I am a dancer

At least I always defined myself as one, not realizing how many years have actually come between me and the dance floor.  I am aware of the extra weight on my body and the toll the years have taken on my posture, but I didn’t realize how much of the physical ability I had lost.  That is until I took my first class on MBBD. 

Creating the experience

I am one of the creators and determined to oversee client experience and have a client experience myself, I committed to taking all the classes.  Yup, all the classes!  That commitment still stands true, I am going to take this journey with you. 

I have been so psyched about dancing again, getting my body back, and just moving in a way that is just a release.  I have watched the taping of most of the MBBD material, and I see myself out there on the floor.  In my mind, I have corrected some of the technical flaws that I see as our MBBD team of instructors has sweat it out in the classes.  I can picture myself doing it all – perfectly, of course.  That is until I took my first class.    

Oh that first class…

I started with one of Amanda’s classes, got myself all decked out in workout clothes and dance sneakers.  In my mind I was going to dance and while I was in the experience, I would just check the quality – was this a good cardio or toning workout, was the lighting and sound good?  I hadn’t considered the possibility that I couldn’t keep up.  But that is what happened! 

Amanda seemed to dance so fast, and there was so much arm styling.  My new dance sneakers skid all over the floor as I mirror imaged her arms.  Why is it so hard to coordinate my arms?  I had to stop several times and although Amanda didn’t take any water breaks, I took several.  I certainly wasn’t the gliding graceful dancer that I remember myself being. 

There were a few things that I totally rocked – those Sailor Shuffles – I ruled!  The turns, on the other hand, made me nauseous!  When did it happen that a three step would make me nauseous?! The one word to describe my first MBBD dance floor experience – AWKWARD! 

Not self conscious

The good news is I was in my own house, by myself!  And the workout was great!  There was no one holding up paddles with my score after I was done, thank goodness! 

The other encouraging thing is that I was sore the next day.  Okay, here is the thing.  It is totally disappointing to find out I’m not the superstar dancer that I used to be, but of course that is the case.  Dancing, like anything, improves by time spent practicing and participating.  I haven’t been on a dance floor in two decades.  Even if my brain had other expectations, there is just no way for my body to perform the way that it once did.  That is, now, after my first class. 

Next steps in our dance fitness journey

It will perform better for the second class and the third.  I can attest to that because I got back on the dance floor with MBBD the next day and have continued to stay committed to the process.  I am learning the MBBD Elements better and remembering how the rotation in my body feels and rib isolation.  Do you remember rib isolation?  It feels so good to stretch and open everything up.  Listen, I have been sitting at this desk for more than 20 years.  It won’t take that long to undo all that damage, but it will take more than one class! 

Stick with it!  Let’s become dancers again together!