I Am Now A Social Dancer!!

I have been ballroom dancing for about 7 months now and last night I finally worked up the courage (and just about enough skill) to go to my first social dance. Since being moved up from beginners to improvers class in January, I have hoping to be given 'the nod' to attend one these events that can only help your dancing improve further - something I have witnessed happened for the two lovely people I attended the dance with yesterday. They have been dancing a little longer than me but when they started being social butterflies, you could see their technique and understanding of dance take off like a rocket. Of course, one of the people is my fellow blogger, fellow Miranda fan and Disney lover, Belinda. The other is the bloke we (Belinda and I) dance with most frequently because, although he denies it, he is a very good dancer. He is a very private person so we shall just refer to him as Mr. R.

Anyway, back to the story and away from my ramblings. Where were we? Oh, yes, getting 'the nod'. It was about a month ago when my dance teacher said that social dances would now be really helpful to my dancing and I had gained enough knowledge of steps in each dance that I wouldn't struggle to keep up with the rest of the room. So, STEP ONE completely.

*announcement: I HAVE OBTAINED A NOD!*

Now, it was time to wrangle the dates of the dances out of Mr R which took less than expected effort and they were in the diary. BOOM! STEP TWO done! *tiny Jive break of celebration*

So, with the dates in my diary, I was trying to pay as much attention as possible to the steps in class... banking them into memory for use at this very prestigious, incredibly serious social dance that I would now be attending.

I'm not sure it happened but I built the dance up in my head to be this horrendously serious affair with numbers pinned on the back of jackets and being asked to leave the floor if you messed up. I imagined there would be people with clipboards taking notes around the floor and people in all their glitz and glamour floating gracefully into the building as if they were dancing already!

I was reassured by Belinda saying that it was all very relaxed and not surprisingly, she was right. When the three of us arrived there weren't many people there at all and they were all above the age of 50.... slowly, my nerves started to ebb. The DJ, Andy, was lovely. When he introduced himself, he put me completely at ease and said that the two words I needed to remember were 'please help' and he would come running to my rescue. A regular knight in shining armour. The three of us got settled around a little table and had a chat whilst other couples and groups drifted in.

The music started up with a waltz and a few couples took to the floor. I found myself holding my breathe, eager to know what the standard I was having to work towards. To my relief, the standard was pretty much what I'm used to seeing on Tuesdays in class. Yes, there were a few couples who shone and executed some beautiful steps and moved around the floor in such a way the little green monster inside of me woke up and got quite grumbly... but on the whole, I could identify most of the steps people were dancing and knew I could dance them too. *muscles relax and dancing feet start tapping*

Andy asked me to dance the second waltz which was lovely. He was a great dancer with a lovely lead and a very relaxed attitude to the whole affair. I was very proud and flattered when, at the end of the dance, we told me that I was 'no beginner' and that I would be fine.

From then on, myself, B and Mr. R danced the night (well, 3 hours) away and had a thoroughly good time. There were times when other men asked me to dance and I didn't injure them or myself. I mean, there were steps I couldn't do and leads that I couldn't follow because I don't have the skill yet.... and sometimes the leads from some of the older gentlemen were a little lack luster and therefore, it was hard to know exactly what he wanted me to do.

Overall, I had an excellent time. I didn't feel like I was falling behind the rest of the room and when dancing with Mr R, I actually felt like I was properly dancing. There were a few times were I made it round the floor more than once without any mistakes and it felt incredible. The latin tracks too.... it was so amazing to be able to keep going for a whole track without making any mistakes.... just to keep dancing! Can't wait for next week when we are all going to another social dance at a different venue.

Belinda and me getting our Waltz on! 

I am now a social dancer and I love it!!!

Check in soon,
M xx