I really did receive that exact text message one evening from my friend on the way to a dance social.  The funny thing is, I actually checked my purse because I thought I just might have some in there.

No,sorry...Listerine and Chanel No.5 ;-), I texted back.

You have to understand this is new for me.  I was never the girly-girl who carries everything she needs to put herself together in a bag, but I do pack a mean picnic basket.  Granted, I like nice things and I put myself together well in the morning, but I used to melt and fade throughout the day until it was time to leave the office and head to the barn. My bag was where I kept credit cards, a passport, business cards, keys.  Not even cash.  I was lucky to have lipgloss with me. These days, or half of these days, I now head to a dance class or a social to practice dancing instead of heading to the barn.  That has forced me to rethink the contents of my bag. I do, after all, want people to actually dance with me.  It didn’t take me too long to figure it out…I carry a bigger bag now.  There are also two pairs of dance shoes in each car, a roll of gaffer’s tape and a pair of scissors, just in case the floor is bad or someone forgets their dance shoes. It reminds me of the bag my son carried his soccer kit in when he played; it’s my dance kit. My daughter saw my cute little Listerine sprayer and what she thinks is an even cuter Chanel bottle, so she carries those in her bag now, too.  It has become how we both roll; she learned it from me!

The picture of my bag popped into my head when Pam and Connie at HEALS told me about one of the things HEALS does for families that participate in their program.  She explained that many of these families don’t keep Tylenol or Advil in a house first aid kit for fever, and many wouldn’t know how to administer it correctly if they did. When your budget is so very tight, one doesn’t buy things that aren’t for immediate use, so that’s why many kids end up at the emergency room when all they need is something to lower a fever.  One thing HEALS does is to help get families to a place where they have these basic health items at home and teaches them how to use it.  This one little thing can have a big trickle down affect.

It was hard for me to imagine not having something as simple as Tylenol at home for “just in case”, but after we talked about how that happens, I started to see how HEALS, by making something very simple accessible, can change the outlook for a generation of kids.  They’ll grow up with a basic change in their home, and they will bring that knowledge with them to their own homes as adults.

If you haven’t yet made a donation to HEALS, I ask you to consider doing that today.  Whether you support me or one of the other dance competitors, all the donations to HEALS helps make big changes in these kids’ lives.

And Bob, there IS a razor in that kit…

Question: What’s in your kit? Share your answer on permalink]” target=”_blank”>Facebook, or Twitter

When I was much younger, I took many (oh so many) French lessons, and though I learned a lot in class, the real learning was having to make my way as an exchange student through the streets of Quebec, France, and then Belgium; to survive I had to interact with so many people, a few minutes at a time, on a daily basis. I didn’t just learn to speak French; I learned to live in French.  Likewise, there are dance classes, and you do learn the techniques of how to dance there, but a lot of learning happens later outside of class on a social dance floor. Each song is a three minute class with a new instructor. The subject may be dance, but it might also be culture, music, or anything else two human beings might have reason to share as they move in time and space together.

One of my three minute instructors teaches me to practice what I’ve learned in my classes, not to throw it all away when the social music starts. Those techniques allow him to more easily take me through multiple turns and make every movement a lot smoother and whole lot easier for me to execute. Dancing isn’t the only thing I do this with, I can use this lesson elsewhere. Thanks for your patience and attentiveness with me, John.  Next Song

From my next three minute class I learn just how quiet and gentle a lead can be and yet still be crystal clear over the din, the commotion, and the movement around us on the dance floor. Each time we dance, I have learned a little more and he adeptly and smoothly leads me through progressively more involved movements. Through dancing with him each week, I experience the proof of my progress and it makes me grin. I always love dancing with you, Jonathan. Thank you. Next Song

I learn to look directly at my partner and really see him, to smile at him because he is always smiling at me. Because he makes me look, I see his hand ready for the next move. This also helps me remember I need to spot more often with all of my partners. Thank you, Marquiz, you make this so much fun. Next Song

I sit down to catch my breath and I watch the photographer. I need to remember to look up, to smile, and to buy more stock in Gillette. Thanks, Bob. Next Song

Syncopation? Move what how and when? Oh, I get it, now. Thanks, RT. Next Song

I had no clue that I loved Bachata until he told me I had to listen to the words. Ah, yes, there are words to these songs. The words combined with the music will almost dictate the movement if both partners are truly listening. Now it’s my favorite and I listen to all of the words, spoken and unspoken. Thank you, Karlos.  Another song…

And there is more. There are all the places from where the people come, why they are here, where they are going, what they like to do, what they dream of doing, and why they dance. It never stops… three minutes at a time. I have begun to think of my days in three minute intervals of interactions with so many people; by paying attention, by listening, I understand that everyone, without exception, has something to teach me.

