I danced for ten years: ballet, tap, jazz … you name it, I did it. So I can count music, and I pick up steps quickly. I’m also inherently a coordinator, a motivator, and sometimes an over achiever. This combination makes me a natural leader on the dance floor. Enter: the issue.
By no means am I insinuating that my fiancé has no rhythm. In fact, he took a semester of ballroom dancing in college, and he and his buddies even learned the Napoleon Dynamite dance and performed it at a wedding reception. But we agreed we could both use some polishing before our big day.
My lovely parents must think so, too, because they gave us money for Christmas to put towards dance lessons.
Now, finding a conveniently located studio and making ourselves available for consecutive Saturdays was tricky, but we did it. And we had our first dance lesson at Dance Harmony last week!
Our instructor, Kevin, is spunky and knowledgeable. We played our song, “You Are the Best Thing,” for him, and he immediately started to move across the floor. He decided the East Coast Swing would be most appropriate for the folksy, bluesy style of Ray LaMontagne. And when he described the style as “free form and fun,” we agreed!
{the sweet red shoes that I’m breaking in on the dance floor}
At our first lesson, we learned the basic “step, step, rock step” to a six-count and both a lady turn and a leader turn. Right, back to that “leader” issue. The first time Nick and I joined in the middle of the floor, I couldn’t help but take the lead. I reminded him of the footwork while we were moving and counted down the first turn. But when we added the leader turn, I had to relinquish control to my partner. And, I must admit, I was quite impressed by his response.
Learning to let him take the lead isn’t only relevant on the dance floor, but it’s also applicable to the life we will soon pledge to live together. Neither of us can lead all of the time. It’s about interdependency and sharing responsibilities.
Whether he’s guiding me into a turn on into a life decision, there’s really nobody I’d rather have as my partner. (Forgive me for getting mushier as August 28th draws nearer!)
So what about you? Are you and your fiancé taking dance lessons? Is your first dance going to be an entertaining swing or a traditional waltz? And did anyone else naturally want to lead like me?
(Note: We do have to speed up our song to accommodate the swing dance. But no worries, Ray won’t sound like a chipmunk!)