Dancing Queen

This is my mom's ring tone for me when I call. Why? Because I'm an accomplished dancer of course.

In high school, I shook it. Nelly, Usher, Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz, I tore that stuff up.

Oh yeah, and Josh was pretty talented back in the day:



I moved to Mexico. Booty shaking, poppin it, etc., not so much. Some were impressed with my American skills, yes. But it general, if I wanted to enjoy dancing while there, I had to get some Latin rhythm in my hips and stop trying to get low every time the song started.

So I did. I found people (thanks Amanda & Natasha!) that would spend hours with my nonrhythmic, ungraceful feet and refine my cumbia, bachata and merengue moves. Guess what? After almost a year of "hard work" I could hold my own! Here's a picture of this occasion:



Oh wait. That's me as a cheerleader. Bet you didn't know this about me.

So I couldn't find a picture. You'll just have to believe me.

Next in my dancing journey, I moved back to Olive Branch, Mississippi. You can imagine what this did for my flourishing hobby. Not a whole lot. I think I hit up a few dance clubs, but when my fancy steps didn't jive with "Kiss Kiss," I went on a dancing hiatus. I think I learned "Soulja Boy," and for that, I will always be proud.

I didn't actually go on a hiatus. I just sort of gave up on being good at any one style of dancing. Confidence and a determination to have a good time kept me positive.

Then I had a baby.

Now, on a daily basis, I dance to Disney songs and Broadway pieces. Yesterday I showed Josh our best "If I Were a Rich Man" impression. He was impressed.

Also yesterday, I took a Zumba class with my friend Ashley. She's always trying to coerce me into taking these classes. What a humiliation! While everyone else followed along so cutely to various Latin and Hip-Hop beats... I was clumsily tripping around in the back of the room.

Who knew it would come to this? A life-time of dancing to end up as graceful as Tevye in "Fiddler on the Roof."