Pole-ish dancing

When Tonia told me she wanted to get a group together and take a pole dancing lesson for her birthday, I have to admit, I was really excited. I've never even seen Showgirls, but I had a feeling this was something I could rock. It turned out I wasn't quite a natural, but in the end I was looking pretty good.

The dance studio was on Henderson Highway in the cleaner, suburban part of the north end. I first wondered if our instructor would be a Playboy Bunny type with a name like Tawnie, but the woman who greeted us as the door looked more like my Aunt Iris.

Locked beneath the surface of an over-thinking perfectionist, there is a dancer in me. I know it. Any time I've taken a dance class I've found that I spend the first while trying to master the moves instead of just feeling it. You can totally see the focus in my face as I try to remember the sequence. I was a bit disappointed that my approach to the pole was the same. But, once we got to break loose and do the fireman's pole twirl, the diva dancer in me broke out, and it was hot.

We learned a few moves and then we had a chance to put them all together as a routine. I had done some research before the class on popular pole dancing music and decided my song was You Can Leave Your Hat On. Before approaching my pole I requested the instructor cue up the song.

"And what is your sexy pole dancer name?" she asked.

I grabbed the pole, cocked my hip, and proudly announced, "Candy Lipps." Yes indeed, the diva was out, and it was awesome.

After the lesson we met up at Confusion Corner Bar & Grill for drinks. I soon learned that four of five the beautiful girls I had just danced with were also looking for love. Tonia got up some liquid courage and found some guys to invite over to celebrate with us. Suddenly, we had plans for salsa dancing next Friday and a party in the country at the end of the month.

"This is going to be a really fun summer," Judy said to me as I drove her home. And yeah, I think it just may be.