Dancing: Life's Metaphor

Dancing, like many great and wonderful things, is a metaphor for life.

From the music and rhythms...

Jive/swing:        happy, fun, playful
Cha cha:            "the chase," flirting
Rumba:             seduction
Samba:              celebration
Paso Doble:       the fight
Waltz:                smooth sailing, everyday
Tango:               a little tiff
Foxtrot:             creative adventures
Quickstep:         on-the-run, a little hectic at times
Viennese Waltz: How quickly time flies

...to the partnerships.

It can take awhile to find a good partner. Dance styles vary greatly, and can make dancing less fun if you don't choose carefully.

Some partners may yell if you make a mistake, while others laugh it off.
Some may stand stoically, seemingly indifferent, waiting for you to figure it out on your own; and others may be so hands-on you don't have to do anything.
Some have strong leads, while others have non-existent leads.

Once you find your partner, you have varying degrees of skill. One partner may be better in one dance, and the other is better in another. That's ok! It's even expected. You come together and use each other's strengths for the benefit of the dance, all the while working to strengthen weaknesses.

There's style and personality in each of the dances, and how they're presented. It's what makes them beautiful to watch.

As time passes, you get into a rhythm. You learn how to respond to the slightest body movements of your partner. Does it get boring? No! Quite the opposite in fact. That's when you really get to play and get creative.

Dancing is not perfect. It takes a lot of practice. You begin to develop this sixth sense that will indicate a misstep, or imbalance. The partners know how to compensate to keep the dance going. You work to not let each other fall.

Sometimes, you may need to take a moment to get your bearings, but that doesn't mean you want to stop dancing with them. Everyone has off days, so you understand that your partner may need a distraction. Switch up the dances. Tell a joke.

As you get more and more familiar with your partner, you see the possibilities. You learn that it's fun to laugh so hard you cry, and it's also fun to sweat so much as you develop new routines. It's not always easy. There's miscommunication at times, but the things you accomplish together is what makes it all worthwhile. It's uniquely you. As partners.