The Dancing Diaries.

~

Last year was the year of Zumba. At the turn of the new year, we had joined a brand new gym, and I attended my very first Zumba class. That was all it took for me to become hooked. One time. I hadn't danced in any form for quite a while..and it was immediately the form of exercise I knew I would use to get into shape that year. It woke my body up! It made me feel alive again! What a fitness miracle it's been for me. If you've ever read my post, 100 things about me...you might notice I write that I am not into working out. I am not! I never have been. Since college (about 13 years) I have very sporadically taken random step aerobics classes and never stuck to anything longer than a few months!

~

All that changed this year! I can't tell you how great it feels to say that I have had three beautiful children, and yet I am currently in the best shape of my adult life! (after college)

It feels fantastic! Of course, once I got into Zumba, one thing led to another and I then got into Salsa dancing, as we ALL know. haha. I can blame Pam, my Zumba instructor for that. Yes, it's moved me back into ballroom dancing...and it has caught hold of my heart once again!

~

What I am leading into is my new years goal. (The only one I have so far! haha!) I have decided to take private lessons, and hope to compete this fall at the Ohio Star Ball! I am working with an independent instructor right now, I will have my second lesson tomorrow..but I am sure I will work with others as well to help train me as best as possible. Ballroom lessons are SUPER expensive...so I can only afford tops one a week..so I have to practice on my own whenever I can. I am hoping that will be enough to get me to a point I can really be proud of! I want to compete at a level that someone would watch and say "WOW". Isn't that funny? I don't exactly know what level that would be, but I know it's going to take some serious WORK!! haha!

~

How I picked my instructor:

It was extremely scientific. Hahah. Not. I am SO darn impulsive! I have a problem of not being analytical enough. So...I was out Salsa dancing, and I danced with an instructor that seemed good, a nice height for me, and was nice to talk to (in the few minutes we spoke!) After speaking on the phone about his experience, what he would do teaching me, etc...I basically agreed to begin with him! We have had one lesson, and it was fine! I think I need to warm up more next time though. I felt a little stiff. But anyway...I hope that he will be "it" for me. My best friend Lisa (who has more real ballroom experience than I do) gave me some advice to take some lessons from Svetlana Iskhakov, who is a former ballroom Champion who owns a studio in our city and lost her husband and partner to drowning about 5 years ago.(SUCH a super sad story!) Watch one of their performances HERE~!

~

They are amazing. Anyway... luckily for me since I have ballet and some ballroom experience, my starting point with my instructor is further down the road than someone with no dance experience, obviously. I am hoping I can really use what experience I do have to help propel me forward this year. So I will be chronicling my dancing adventures this year, and I look forward to all it will bring! I am grateful for a body and mind that allow me the freedom to move and have such joy this way. I am also in debt to my sweet husband, who is being my cheerleader, and is excited to watch my progress as well. He is a gift to my life!

SO in between going over vocab words and reading about Roman history while schooling Lena, I will be practicing my Rumba and cha cha cha!! haha!! After a year of seeing my Zumba "booty shake-y" moves as they call it, my kids are used to just about anything with their silly mamma!

Wish me luck!

('cuz I'm gonna need it!!=))