Happy Dance

The first time I had ever gone swing dancing was with my older sister and her friends. I was still in high school and they were all in college, so I felt pretty out of place to say the least. She "taught" me the basic steps just twenty minutes before heading over to Princeton, where the social dance was happening. Talk about two left feet...

Despite my lack of skill–and confidence–I tried to dance with at least a couple different people to learn how each person moved. That was one thing you learned fairly quickly: you don't just dance with your partner or whoever you show up with. Everyone dances with everyone. You get asked by complete strangers to dance, and you can either say yes or no. There's never any hard feelings if you say no, whether it's because you need a break, you're not feeling the song that's playing, or you simply don't want to dance at that moment. The one courteous thing to keep in mind, though, is that if you say no to one person who asks, then don't go dance with someone else for the entirety of that song. It comes off rude and social dances are supposed to be safe and comfortable spaces for all who go.

So I'm at Princeton University, trying my best to not look down at my own two feet, sweating way too much (I didn't know what to wear to this thing and my dumb ass thought a sweater would be fine. Oh, it wasn't.), but smiling so much that my cheeks actually got sore. Despite my initial skepticism, I began to have a legitimately good time, even if I was making a fool of myself. That's where I go back and emphasize that these social dances are intended for people to network, but to feel safe and comfortable. I think I had found a new hobby, thanks to my sister.

After that weekend she had told me about a social dance that was happening at Rutgers New Brunswick, so without hesitation I told her I'd go. That weekend rolled around and with each dance I noticed I wasn't looking at my feet as much, I could engage in small talk with my dance partners, and I wasn't tripping over myself! My footwork had gotten better and better with each dance/lesson that I had attended. The consistent improvement helped with my confidence and I began enjoying this hobby even more. It became a form of stress relief, a way for me to forget about schoolwork, my job, everything. I would just be in that moment, and I would feel so light.

Fast forward to my freshman year of college. I'm still swing dancing...and it's still making me happy. I join the Swing Dance Club on campus– yes, that's a thing. Over the next few years I continue to grow my skillset and attend dances. My sister, when available, would attend the dances, too.

Fast forward to present time.

I'm almost 25, I work full time Monday through Friday, and COVID-19 basically eliminated the ability to go to social dances. I can't explain how much I miss swing. Being twirled around and let go into a swing out, thrown into an aerial, and brought back in after a rock step...these collections of moves meant so much to me. They represented giddiness and freedom, a vacation from the everyday stresses that no one looked forward to.

Even after restrictions are lifted, who knows how long it will take for everyone to feel comfortable enough to go to a dance. I've been patient, and will continue to be for the sake of health and safety, but to have this hobby back...yearning is an understatement.