Dance has permeated my life. Even before I went to my first ballet class when I was 5, I loved to dance. I still do. My favorite emoji is the dancing woman.ššš I use it regularly to express joy. I guess that sums it up. For me, dance is joy.
My children inherited their passion for dance from me, and while they far exceeded my abilities as a dancer, they grew up dancing with me. From standing on my feet while I waltzed them around the room to a fusion of swing, jitterbug, and disco that we did to anything with a beat, joy with my children has always included dance.
When we came home from my second Fulbright trip to Russia in the summer of 2001, Alyssa and I were so wound up we couldnāt sleep, so we danced around the family room to Safri Duoās – The Bongo Song
and Culture Beatās – Crying in the Rain – which we fell in love with during my first Fulbright in Russia.
We spent over an hour laughing and spinning until we were finally tired enough to go to sleep at about 4 am. Alyssa was 8.
Our last song that night was from our first train trip from Moscow to Kazan, Robert Miles – Children https://youtu.be/z9b09Ljnh0k
While dancing gives me joy, watching my children dance feeds my soul. Dance metaphors have filled my childrenās lives and my own. Both were competitive dancers for years and nothing gave me greater joy than watching them dance.
I wanted to sing Lee Ann Womackās – I Hope You Dance to them in honor of their high school graduations, but I knew Iād never get through it. In addition to being a dancer, Iām a crier. I cry when Iām happy; I cry when Iām sad; I cry when Iām frustrated; I cry when I find something touching. I particularly get choked up by the lines āWhenever one door closes, I hope one more opensā¦ When you get a choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance!ā I want my children to live their lives dancing.
Lee Ann Womack – I Hope You Dance
As most of you know if youāve read earlier posts, Iām going through a rough moment. I had surgery for a partially detached retina and my right leg is in a brace and Iām using crutches until I can get my knee checked out once the gas bubble in my eye dissipates. I heard this song the other day, and as she often does, Pink nailed it! āOne thing Iām never going to do is throw away my dancing shoesā¦ Weāve already wasted enough timeā¦ Iām never gonna not dance again. So let the music play till the end.
Pink – Never Gonna Not Dance Again
Shattering the cartilage under my knee didnāt stop me from dancing. Breaking both my wrists in a freak dancing accident didnāt stop me from dancing. A partially detached retina and sore knee will not stop me from dancing. I will dance again. Dance, for me, is joy!
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Deborah's Deliberations 