Friday's party was nice, and man was it CROWDED! The theme was 'white out' and they had circled the dance floor with black lights so everyone glowed...it was pretty cool! I spent most of the night helping the newer dancers, which I love to do. I met a lovely lady who was there after only one lesson! I taught her some basic Hustle and East Coast. I danced with all my "regulars" and did some sideline dancing too. It was nice...
The studio was down three of it's guy instructors due to competitions and such, so getting a dance in with a pro was tough. RT picked me up for one of my worst Cha Cha's EVER. I blame the fact that I had spent the previous dozen dances back-leading and basic stepping so I couldn't bring my dancing up to par... (That by the way is only a complaint in my lack of skill, and not in my dance partners for the night... I love you guys!) Jesse DeSoto was out dancing with students to try and even out the lead to follow ratio... I know a lot of us were hoping to get a dance in with him.
I have to be careful what I wish for... Jesse did ask me to dance... a TANGO... ummm... lets see.. the last time I danced Tango was...what 4-5 months ago? The goal when dancing with Jesse for any of us is to try and do our best... well... as the Tango music started he reached for me... and said "Come on...it's tradition." Well it is actually tradition that when Jesse asks me to dance it's Smooth... Usually Fox Trot...but we've also gotten the odd Waltz and Tango in over the last year or so... Somehow he knows I don't work on or favor Smooth... I'm at the point now where I'll be lucky if I can maintain my frame when dancing with him. He's the original lead that Makes Stuff Up.... Jesse dances with students so infrequently that you dance the dance you're asked for and be tankful you were asked.
Tango... so we're dancing and he leads me into the fan step... which I just barely remember... and he says it too. "Ok, that felt like you were making it up as you went."
"Yeah, pretty much... I don't Tango." I respond matter-of-factly.
Then it happened... the one thing I actually get a kick out of, but they haven't done it since Christmas... the host called for "Ladies lead!" Everyone switches position... my brain is screaming You mean I now have to lead Jesse DeSoto in a Tango! What the hell am I going to do now??? Take advantage of the situation is what... I am quick enough in my dancing that I can flip a basic step around from lead to follow, I'm not super graceful about it... but we managed. Then, since I certainly didn't have any other steps I could possibly lead, said to Jesse... "Is there anything you'd care to back-lead yourself into?" And we were off like a shot! He kept it pretty basic, but we went from just kind of plodding along to really cruising! Then, the host said "Everybody Corte!" So Jesse did that.... seriously I was just there...just kinda there... but it was definately good for laughs! That's a memory I'll definitely take with me!
I figured I got my dance with Jesse in, I got my dance from RT, there weren't any other pros there that typically ask me to dance. So I settled into picking out my usual fellow students, and sideline dancing. Then RT picked me up for a Rumba... cool... two dances with RT...now maybe I can redeem myself from that Cha Cha! The Rumba was good... well it felt good, I don't know how it looked... there were a few parts I messed up... but it felt more like dancing with RT than anything we'd done in a while so I was pleased.
Then they called a Fox Trot... now I typically don't dance any smooth unless one of the students asks me... the pros all know I don't work on smooth so they don't usually ask, which is fine by me... then Jesse comes around... "We're going to Fox Trot, and it's going to be Silver." he states as he picks me up for the dance. Let me just tell you that on my best of days I am an intermediate BRONZE dancer... (there are 4 levels- social, bronze, silver, and gold) So yet again I'm kinda just along for the ride with Jesse, hoping it's a good following day. We did Fox Trot, and I did end up tripping over myself a few times. Then he did the steps a second time...stuff that was similar to what I've done before, and yet...very different. I followed! I even received a comment from Jesse on it that it "felt right"! Woo Hoo!! I made it! I didn't make a fool of myself! YEA!!!
Ok...so maybe I should work on some smooth?? I don't HATE Fox Trot... I'll have to check with teacher on that.
Good Party!
No comments:
Post a Comment