Narrative

It’s Tuesday night, October 1998 dressed in a white shirt, tie, sports coat and slacks.  A little nervous being my first time, never have I tried anything like this before.  We get in the car, arrive at 6:30pm. Mom’s minivan door opens with sweaty palms, stepping out closing the door and a wave goodbye.  Looking around outside in front of the old veteran’s memorial building boys dressed just like me.  Some are even in a matching suit.  And girls in pretty dresses, nice shoes and white gloves.  We are moving towards the entrance there must be 300 seventh graders in here.

I check in and enter the ballroom, inside  fold up chairs 3 rows deep line the parameter.  A balding man in a tuxedo and black shinny shoes in the center of the room, a microphone on the side of his head and bright smile. Still a little nervous not knowing what to expect. In far left hand corner of the room there is a lady sitting messing with some knobs and buttons to make sure everything was perfect before the music starts.

The man in the center looked at his watch and said “it’s seven o’clock, lets dance”.  The lights dim and 20 couples gracefully enter the room. The men in tuxedos with white dinner jackets and women in evening gowns and white gloves looking amazing.  They create a large circle around the open dance floor. 

As if they were all one the men stop, the ladies glide around to meet their partner’s other hand.  Anticipation builds, the music starts and they dance.  My heart is pounding, with excitement and curiosity.  Thinking to myself I want to do that, all of that. Dance with girls in pretty dresses, ware nice clothes, have fun like they are having fun.  It was so beautiful to watch and mesmerizing, you never wanted it to end.  And then the song ended.  Claps of approval and enjoy filled the room.  The men thanked the ladies for the dance and rotated up one lady. They get into position, smiled, posed and Latin music roared out of the speakers.  This is definitely what I want to do. Yeah, I can see myself doing this.  That song ended the men rotated and another song began, they danced. The music stopped, more clapping and the couples walked off the floor.  The bald man came to the center of the ballroom and said “thank you for coming to Tuesday night ballroom dancing.  I hope you enjoyed our junior instructors maybe that will be you someday. Now with out any more delay lets dance.”  And believe it or not we did all dance not as well as those junior instructors who glided across the dance floor but we got the rough and tumble version of the box step.  This was the first night of many to come.

I was inspired to dance like those amazing junior instructors.  A year went by danced every Tuesday night at seven o’clock.  Another year went by now things are getting fun learning different dances and combinations meeting new people.  I tried out to be a junior instructor.  I got in, every weekend at the end of summer and begging of fall practice, practice and more practice. I finally got to do what I imagined. I got to perform and inspire as my heart was touched and inspired two years ago. I had a reason wear the fancy tuxedo and dance with girls in lovely dresses.  All through high school I danced and taught as a ballroom instructor, I absolutely loved it.  Ballroom dancing  has giving me so much in life, it’s hard to imagine that dancing could teach someone confidence, people skill, manners, etiquette and long lasting friendships. 

It’s memories like these that fill my eyes with pleasure.  So many great moments and so many lives touched by dancing.  That is one narrative that shaped my life.