Bluegrass Romance

There comes a time in every woman’s life when she must decide: dance solo or don’t dance at all.

I took a salsa lesson once in college. The opportunity arose one night when I had just the right amount of Margarittas. I danced for two hours with sweaty strangers and had a blast.

I’ve been wanting to take another salsa lesson since that night (way longer than Dancing with the Stars has been a popular show), but the opportunity never presented itself again. Or rather, it did, but I was never available to it the same way. Life always inturrupted- no babysitter, need to work, don’t have the money, etc., etc. So salsa lessons have become “a bucket list” thing in my life rather than a scheduled thing in my life.

Until last Friday…

My friend Chris Padgett is a ballroom dance instructor. One of the things he teaches is Salsa. He’s been hounding us to come take a lesson and my husband and I have been intending too, but not ever making it (you know how that goes, right?). Last Friday night Chris was offering a drop-in lesson at his dance studio. Since my husband’s good friend had just come into town, I knew Ronnie was out, but I still wanted to go. The decision had to me made: dance solo or don’t dance at all.

When you are married you get used to doing most things in tandem, because doing things in tandem is awesome. My husband and I take this tandem thing to it’s limit: we grocery shop, run to the bank, workout, and take Lucca to school in tandem, not because we have to or even because it’s the most efficient use of our time (it’s not) but simply because we like doing things together. Having a partner feels great because it is great. I not only like doing things with my husband, and I’ve gotten used to it.

So choosing to show up to salsa lessons alone felt like a stretch for me…and I liked that! It gave me a zing and reminded me of the importance of the little personal adventures. The night out alone reinforced my ability to have fun, challenge myself, and nurture the things in my spirit that bring me joy outside of the amazing love of my spouse.

SLOW, quick, quick, SLOW

What I love about dancing is that you learn things that can my applied to the whole of life.

The basic steps to salsa are: slow, quick, quick, slow, quick, quick, slow.
When performing these steps if you are a newbie like me, the tendency is to keep looking down to make sure slow, quick, quick slow, is happening at the right place on the floor.

Friday night Chris taught us to keep our head up no matter what. The temptation is to watch our feet because we aren’t sure of the steps. Keeping our eye on our toes seems like the right thing to do, but…dancing with your head up makes you look and feel more confident even when you don’t know what you are doing.

Life is like this too.

I walked into salsa lessons solo with my head up, not because I was entirely confident about being there alone, but because I trusted myself that these little adventures done on my own were worthwhile.
I love the romance my husband and I get to share, but I also love the times I get to challenge who I am on my own.

I have no doubt Mr. Cecil and I will take a Salsa lesson together in the future, but it’s nice knowing within me still exists the girl who isn’t afraid to dance alone too.