In the past, I've blogged a bit about dancing, and I can't think of a more fitting subject for this week's theme because it's the most romantic gift my husband's ever given me. Because of him, my dream to be able to move to music and enjoy it is a reality and a lifelong passion fulfilled.
We'd been dating for a month when the subject came up offhandedly. I was so excited to hear he'd been dancing for years and wanted to share it with me, and he was so excited to find I couldn't wait to learn some steps. He'd been fully prepared to give up his dancing life to be with me if he discovered I wasn't into it.
Is there anything more romantic than THAT?
Who couldn't love dancing, whether watching it or doing it? Dancing is romantic and passionate, and they say that the way a couple dances says quite a bit about their relationship.
Partner dancing is about knowing yourself and your partner. It's about knowing when to lead and when to follow. It's about knowing when to give and when to take. It's about enjoying the pulse and rhythm of life and sharing that with your partner or the world if you're free-styling. In other words, it about...
Love. Love of life. Love of music. Love of that special someone. Love of humanity.
Those who dance suspend for a moment the inherent vulnerabilities of the human spirit and join in accepting themselves and those around them to come together in a celebration of possibilities. They rejoice in the primal beats that tie modern humankind to their ancestors, a connection transcending thousands of years and passing through thousands of generations.
What's more loving than sharing a dance with someone you care about? Perhaps you waltzed with your papa at your wedding, or perhaps you're first kiss happened at the prom during a slow dance. Dancing can be traditional, and it can unite. It's a way to get to know someone but also a way to share quality time with someone you've known for years.
In my novella, Ride 'Em, Girlfriend, hunky cowboy Randy Stide uses the rumba and tango to further seduce the woman his heart's ached for for months. In some of my other books, dancing or music somehow play a role in the couple's love affair. It's so much a part of who I am that it just sneaks in when I'm least expecting it.
Speaking of least expecting something, why don't you, as a Valentine's Day challenge, ask someone you know to dance with you? It doesn't really matter where you are or even if there's music; if you dance, you'll hear it. I wouldn't just go up to any ole person on the street and ask them--well, I probably would, but I definitely don't recommend that you do it--but maybe hustle your sullen teen off the couch and do the Watusi. Grab Granny and try a little slooooowww foxtrot, or maybe just wrap yourself around your significant other and snuggle in for a close slow dance, the kind where you just hold on and rock back and forth.
Wanting to express oneself through the joy of dance is a natural, wonderful desire, and I'm grateful every day that I'm able to do it, as some folks are not. I dance for those who can't and sometimes for those who won't, but mainly I dance because I have to, just like I have to write.
Right now I think I have to go express myself by encouraging my wonderful hubby to join me for a spin around the living room. Happy Valentine's Day!
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