Taps.

No, this isn’t about the military dirge, I hope.

To the uninitiated, this may look like an ordinary pair of black slip-ons with some shiny metal soles. To me it looks like a great big dancing adventure!

Tonight, I begin tap dancing lessons. It’s only an 8-class session, to start, but I think it will be fun. Yes, as Danny Kaye says, the best things happen while you’re dancing. And if you can make clickety-clack noises while doing it, so much the better (I added that second part myself).

Being completely enthralled when I watch all the old tap dance routines, I have noticed and noted that it seems impossible to be anything less than totally happy when tap dancing. Unfortunately, I think I began to endow my shoes with magical happy properties, for when I placed them on my feet, I began to – well, not exactly dance, more like – flail around.

I suppose I shouldn’t be too hard on myself as the last time I tapped with regularity, I was five. Still, I thought it would all come back to me. Let me tell you, it’s not like riding a bike. However, even with the minor set-back of not having magical shoes, I think I’ll have a good time, as it has been my habit, if not my nature, to be happy when I’m dancing.

Comments

Deb said…
Have a great time! Good for you!
Jenn Casey said…
Ooh! That sounds like something I'd like to try. I hope you have fun, even without magic shoes. (And remember, magic shoes could backfire on you--what if they had the Jelly-Legs Jinx on them?)
Katie Davis said…
That sounds like a lot of fun! You'll have to post about how it goes!
Christina said…
Have fun! Are you doing jazz, too?
Lynne said…
Thanks Deb. I hope it's good for my coordination, because I'll tell you - it did nothing for my self-esteem.

Rational Jenn, I think you cursed my shoes with your Jelly-Legs jinx!

Principled Parent, my comments here just about sum up my first night, but I'm sure I'll improve (or at least I assume I'll improve with effort) and post about it later.

Fiddler - there was no jazz! I told you - you must join me next week. C'mon, I can't be the only loser (not that you're a loser, just that you might be as bad as me). Isn't that enticing? Well, you know what I mean.

It was hard, but fun. Because I was the worst in the class of 4 and 1 teacher, I could see how much fun it'll be when I get better (the rhythmic sound is awesome). My fifteen year old who was sitting in the front room with the closed-circuit TV (she had just finished her class) said, "Mom, you didn't really suck" then she smiled a sad little encouraging smile at me.

And that was really all the incentive I needed to plan the redesign of the college boy's room into a tiny dance studio.

I am determined to at least be able to shuffle off to Buffalo and make it look and sound good!
Christina said…
Yes, I finally went back and looked (at the schedule instead of the description) and the studio is offering an adult jazz class as well, but not lumped together with tap, as the wording suggested. I'll think about it. Wish it was another night other than Tuesday, though. Being out on Monday nights means I'm ready to veg on Tuesday nights. The kids and I watched Superstars of Dance (recorded) tonight, though, so that should count as some form of exercise!

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