It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!

Oh, blog! Please don't think I've forsaken you. Especially on this holiest of holy Blog months, NaBloPoMo.

There is no excuse for an absence in posting...but I'll make one anyways. I've been busy! And, I'm happy to admit, I've been working on/planning on the completion of a few numbers.

But which one am I currently pursuing at the moment?

#27: TAKE A COUPLE'S DANCE CLASS

First off, some clarification: I'm not part of "a couple". When 2008 Marisa wrote the list, her goofy romanticism anticipated that she probably would be at this point in her life. Fact is, I'm not and I don't particularly want to be. Why was I waiting around on the universe to grant me something and someone to complete my own list? Oh, 2008 Marisa. You never learn, do you.

I am, however, always game for dancing so I decided to re-interpret this number. What if I enrolled in a class that, yes, requires partnering, but in a fun, non-intimidating/ kind of way? Ya dig? So I of course had to go with...

SWING DANCING!

A dance form that is truly where it's at, you swell cats and dolls. Ehm, dudes..and girls. Hep hipsters and...oh god, I wouldn't be cool enough in the '40s, either.

I decided to enroll in the Beginner's Swing Class at Bee's Knees Dance for the month of November. The first class is always free and after that, each hour-long class is only $10. I could learn a new skill with only $10! Swing -or specifically The Lindy Hop- is also a dance form that doesn't require a partner and features "social dancing", so you're always swinging from one partner to another. And yes, that's what she said. My friend Kevin volunteered (re: was voluntold) to try out the class with me, which was great seeing as how new experiences are made even better with friends. Also, if I managed to break my neck during the class, I at least had someone I knew to tell my mom I loved her and to take care of my Grade 7 recorder.

Everyone in the class was super. freakin. nice. For many, it was their first class as well and we all shared the giddy nervousness experienced by kids on their first day of grade school. No matter how scared I was, I could always rely on the comforting thought that I had 14 years of dance experience behind me and a decade-long hiatus wouldn't have really affected me, right?

I got my ass handed to me.

That's probably an exaggeration, but the class wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. The steps were simple enough but I learned I am a terrible follower. Although I bounced happily like an excited puppy from one partner to the next (I literally shoved my hand at each person down the circle and shrieked in number-following bliss "HI!I'MMARISAANDI'MSUPEREXCITEDTOBEHEREISN'TTHISABLAST?"), I had great difficulty in letting go and letting someone else lead. I furrowed my brow and kept time in my head, refusing to let my body just enjoy it. This isn't to say I didn't have an amazing time, because I truly did. The class was a good reminder that, with all new things, there are always challenges...which make it even MORE fun.

It was a great work-out and I'm definitely returning back to the class. I'd recommend it to anyone who just wants to try something different. You don't have to have any sort of dance experience at all and it's a great way to meet new people. New people? I love new people!

Tomorrow is dedicated to another number, but I feel I shouldn't blog about it until it's complete.

And then...there's Dec. 23.

What's Dec. 23?

Oh. Stay tuned, my friends. Stay tuned.

<3,

m