BEYOND IMAGININGS

Some 20 years or so ago, during a rough spot in life, I discovered smooth jazz – and a brand new station began broadcasting this music genre in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The music hit my soul and moved its way into my heart.  Every musical instrument imaginable played the tunes; every known country contributed to the genre’s artistry; and wherever I went, I acquainted myself with this new and wonderful discovery.

(Turn up your speakers and find your mood lifted by the music of Yanni and his symphony orchestra performing in simulcast concerts at China's Forbidden City and India's Taj Mahal.)

 And through the music I also learned to enjoy more of what other genres had to offer.  But I always came back to the same daydreams of being behind the sax, acoustic or bass guitar, or the keyboard.

Then, a number of years later, something hit a mid-life nerve and I acted on the need to do something different.  The urge to get me off my duff was very strong.  So much of human dissatisfaction is not responding to these urges.  This urge I fully took to heart.

Due to my local community center's class offerings in basic ballroom dance, I found myself on the dance floor – absolutely terrified, but resolute.  How many times in my younger years had I found myself on a dance floor, after much coaxing, not at all sure what to do - so very self-conscious, wishing to have remained a wall-flower, but deeply hoping that my feet would work.  Yet, they never really did.  And I found myself under these same circumstances at the majority of dances I attended throughout my young life - always wishing to be like Julia Stiles in "Save the Last Dance".

On the first night, it was heartening to realize that all of my classmates were in the same boat as I was - possessing two left feet.  The steps were difficult at first.  Our teacher brought in a local dance-class instructor one night, and as his instruction was more detailed and broke down the steps into smaller portions, we got our first taste of technique.  Doing the moves in rote mode, repetitively, committed the moves to memory.  But if you truly enjoy dancing, becoming aware of the correct way to dance is essential.

At one point, one of the teaching assistants needed a partner to practice with one afternoon a week, and I had the free time on that afternoon.  I then embarked on a creative self-expression that will never cease to excite me.  I learned some basic international dance steps in the waltz and the Argentine tango - but what I learned even more significantly were some advanced techniques.

When done properly, the connection between partners in ballroom dance is at times just ever so light a touch between fingers - to a firm grasp at the waist or shoulder, with both leaning in such a way that it would seem they would topple over.  Toes pointed, heads turned away and leaning, hands and arms outstretched...

Dance isn't just moving the feet in the right order.  It is moving every part of the body to produce both flowing and exact movement.  It is not essential to do either to enjoy ballroom dancing.  But those who compete find it a must.  Those who simply want to socialize in dance, to be able to just be out on the dance floor and know what comes next.... like me!...  well, that is such progress for a wallflower!

Dancing, like so many art forms and methods of self-expression, allows the mind and body to do what they were meant to do - move in harmony with their surroundings.

And within this flowing and harmonious art form, what is it that moves us, and that makes us move….

The beat; the harmony; the emotions…        Music!

First the music…

Then the dance…

Now on to the creation…

My mid-life crisis hasn’t ended yet.  Even at 53, I asked Santa for something under the Christmas tree.  It now sits out in the open, inviting me daily to learn something new.

I’m finally defying a music teacher oh so many eons ago, who said I’d never learn to read a note.  A longstanding childhood dream and a mid-life daydream have come true.

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I’ve found myself behind the ebony and ivory keys of an electronic keyboard!