We take our dance lessons at Arthur Murray in Coquitlam. They have a great studio and awesome instructors. After our first instructor left the studio we started working with V. She is so much fun to work with. That studio feels like a second family. Everyone is so supportive, the staff, the clients, everyone celebrating each other's wins. About 2 years ago, my Lady K asked to work with one of the other instructors, C as well, because she is quite technical. So for the last two years we've been working with both of them, 2 weeks with one, then 2 weeks with the other one.
It was tough at the beginning of the pandemic, lessons stopped for a while, then once the health authority got things figured out, wearing masks, sanitizing and washing hands became part of the new dance culture as well. Group lessons were done through zoom for over a year.
We finally had a Spotlight Ball this summer, 2021. Performed our latest routine as a sneak peek, which is a rumba/hustle. The hustle became syncopated hustle instead of 4 count hustle. Took me a minute to figure that out. We did it to the song This is Me from Greatest Showman. Just love that movie.
Then we did Medal Ball 2021 in October. That was fun as well. Though it still wasn't in the big hotel ballroom, it was in studio, we still had fun. And again we performed our routine. It was quite likely the best we had ever performed it. Though I later messed up the waltz heat, the rest of our heats (rumba, cha cha and tango went well).
The latest thing has been participating in the Fall Festival dance. The very first event was Red Carpet. Everyone looked so elegant. Did our routine as part of the showcase. I missed one little move in the middle. But at least that's the last time for that routine for a while.
The next big event we will be performing in is the Theater show. Studio has arranged for the Inlet Theater to be used. Seating will be cabaret style. We were asked to revive a routine from 2 years ago, pre-Covid. We danced a swing routine to the Shoop Shoop song by Cher. (aka Does he love me, I wanna know)....... That will be fun, up on stage. Practiced it on Friday at our lesson. Funny how quickly the muscle memory brings it back.
One thing about dancing like this, it keeps your brain really active. Studies have shown that dance lessons can actually help prevent/slow the effects of dementia. Not sure about that, but I do know, its very very very hard to be upset with someone that you are holding in your arms dancing with and looking in their eyes. (except for the smooth dances, then its eyes left and up, LOL)
