I have two things I want to share today and can’t really see a correlation to put them both in this post so let’s see what happens.
I have decided I like ballet. It has taken me almost a year to decide that. I was scared of ballet when I registered. Every time I say I have never danced my mother is quick to remind me I had lessons for 6 months when I was 5 years old so what is the problem?!?! Other than that was 50 years ago and I do not remember it at all? So I went from fear to determination. Last semester I worked really hard and concentrated beyond belief but failed miserably. I even took private lessons from my friend Nancy Jones who is an excellent dancer and even better teacher. But I struggled. I made a good grade thanks to perfect attendance, a good essay and vocabulary test and a sympathetic teacher, but I am still not a dancer.
At the first of this semester I was scared by what we were expected to do this term. I had wanted to retake Ballet One but it was not offered so I was forced to advance. I felt like the short bus student who just gets passed along in grade school. The first two weeks I almost dropped after each class. I could see I was headed for disaster! But this week I had an epiphany.
On Tuesday I had a horrible day! I was so discouraged and upset by the time I got to ballet I almost left. I knew it would only be depressing to fail at something else. But something Nancy had said to me flitted through my head. She told me one of the reasons she loved dancing was because when she danced all she thought about was dancing. The troubles and concerns of the day floated away to the back of her mind and she just danced. So I figured, “What the hell- I’ll dance.”
Now, do NOT get me wrong. Anyone in my class will gladly tell you I am still a terrible dancer. But I let everything go and just danced. And I ENJOYED it! So when Thursday rolled around I did it again and I loved it. No doubt, I stink- I am not saying suddenly I was a great dancer. But, I enjoyed it, the time flew by and 4 different times I heard, “That’s right Marietta- GOOD!” And when we spun and leaped across the floor I did it and I was not the worst! I felt light and graceful, if only for a moment!
I can not think of a tie in to the other event from today so I will wait until tomorrow to blog again but know that I feel the progress and I am so glad to be on this journey.
