Girl About O-Town

The fella and I are very fortunate to have a regular date night each week.  The little girlaboutOtown goes elsewhere for the evening, and we are freed up for fun.

Despite the challenging logistics, we’ve been dating like this since we first met, and have found it to be a fabulous way to unwind, reconnect and try new things.  Whenever we’ve felt bold, we’ve ventured out to a vernissage or gone to see a new stage show.  When the week has left us weary, we’ve often sought the comfort of more predictable pursuits like a relaxing dinner at a favourite restaurant or an amusing first-run movie (with popcorn of course).

Lately though, we’ve added a twist to our weekly wandering.  Lately, we’ve been squeezing in some lessons of a very fine kind.   Yes indeed, we’ve signed up for a beginner Ballroom Dance class, and are sashaying our way to better health, contented couple-hood,  and more than a few smooth moves.

For some time now, I have not been satisfied with my ‘Stairway to Heaven’ stance on the dance floor.  In fact, it has probably been since I was single and watched “Shall We Dance” just shortly after a sad and significant split. 

That night it occurred to me how far I had grown away from myself, and how much I missed moving to music the way I did as kid (even though I had never taken any formal training).    I also realized that I had been stuck for too long in a groove left over from grade eight, that I was a disaster dancing with a man, and that stepping on a suitor’s shoes would certainly not convey any sort of sophistication at all.   I knew then it was time to learn to dance like a lady.

Fast-forward to now, and to a life come around again.  The fella was totally game and took no convincing at all.  The two of us head out each week to be taught properly how to Fox Trot, Waltz and Cha Cha without tripping over or tromping on each other’s toes, and as it turns out the sessions are incredibly informative, hilariously fun, and enormously popular.  Our class is one of three run over the course of the evening and each one is chock full of couples at every age and stage that are clearly keen on dancing together forever.

No doubt we won’t be winning any competitions (or even entering for that matter), but I can now say with confidence that our next trip to the dance floor will definitely be divine!

For dance classes of all kinds, try:

• Ottawa Carleton District School Board, Continuing Education Program
• Gotta Dance Ballroom & Latin, 420 Bank St.
• Lorna’s Dance Collective, 1574 Walkley Rd.
• Arthur Murray Ottawa, 928 Gladstone Ave.

Collage images via Ballroom of Huntington & Starlight Dance USA.