Hip Hop to it

So I went to my first hip hop class today. Had no idea what to expect and no idea what to wear (more importantly). So I went with my Pilates outfit and didn't really think about my feet (bizarre for me, I know). Well the first thing I notice when I get there is that everyone is wearing runners while I have decided to go with bare feet. That's one dork point for me and we haven't even started dancing yet. I try to tell myself that real dancers go bare all the time. I kick ass in the warm up because it's all stretching and I'm pretty flexible. Good, I think. Maybe they'll think I have some kind of background and I've always danced in bare feet. But then we start actually moving (still warming up mind you) and we do that stupid cross step. I have never been good at the cross step. It has prevented me from ever setting foot in an aerobics class. It seems that I have no problem moving to the left, but if I have to go back to the right, I tend to get tangled up. Add another dork point to my tally.

At this point you are probably wondering why on earth I would sign up for a dance class if I already know that I lack the coordination to even master aerobics. Well ever since I was in grade school I've had a yearning to dance. I remember watching my friends' dance recitals in awe. There's music (+), Flashy costumes (+/-) and perhaps most importantly, a special kind of footwear (+++). My love for shoes is not limited to just streetwear. So why didn't I take up dance as a kid? My mom put me in gymnastics when I was around six. My natural flexibility was an advantage to me and I could do summersaults like nobody's business. I was pretty strong on the beam too. I couldn't do the vault though. I think I lacked the upper body strength and I had a hard time getting the footwork right so that I could hit the springboard properly. I was held back in level two twice before I gave up. So I guess after that neither my mom nor I were that anxious to sign up for dancing. I also had a thing for figure skating that was never realized. I had two more somewhat failed attempts at dance later in life when I tried out for the cheerleading team in grade 10 and when I took a swing dance class in '99. In both cases I actually did not bad, but it was the instructors that turned me off.

So again, why did I sign up for this class? In 2003 I took up a Pilates class. Pilates is a dicipline I would describe as conditioning for dancers--the emphasis is on core strength and flexibility as well as forming long, lean muscles. I loved it. After one or two classes my instructor told me I was doing really well and then she asked "did you study dance?" I was stunned. She thought I looked like I could dance? It was the most inspiring thing she could have said to me. "No," I replied. "I took a gymnastics class when I was younger but..." And then she said, "Oh well that must be it. These things stick with you, you know." So after that I made sure that I never missed a class and that I always pushed myself. The result was that I actually started feeling rather graceful and strong and poised. So after doing that for a while I decided that I was ready to take the next step, as it were, and give dance a try again. So here I am, back to today's class where I find that I'm not feeling so graceful and poised anymore. It seems that everyone else is picking up the moves and I'm still squeaking along (bare feet remember). By the end of the class I am disheartened and disappointed. Erin (the instructor) tells the class that if anyone wants to stay late she'll give some extra help. I am surprised to see five long legged girls hang around so I decide to stay too. The extra help doesn't make me a star but it works a bit, and Erin tells us that it will get easier as the weeks go on.

Maybe this time it will happen for me and I will release my inner dancer. I know next week will go better because I'm going to come prepared. With new shoes.