancer they would all flock towards me hoping to get my hand. I would run. You can’t dance with 300 girls at the same time so I opted not dance at all. INTERPRETATION: It was time to get a drink of water and stand around and feel stupid. I couldn’t swing dance to save my life. I was jealous. I wanted to learn. Did I ever make an effort? Nope. Some friends and one of my sisters tried to get me to learn. I made some half-hearted attempts, but nothing serious (like the term “half-hearted” suggests). Yeah, I know. It doesn’t make much sense. I wanted to learn, but didn’t even try.
In February of this year (2004) I met an awesome girl. She had started swing dancing only a few months earlier. Her and her friend started teaching my friend and I. I loved it. I got addicted. I’m still dancing because I love it! If I don’t go at least twice a week I feel empty inside. :)
I think all I needed the whole time was a little motivation (a beautiful girl willing to help and teach me several times a week, not sporadically). And in case you’re wondering, if the girl left me now I’d still dance. I don’t dance for her. I dance because of her.
The end.