Jazzed: Inspired to dance…and dance and dance
“Did you call yet, Mom?”
“Mom, did you call?”
“Remember, you said you’d call!” I prodded for weeks.
Surely with persistence I’d get my one wish and claim a spot in Mandy’s Thursday night jazz class. I wanted so badly to dance with Christine, Amanda and the other fifth grade girls. My vision of sashaying across a studio floor was coaxed by trendy images of Jennifer Beals and episodes of Fame.
Tired of waiting, I precociously made the call, gathered the info directly from Mandy, and presented it to my mother exactly. Case closed, I anticipated donning swanky new tights for class the next week! Didn’t happen. I was crushed by what, in my tween existence, felt like the injustice of all time. So that was it. Christine and the girls continued step-ball changing without me, I got a Beaver Canoe suit for sixth grade gym and life went on such as it was.
Thankfully, I was enrolled in summer arts camp for several years. All day we sang, danced and created designs for our mini renditions of Cats, Annie and A Chorus Line. It was spectacular. Those were the best summers ever. Until 2001 that is.
I was 25 and single with good rhythm and extra pounds to lose. Hip hop dance was perfect. Before long, I was a regular in Kat’s Tuesday and Sunday classes. I was happy, svelte and loving life. I met my husband soon after. (No coincidence, I’m sure). Once again, best summer ever.
Fifteen years later, it was all so familiar: the air of the studio, the sassy instructor. Taking Kate’s class reminded me of my enduring fondness for dance. The music, drama, playfulness and discipline. My body basked in the movement through curious positions so different from my day to day mechanics. I felt new awareness of the control, freedom and punctuation in jazz dance. Class ended and I already wanted more!
Why dance? Why now when I’m nearing my 40’s? I can’t say exactly. I’m following a gut feeling about something that just feels right. I don’t plan to perform in any mini-musicals but I do plan to claim my spot in class. This will be an interesting addition to my lifting and yoga routine. Flex, flow and Fosse. Yep, this should be fun!
