Dance of Joy

On the Jukebox: "Last Dance" by Donna Summer
Quote: "I have a message for you from the future!" ~ Dexter's Laboratory
Flair: Fuzzums?

"Dance like no body's watching...." Ha! Not likely. That's how poor suckers like the Star Wars Kid end up on You Tube. I really enjoy dancing, but there is no way that I'm ever going to exhibit my lack of talent in public (again.) I have photographic proof that I'll never be the prima ballerina I thought I was. In every picture from my first recital I'm doing my own thing while all the other girls are in unison.

This has become a metaphor for my entire life. I dance to the beat of my percussion section. I'll always be slightly out of step with what is popular. My tempo is too fast for some and more often too slow for most. I like to do things my own way even if it's not the most aesthetically pleasing alternative.

I took ballet from the time I was five until about a year after I got married. That's a total of 16 years of practicing an art form that I never excelled at. Why did I do it? 1) I really wanted a tiara and a tutu 2) I wanted to be graceful 3) I was developing an appreciation for those who possessed this talent and made it seem effortless.

I quit tap dancing after a couple of years. My dad would jokingly say he'd seen better steps on a ladder. I was born without rhythm but that's okay. I got an abundance of wit and words to make up for it. Yet, I continued to dance all of my youth. Again the obvious question was why? The answer was just as obvious: It made me happy. To move my body and express pent up emotions to a syncopated rhythm made sense to me. I still do it but only when I'm sure no one is watching besides me cats, who are thoroughly entertained.

Did you ever see the movie "Hitch"? Hapless and hopeless romantic Albert is my definitely my kind of dance partner. He exhibits his best moves for Hitch. "Do the Q-tip! Q-tip! Now throw it away! Now what am I doing? I'm makin' a pizza!" I laughed myself silly because I have goofy names for my dance moves too. They go something like this, "Burp the baby, dig a grave, watch it buddy - I'm gliding here, mix cake batter, sexy seductress, do the washing machine, disco duck, stomp out that fire, super model strut, walk like an Egyptian, karate cat, groovy grapevine - now gossip!, robot hoe down, Sailor Moon, beehive bop, dying swan, ants in my pants, drunken Ginger, and always end with the perfect cheer!" Who doesn't want to see that???