Back to School

Instead of sitting around at home reading on Friday nights, which has been our M.O. since we moved, for the next seven weeks, John and I will be dancing the night away. Along with John's brave parents, we will be taking ballroom dance lessons at their (mega) church, for a cheaper price than lessons at a studio. The group that arranges the dance lessons at the church also offers intermediate and advanced classes, as well as once-a-month "practice" parties in a more social setting.

Our first lesson was last night, when we learned the foxtrot, the waltz, the (box-step) rumba, and (East Coast) swing - yes, all in one lesson! I guess the teacher chose to touch on each one every week so that we wouldn't forget one dance as soon as we'd learned the next. Already being fairly proficient at swing certainly helps with concentrating on learning the other three dances, and John and I were surprised at how knowing swing also gives us confidence to learn the new ones. We don't even feel like we're learning how to dance (you know, when you're all awkward and embarrassed and sometimes it's not fun). We made mistakes, but it DIDN'T MATTER. What a good feeling.

This will be the first time we've had a chance to swing dance since Christmas, when we were asked to help chaperone the Christmas church youth banquet/swing dance at our old church. For that event, John wore his tux, and I went out to buy a more formal swing dress (see picture).

We've been looking forward to seeing John's college friends in December at a wedding, but now we'll also be able to cut a rug using our newly acquired skills! But our first loyalty will always be to swing....