Day 8 - Dancer

I am a dancer.  I LOVE to dance.  I have ALWAYS LOVED to dance.  I distinctly remember my first dance class.  My parents had signed me up for ballet as I was a bit of a klutz.  We got there early for my first dance class and they were having open house.  So my Dad walked me into the "big kids" class to watch the last part.  I was enthralled.  I loved the movement and the music and thought that could be me!  Well, they took us back for the class and it was in a different room.  I didn't care, I just wanted to move like those big kids.  Well one of the first things they did was take us to that exact room the big kids had been dancing in and turned on the same music those big kids were dancing to and told us to dance.  They wanted to see how we moved to the music.  Me, I apparently didn't just move, I danced.  I was replicating the moves I saw the big kids doing.  They ran up to me.. "Have you danced before?" No.  "Where did you learn that move then?" I saw the big kids doing it.  Needless to say, I had an ability to pick up a dance long before most other kids.

I took ballet for 10 years, jazz for 2, gymnastic and tap for 1 year.  I actually LOVED jazz dance the best, but didn't get into it until 2 years before I quit dance.  For all my love of being a dancer, and pretty decent at it (other than not being as flexible as some) I wasn't built like a dancer.  If that wasn't bad enough - I developed earlier than most.  So it was time to hang up the toe shoes.

But I still am a dancer.  I remember taking a church friend to a dance (he was in college by that point - score one for the high school-er bringing a college guy - good looking one at that!).  The DJ in their infinite wisdom decided to play a polka.  We were having such a good time dancing that he was shall we and I of course was like we shall.  So we polkaed around the floor.  Great fun that was!  No one else was doing.  Did I care - no way!  So much fun was had that night!

I'm now dealing with a bulging disc issue in my lower back.  It is making moving difficult, if not impossible at times.  I'm kind of devastated. Things I like to do - like dancing - even table dancing, I can't do anymore.  And I have this dream of being on Dancing with the Stars.  Yea, I know it's a dream - but I'm a best selling author and they have asked me to be on it.  Ballroom.  The one genre I wanted to learn and never did.  Though I did buy a book once to try and learn it.  Now I'm wondering what is going to happen to my back - will I ever be able to dance - let alone have that dream come true.  I right now am willing it so.  Why?  Because at heart I'm a DANCER.