The first song I ever danced to was "My Girl" by the Temptations. Truth be told, I was in first grade and in love with a girl name Jillian Sharon. And as an awkward kid who brought a brief case to school I thought the only way a cool girl would possibly like me was if I could be as smooth as the Temptations. I still think those guys were the some of the most smooth men on the planet. As a kid I couldn't fathom how they could express themself about this girl in such a confident way, while dancing and crooning, and Dave Ruffin, their leadman was just about the most slick guy ever, with his manly voice, impeccable style and how he was the odd man out of the rest of the Temptations and their smooth choreography. I loved everything about those guys.
Then enter the 90s. It was round about 1990 and I was in 4th grade. Kids were starting to "Go" together and I still felt like the odd man out and then I heard "Poison" and saw the music video. The guys in BBD were the natural progression of the Temptations, smooth, good dancers combined with a super confident swagger. Those chunky Timberlands, matching cardigan and hat, I thought it was all so smooth-- and as a result I made it my mission in life to master the running man and a body rock. I never got to show Jill Sharon my moves as I ended up moving out of the city and into the suburbs where no kids danced-- or at least not many. I still tried my hand at swagger, see red shirt, and navy overalls, likely with one strap undone:I'm sure one of these days video of dancing will surface and if I were capable of blushing I would. I like to dance and maybe a few years back I would have had swagger enough to enjoy it. Nowadays my dancing is reserved for moments where I may have had one too many or alone, while I'm cooking or driving in my car. But the joy of a beat or bass line gives me a small way of expressing my love for the world as it makes its own dance around the sun.
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I happily fit into the category of your friends who consider dancing an exultant expression of my life. I understand why some people fear dancing in the same way that they fear public speaking, though. It is an issue of confidence and practice. I only loved dancing once I started to feel confident about doing it. Dancing takes a profound understanding of the way your body can move. It is not something that can just be picked up on a whim. I had to commit to moving my body to music often enough to do it without conscious thought. Once I could dance without straining my mind to connect with my body, I felt a sense of communion between my emotions and my body that so many people find addictive and uplifting. My best friend taught me how to dance in her basement. We spent countless hours making up grand Bollywood dances complete with wardrobe and even lighting. Those were some of the best times in my life. I do notice that as I get older, less and less of my peers enjoy dancing in public. Perhaps it is because many of the outlets for dancing in public leave me feeling more accosted than exulted...but that is a topic for another night.
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