Do You Want to Dance?

Those were words that I longed to hear–at the school dance, at a club, at a wedding–that is, until I realized I didn’t mind dancing by myself (and everyone else out on the dance floor). I’ve always loved dance, from ballet to swing to hip-hop. While I prefer to be the one dancing, watching others dance is equally satisfying–So You Think You Can Dance and World of Dance amaze me.

Both my mother and father liked to dance, so I get my leanings honestly. We didn’t take dance lessons, at least I didn’t, but it always “called my name.” The goal, in every dancing opportunity, centers on staying on the floor as long as possible, barring an uninspiring song. A truly perfect evening, in my younger years, involved leaving a club covered in sweat from endless dancing.

To describe dancing would be similar to how flying has been described to me, an effortless freedom of melding your mind and body–in this case, to music. It’s, at times, uncontrollable, given the right music; there are some songs that just require movement on my part. To waste the experience would seem shameful. Most, I’m hoping, have experienced a torn-off-the shoulder-sweatshirt-Flashdance moment, surely! God, I loved the choreography in that movie.

Unfortunately, after you reach a certain age, dancing at the club becomes a practice in extreme awkwardness😳. I’m totally down with living my truth and all, but when the surrounding crowd is the age of you’re own children, it might be time to take a step back. So, after a time, we older sorts are relegated to home dancing–at least, so I thought!

While I had heard of Zumba, emerging under my radar were WERQ classes, a hip-hop type class employing current moves and music. The beauty of WERQ lies in the lack of judgment and inspiring content. Everyone genuinely concentrates on the instructor(s), learning the sometimes quick choreography–and more jiggling than anyone’s used to–and having an amazing time. All ages and genders are represented, by the way, so no excuses.

If you love–or think you might like–to dance, check out a local WERQ or Zumba class. You’ll get a good workout, have fun, and probably make some new friends, and, on the plus side, no one will wonder who let you in:)