Let's Dance!

The highlight of my week is the Big Fat Ass Dance Class on Friday mornings. I am stiff; I hold stress in my body; my shoulders are hiked up above my ears; and I’m far too inhibited to dance normally. But for an hour and a half, once a week, I let loose.

It’s a magical class as it combines yoga poses (I love the pose where I wiggle my tongue and flash lightning from my fingertips), play follow the leader, make strange noises, chase invisible balls, and do improv. dance on our own or in groups. It’s just plain fun – like being a child again. I leave class feeling loose and relaxed and at peace with myself and the world.

We build trust between us. We share things that scare us. We were strangers before the class, but we come to trust each other. I really admire the instructor, Aileen Hayden, as she’s created a very special place for women to get some exercise, stretch their bodies and have fun, while also offering and receiving emotional support.

The following video is of a dance celebration in Liverpool Street Station, London, England, in January. A small group starts dancing, and the public joins in. Apparently, they were filming a commercial, but it seems to turn into much more than that. People are having fun; they’re celebrating life.

Saskatoon is planning a similar dance celebration in April in conjunction with International Dance Day. Let me know if you want to participate, and I’ll forward you the details.

Comments

Stephanie V said…
Oh, that was good. We all need a good dance now and then, don't we?
March 21, 2009 at 8:45 AM
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