NYC: Street Dancing 2
Image by Professor Bop via FlickrOf course they are – I hope!

Of course they are, I hope!

(Posted by Ron)

I recently took a dance lesson just for a wedding we were attending in New York city.  Yes, you heard me right, “A” dance lesson.  Just one.  It was just Gayle and me and the instructor in this very large room.  Private was good.  Afterwards Gayle and I practiced in front of the TV with You Tube dance lessons, but no one got to watch.  I was dreading dancing at the wedding.  I knew everyone would think I was a fool if I thought I could dance.

I tried to learn dancing when I was a teenager but could never make it work.  After all, I knew everyone was watching me.  Each time I made a mistake I was sure they were laughing behind my back.  I quickly gave up.

Shortly after the wedding we embarked on a 16 day cruise across the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.  It took six days to cross the Atlantic.  Lots of time for dance lessons.  Yes, James, the cruise director, gave dance lessons each morning.  He and “the lovely Chelsea” would stand there for an hour and teach basic dancing to whomever was interested.  Swing!  Salsa!  Rhumba!  Cha Cha!  Waltz! and others too numerous to remember.  Gayle and I attended these lessons and many of the afternoon practice sessions.  The lessons continued through the last day of the cruise.

I always found a place in the very back where no one could see what I was doing.  After a few lessons, however, Gayle and I began to get better at the dances and I began to enjoy them.  I was still not anxious for anyone to see me as I counted steps and watched my feet.  I was sure they were watching, though.  At the end of one session Gayle and I found a quiet corner and went over the steps we had just learned.  James walked by and complimented us for caring enough to practice.  Almost immediately several things popped into my mind.  They included:

  • No one was watching me.  They were too busy trying to untangle their own feet.
  • I was not a bad dancer and Gayle and I were doing at least as good as the rest of the classes.
  • I remembered the wedding and realized although we had taken only one lesson, that was one more than almost any other guest had taken.
  • Dancing is good exercise.  After each class I had to go back to the room and change out of the sweaty clothes.
  • Dancing is fun.  I think I’ll take some more lessons.

So many “age-gappers” worry they might have differing interests which can’t be reconciled.  Well, neither Gayle nor I danced before taking a lesson for Dixie’s wedding but that didn’t stop us from learning.  More importantly, do you think everyone is watching you as a couple when you enter a room?  Do you think the age difference is so evident that everyone can see it?  Well, that’s not likely and, even if it is, be proud in your difference.  Let them see the two of you having common interests and goals.  Let them see how proud each of you is to be with the other.  Let them see you as a couple, not an age difference.

I was never interested in learning to dance.  I never had a formal dance lesson in my life until I was in my 67th year.  So is everyone looking at me now when I dance?  I hope so, especially the ones who won’t get out on the floor.  They don’t know what they are missing.

 

Some secrets are meant to be shared and you don’t have to be in a May December relationship to benefit from ours!

SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

Pass this on…

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

You might also like: