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Larks, allemagne left
Apr. 7th, 2019 11:24 amI went contra dancing last night, which I've done on and off for a couple years but never consistently.
Due to some combination of factors (different shoes? very recent PT appointment? improved general alignment and remembering more often where my hips and knees should be?) I could also comfortably walk to the subway after, and while my feet and calves are a bit sore today... I can still walk and they're not unbearably stiff or unevenly sore in a way that means trouble. The main reasons I decide not to go to this are wanting to go hooooome after work and being worried that it'll lead to more pain the next week, so this is good.
Anyway, it's always enjoyable. I like dancing! I'm feel like I'm not good at the kinds of coordinated movement that constitute other dances, and I feel like when left to my own devices I kind of do those dad bop moves. But I'm good at doing steps, there are plenty of external cues (from the caller, music, other dancers), and there seems to be something about *this* kind of dance that I *am* good at. Patterns? Even last night, when I felt like (out of the times I've gone) I was least "with it" as far as improvising or flourishes or changing roles, I was still pretty solid at least.
It feels like people like me there. I def have on my most sociable fun face, but people smile when I do sort of silly things in the figures, and people who are good dancers come ask me to dance, and think I'm a more seasoned dancer than I actually am.
I also waltzed for the second and third times ever. The first time of the night was with the woman who had also invited me to waltz last time I went, and... it was lovely. I was twitterpated, by the dance and also by dancing with her. I spent the first minute watching our feet and trying to listen for the music at the same time. And then I got it a bit, and looked up, and she moved us into a couple different holds. When I'm following I have to consciously remember sometimes to have that bit of awareness for cues. And sometimes I was concentrating on how I was moving so much that I didn't quite get what the figure was, but then it would click and that was exciting.
The second time was with a different girl, who also wasn't an experienced waltzer, and I led. Was mostly trying to cue what I was doing and not run us into anyone else. Still nice.
Anyway, note to self: as body allows, do try to go to this okay? And buy a second spinny whoofy skirt.
(The dances I've gone to have all been the anyone-can-do-any-role-with-anyone-else, anyone/everyone can wear big spinny skirts kind of things - not just technically in the guidelines and not just "well women can do this but men always XYZ" but in practice too. the first ones I went to were at the local LGBT center and explicitly "gender free" in terms of calling the dances. I think I'd feel differently and maybe have had a different experience if it was a stricter ladies-follow thing, or if it was expected for pairs to be different genders)
Due to some combination of factors (different shoes? very recent PT appointment? improved general alignment and remembering more often where my hips and knees should be?) I could also comfortably walk to the subway after, and while my feet and calves are a bit sore today... I can still walk and they're not unbearably stiff or unevenly sore in a way that means trouble. The main reasons I decide not to go to this are wanting to go hooooome after work and being worried that it'll lead to more pain the next week, so this is good.
Anyway, it's always enjoyable. I like dancing! I'm feel like I'm not good at the kinds of coordinated movement that constitute other dances, and I feel like when left to my own devices I kind of do those dad bop moves. But I'm good at doing steps, there are plenty of external cues (from the caller, music, other dancers), and there seems to be something about *this* kind of dance that I *am* good at. Patterns? Even last night, when I felt like (out of the times I've gone) I was least "with it" as far as improvising or flourishes or changing roles, I was still pretty solid at least.
It feels like people like me there. I def have on my most sociable fun face, but people smile when I do sort of silly things in the figures, and people who are good dancers come ask me to dance, and think I'm a more seasoned dancer than I actually am.
I also waltzed for the second and third times ever. The first time of the night was with the woman who had also invited me to waltz last time I went, and... it was lovely. I was twitterpated, by the dance and also by dancing with her. I spent the first minute watching our feet and trying to listen for the music at the same time. And then I got it a bit, and looked up, and she moved us into a couple different holds. When I'm following I have to consciously remember sometimes to have that bit of awareness for cues. And sometimes I was concentrating on how I was moving so much that I didn't quite get what the figure was, but then it would click and that was exciting.
The second time was with a different girl, who also wasn't an experienced waltzer, and I led. Was mostly trying to cue what I was doing and not run us into anyone else. Still nice.
Anyway, note to self: as body allows, do try to go to this okay? And buy a second spinny whoofy skirt.
(The dances I've gone to have all been the anyone-can-do-any-role-with-anyone-else, anyone/everyone can wear big spinny skirts kind of things - not just technically in the guidelines and not just "well women can do this but men always XYZ" but in practice too. the first ones I went to were at the local LGBT center and explicitly "gender free" in terms of calling the dances. I think I'd feel differently and maybe have had a different experience if it was a stricter ladies-follow thing, or if it was expected for pairs to be different genders)
