Dancing Full Circle

                Back in May, I stumbled across a local Swing dance group, Southside Imperial Dance Club.  It quickly became a regular part of my routine to wander over to Kirkwood on a Sunday evening with my perfectly ugly dance shoes (really, they’re ugly) and spend a few hours twirling around the dance floor with my new friends. 

                Now, as my friends know (apparently both new and old), I’m a sucker who has difficulty with using that two letter word that all two-year-olds instinctively know, “No.”  A few weeks ago, I was asked to join Southside’s board.  This is what happens when you show up regularly, occasionally help pick up decorations, and generally make friends with the people who get things done in a group.  Of course, I said yes; this group is my group.

                This brings me to last Saturday when we and 175 of our closest dance friends celebrated the club's anniversary.  In order to accommodate our local dance family, we rented the gymnasium at the community center in Whitecliff Park in Crestwood.  With plenty of blue and silver balloons, candles, and garland, we transformed the basketball court into a dance hall.  Add a DJ, some food, and you have a party.

                The highlight of the evening was the interclub championship.  Every year, Southside invites local clubs to send their best dancers to show off their stuff.  There were five couples on the floor showing off their best footwork.  Anytime I have the pleasure of watching the gal from the winning couple, I am reminded of a quote from the movie Take the Lead:  “I'd kill to dance like that. It's like sex on hardwood.”  No, I was not surprised that she won; as one of my partners once observed, she has joints in places people aren’t supposed to have joints.

                And of course, I got to dance.  I danced fast songs and slow songs, with my favorite partners, and with new friends.  Since it was a special evening, I dressed up and spent the evening twirling in a swishy skirt.  If you don’t spend much time twirling in a swishy skirt, rest assured, it is the best way to spin. 

At the end of the evening, the crowd slowly dwindled, until there were only thirty or so of us left to boogie to the Cupid Shuffle.  As the last of the couples enjoyed the final song, we cleared the tables, unplugged the twinkle lights and pulled down the decorations.  A bit of team work, and we left the room as we found it – ready for a game of basketball.