It looks like I'm a tap dancer now

When I joined my adult tap class at the end of January, it was with the assumption that I would not be performing in the dance recital.  This class runs from September through June and is not a pop-in type of class.  During my first class, after warm-ups and across the floor work, our instructor ("Miss" J) began teaching more of the dance for the recital.  I felt comfortable enough to learn the new steps, but would sit out the first half of the dance when the class performed it in its entirety.

After a few weeks, J told me she thought I could still be in the recital even though I was so late in joining the class.  I could just flap-hop my way onto the stage at the part where I picked up learning the dance.  I had a whole list of reasons why I didn't think that would be possible.  I'd never participated in an actual dance class before and all the women there had taken that adult tap class the year prior.  Not only that, a couple of them grew up dancing.  I felt like I was at a severe disadvantage and had no intention of making a fool of myself onstage.

March - I now had everyone telling me I should be in the recital but there was a time step I was having difficulty with.  I could do each foot separately but couldn't easily bridge the two.  I told them that I would only consider being a part of the recital if I could get that time step down.  (Note that I never quite got it but I was able to fake it enough that no one really knew.)

8 Weeks to Recital - J to me: "I'm going to teach you the first half of the dance tonight."  Me:  "Say what?"  And she did.  I learned the first half of the dance that the class had been working on and practicing since the fall in one night.  Up until that point, I had been standing off to the side and then flap-hopping in where I had picked up the class.

7 Weeks to Recital - I got this!  I can do this!  I've been practicing the entire dance all week.

6 Weeks to Recital - Seriously! What in the hell was I thinking?  I cannot do this.

5 Weeks to Recital - The woman in class who has been tapping her entire life and is definitely the best dancer in the class told me how I had amazed her with my ability to learn, especially the first half of the dance.  This definitely helped me!  Everyone is class is so supportive of each other.

2 Weeks to Recital - The studio owner taught our class and commented to our teacher, which made its way back to me, how if I hadn't told her she never would have known that I had just started dancing.

2 Days to Recital - "Look! Is this how you are supposed to flap, flap with alternating feet?"  "Yes, Mama!  You got it."  "Well, I'm still going to do my stick in the mud version because it's too late to change it now."

Apparently, I like to a make life more difficult for myself because the way I had inserted myself into the dance, I ended up being the first person in the line to enter the stage.  We danced to Mambo No. 5.  Right after "Ladies and gentlemen, this is Mambo Number 5" there's a bomp and I needed to be flapping on that bomp.  I listened to the beginning of that song a hundred times in the week leading up to the recital so I could make sure my timing was correct.



Interestingly enough, I had zero anxiety about dancing on stage.  That may have been due in part to the fact that I was extremely preoccupied with the girls' dances and costume changes.  I've also discovered that I'm a one and done type of performer; I felt like I did better at the rehearsal than at the recital.  


(I look terrible here but I'm posting this as a reminder that dark colors truly are slimming.  I had issues with that top and I absolutely regret choosing silver as my color.  We purchased these online and I went with the smallest size, which was still too big for me, and required alterations.  When I first tried it on, it looked like I was wearing a mini dress 4 sizes too big.  Rich and the kids were like, "Oh, it doesn't look that bad."  Hello, I'm going to be on stage, in front of people!)  

A part of me does wonder what it would have been like to dance as a child but I'm not going to sit here and cry over lost opportunities.  Chances are high that I would have dislocated a knee cap earlier than my senior year in high school.  My freakishly high knee caps were not made for dancing.    

I've always loved music but the music related hobbies I've tried over the years never really worked out.  I played the flute in elementary school until I had my bicycle accident which left me with my jaw wired shut.  I picked up piano lessons in high school only to pop out my knee cap, leaving me unable to comfortably sit at a piano for several months.  I did continue to play the piano in college though.  I was a competent musician because I practiced.  It wasn't something that came naturally to me as I wished it would.  I also sang in high school but, really, anyone could sing in high school.  I wasn't very good.  (Ask my kids!)

As soon as I started those tap classes, I realized what I'd been missing in my previous endeavors.  When I play the piano, which isn't very often nowadays, I'm always counting the beat, trying to stay in time.  But with dance, it just clicks.  I don't have to count. Its intuitive; I just feel it.  As we were learning the dance, I was afraid I would forget parts of it due to my "mom brain."  In all seriousness, my memory, which used to be super awesome, like I could remember what outfit I was wearing when XYZ went down, is mostly useless these days.  Anna, did I give you your meds five minutes ago because I honestly can't remember and now I need to go check to see that I did give them to you.  I was surprised I had no issue remembering the dance at all.  

A few years ago, Allie was the only one taking hip hop and as I watched her perform at the recital from the side of the stage, the studio owner commented on how she can tell that Allie "feels the music."  She's connected to it.  All of my girls are.  I feel like this makes them better dancers.  You can still be a great dancer without that connection, just like I was a competent musician, but it takes more work to get there.

I also want to add a note about physical ability and running.  You guys know I like to stay active and while tap class never feels like a tough workout, I know it is benefiting me.  If I had to say which is more physically difficult - an hour long tap class or running 3 miles - I would, without a doubt, answer the 3 mile run.  A woman joined our class a few weeks after I did.  She only lasted two weeks though, stating that the physical aspect was challenging for her.  To look at her, I would never think that she's out of shape.  It just shows how everyone is different in their physical capabilities and, for me, running has made taking a dance class much easier.  I feel like I don't have to combat the physical side of it.

Okay, so that's my recital recap and thoughts on dancing as an adult.  I had so much fun taking this class.  I knew some of the ladies beforehand as our kids dance together but I made some new friends and, right now, I plan to continue.