2015 was an interesting year - not full of extensive changes but many little ones over the course of the twelve months that amounted to a different lifestyle by the end of the year. In fact, I have only spent the last 7 months back in a regular dance class
January through April/Part 1 of Phase 1: I was slowly coming to the conclusion that I needed to have a more active lifestyle. I had a job I enjoyed, we were doing decently financially, and I was sick of my only regular social activity almost always involving drinking. This wasn't a nightly or even weekly thing, but it happened enough for me to be frustrated by it. I like being social and drinking, but I like physical activity even more. I was also at a weight I did not like.
At some point during January I had discovered my friend Dani's dance tumblr - and through it many other people's. I loved it - still do. The video clips posted on there really motivated me to try and find a class in my area that would suit my needs. I talked to another friend, Kim, and she recommended Southern to me. In April, I decided to call the phone number on Southern's website to get more info on classes, what I could take, how far I could go, etc. I went to a trial class the week after worlds ended and absolutely loved it - the atmosphere, the classes, the teachers. Enter Part 2 of Phase 1.
April/May/June - Part 2 of Phase 1: My first class back after a) not dancing in nearly 4 years, b) very little steady physical activity for 4 years, and c) definitely not putting hardshoes on in those 4 years went relatively well. I tried out two different classes, the first of which was doing a treble jig drill day. Pretty sure I lasted all of 5 minutes of drilling through the entire class - but my passion was back. While this class made me feel how out of shape I was, it also made me realize that, despite my age, I still had a knack for picking up steps. My hardshoe SUCKED, and still does, but I could still get the rhythm of everything. I later went to the adult/teen class and decided to start there, as the tempo was much slower.
The classes that followed were fairly uneventful, excepting that I was very slowly gaining muscle/muscle memory back. I was toning up. My stamina improved - from only being able to follow along during class, to being able to a half step at a time, to doing a full step, right and left, in time and to the music (I can now do 2 steps without being too winded - YES). Might not seem like much, but the day I was able to do a full step without stopping, and without being extremely winded, felt absolutely divine. I was grinning ear to ear when I told my husband - and was thrilled for the rest of the week.
Part 2 - Tomorrow! Or maybe next week - I can't tell yet.
At some point during January I had discovered my friend Dani's dance tumblr - and through it many other people's. I loved it - still do. The video clips posted on there really motivated me to try and find a class in my area that would suit my needs. I talked to another friend, Kim, and she recommended Southern to me. In April, I decided to call the phone number on Southern's website to get more info on classes, what I could take, how far I could go, etc. I went to a trial class the week after worlds ended and absolutely loved it - the atmosphere, the classes, the teachers. Enter Part 2 of Phase 1.
April/May/June - Part 2 of Phase 1: My first class back after a) not dancing in nearly 4 years, b) very little steady physical activity for 4 years, and c) definitely not putting hardshoes on in those 4 years went relatively well. I tried out two different classes, the first of which was doing a treble jig drill day. Pretty sure I lasted all of 5 minutes of drilling through the entire class - but my passion was back. While this class made me feel how out of shape I was, it also made me realize that, despite my age, I still had a knack for picking up steps. My hardshoe SUCKED, and still does, but I could still get the rhythm of everything. I later went to the adult/teen class and decided to start there, as the tempo was much slower.
The classes that followed were fairly uneventful, excepting that I was very slowly gaining muscle/muscle memory back. I was toning up. My stamina improved - from only being able to follow along during class, to being able to a half step at a time, to doing a full step, right and left, in time and to the music (I can now do 2 steps without being too winded - YES). Might not seem like much, but the day I was able to do a full step without stopping, and without being extremely winded, felt absolutely divine. I was grinning ear to ear when I told my husband - and was thrilled for the rest of the week.
Part 2 - Tomorrow! Or maybe next week - I can't tell yet.
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