It is an immense universe and I am attentively learning about it in an endless curriculum, three minutes at a time… dancing the bachata of life.  Next Song

Question: What have you learned lately and did the lesson come from an unexpected source? Share your answer on Facebook, or Twitter

So many things in our lives have little rituals associated with them. These rituals give us a bit of time from our busyness to think. Our dances have rituals that I just realized recently. When the dancers arrive, these are the ones who are pursuing the dance, they come with their bags, the bags with the dance shoes.

There are street shoes and there are dance shoes, and when you arrive to dance, you sit on the bench or chair on the edge of the dance floor, open the strings that hold the magic in and you change your shoes. It’s not just the ladies, the men bring their dance shoes too. These are the suede-soled shoes that free us from the friction that would hold us back, that let us turn and spin to see the world around us full circle, that help us glide into the position that suits us. I’ve started thinking of this little ritual as my UnCinderella moment; I put on the shoe that I know fits me perfectly.

Cinderella is an Italian folktale from 17th century Napoli, a tale of unjust oppression. The name Cinderella has come to symbolize one whose attributes were unrecognized, or who unexpectedly achieves recognition or success after a period of obscurity and neglect. The Aarne-Thompson tale type index classifies Cinderella as “the persecuted heroine”. Those shoes don’t fit me and I wouldn’t want them to fit anyone. I much prefer my UnCinderella. She doesn’t wait for a prince to save her, she doesn’t rely on others to help her recognize who she can be. In our story she puts on her dance shoes herself and becomes exactly who she wants to be, which is exactly who she is. I think UnCinderella is a great tale to tell to all of our little girls.

Question: Do you have a ritual that makes you think? Share your answer on Facebook, or Twitter

‘On with the dance; let joy be unconfined’ is my motto, whether there’s any dance to dance or any joy to unconfine. —Mark Twain, Colonel Mulberry Sellers

There are so many people who insist that they don’t dance or can’t dance but it is never difficult to fill a wedding reception dance floor. I have read several articles recently citing studies showing numerous health benefits of dancing, both physical and mental. I have recently begun taking dance lessons (salsa!) and am really enjoying the instruction, the dance, the health benefits, and the opportunity to literally connect with people. If you are one of the few people who actually need a reason to dance, I’ve written about my top four.

1. Mental

Dancing is one of the best activities for improving mental capabilities. Several recent published studies, including Dr. Joe Verghese’s article on Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia, show that dancing can help decrease the risk of developing dementia. The unique combination of both physical and mental exercise, inherently involving social communication and several cognitive functions make it one of the top activities to maintain brain health. The physical aspect is associated with increased blood flow to the brain which stimulates brain growth and new connections in the brain. Mental benefits observed in aging patients who dance regularly include decreased reaction times, increased motor performance, greater attention, and improved cognition.

2. Physical

What more could you want from an exercise: dance helps to develop and improve muscle control, coordination, kinesthetic awareness, cardiovascular conditioning, flexibility, strength, endurance, posture, and balance.

3. Social

I’ve never met so many people so quickly as on the dance floor. You are absolutely forced to mingle. You have about three minutes to introduce yourself, meet your partner, and then the next song starts and you get a new partner. How many times have you limited your social interactions at a meet and greet because you just talked to the people you already knew. With the added focus on what your feet are doing, the conversation pressure is much lower making it much easier to make new friends.

4. It’s Fun

I know a lot people will argue and say they don’t like to dance. However, when the band stops playing at a wedding, I usually hear complaints about having to stop and if the band kept playing, the dance floor would most definitely stay full. Tell me, how many times have you worked out for three hours at the health club and then complained that management turned the lights off at midnight so you couldn’t run on the treadmill for another two hours? Face it, once you let your inhibitions go and you get on the dance floor, it is fun.

I have one more great reason for dancing, but I can’t share that yet. I’ll be writing about it in early May, so stay tuned for that exciting announcement.

Question: When was the last time you danced? Share your answer on Facebook, or Twitter