My Routine... It Begins with the Nightmare

Hi All! I think I had written at one point that my newest and greatest group of lessons were purchased including some set aside to work on a Routine. My first choreographed dance since the age of 14, and the first one I actually intend on performing.

This has been a long time in coming... there was a point where I would have killed for something choreographed because that's where my performing strengths are. Something rehearsed and polished was all I wanted. Now I don't know... I want it... but how is it going to turn out?

Let me tell you... I'm wonderful at building things up in my head to be so much bigger than they truly are. So you know my over active mind has been working overtime on this one! Added to my own internal stress is some support from my friends that is going to make this all quite the production. (I do love to make a production out of everything if I can...but this may even be too much!)

So... let me get you up to speed a little...

Long before I had officially decided to get this routine choreographed my friend Bonnie, owner and designer of Bonnie's Belle Gowns, had mentioned in passing that if I ever entered a competition or needed a competition style dress... she would like to design a dress with me in mind.

Ok... let me pause for a moment to tell you how AWESOME it feels to have someone tell you that!!

I'll tell you a secret too... knowing that I would get to wear one of Bonnie's designs was the final little push I needed to get this routine... I think without that I never would have been talked into it.

So shortly after that brief conversation with Bonnie in October/November I negotiated for this routine with my next group of lessons. Since that very day I've been having a recurring nightmare about it.

It goes like this... My hair is done, my makeup is done... I feel really good in the dress (but the dream doesn't reveal what it looks like... I think I saw flashes of emerald green and deep purple at different points, but I'm not concerned about it... I know Bonnie will do right by me.) My focus of this nightmare is that I'm at the party where RT and I are dancing, my point of view is that of an audience member and as that audience member looking on I have a single thought.

That's it?? THAT'S all she's got after dancing for two years...she can't do better than THAT?!?

I'm petrified that all the compliments I'm due to receive will be nothing but false... I HAVE to do this right I HAVE to impress the crowd. I have to be proud of what I do... I CAN'T disappoint my instructors! I can't disappoint the designer of the dress!

Well, I've decided to let the nightmare happen, and not be too stressed about it until I actually get this Cha Cha choreographed. I have to know what it looks like before I even know if I can do it yet.
I have to work on a lot of things before this performance happens... the top two on my list are:

1- Balance...RT has given me quite a few exercises for that and he's even said that when I engage the correct muscle groups he notices a difference.

2- Flexibility... I am reasonably flexible, especially for a gal of my stature, when I remember to keep up with it.

I've added both of these to my workouts... I've NEVER been more focused.

So far small progress has been made... but more has to be done. As you'll read in my next lesson.... it seems my regular Cha Cha has gone to crap... it feels like crap anyway... but more on that later.

So this begins the series on my first ever Routine... Next step is more on the dress, and my decision on a choreographer!