confessions of a non-dancer

I have a secret to share with you.  I am one of the most uncoordinated people you will ever meet. My clumsiness even led me to start dating my husband.

True story.

I met my husband, Ben, our sophomore year in college through one of my roommates. He went to Notre Dame, and I attended the all woman college across the street, Saint Marys. I thought he was so cute, but it took me a couple of months to get the courage to ask him out. Thankfully, in December the opportunity came up to ask him to my sophomore dance at a bowling alley.  We had a great time that night, and as we were climbing up the stairs I fell flat on my face. I cannot even blame high heels, as I tend to wear flats due to the fact I walk like I am drunk in anything that has above a half an inch heel. He made a bet that if I didn’t fall up the stairs for a month, he would owe me a night out on the town. By the way, I am also extremely competitive, so of course this was a bet that I won. I instant messaged (dating myself yet again) Ben on Christmas vacation that I conquered climbing up the stairs so a date would need to be scheduled once we returned to South Bend.

We just celebrated our fourteenth anniversary since our first date.

Two lessons can be gleamed from this- One, guys like to date “real” girls with flaws, and two anyone can take a dance fitness class at DanceFit. You can take them with having years of dance experience or having not ever stepped foot in a dance class.

I remember being extremely nervous about this before I took my first virtual Barre and BalletFIT classes at Dance two and a half years ago. I love to dance and sing, but these two “talents” are reserved for the privacy of my own home or an extremely crowded dance floors. Nothing brightens up a day like putting on a great song, and busting out some moves while my kids dance around me. I grew up watching musicals, and was always amazed by Gene Kelly's tap skills. As I grew up though, I found my basketball and volleyball skills were far better than any dance move I could do on the stage. Let's be clear- my dance moves include (but not limited to) pushing the shopping cart, churning the butter, the magic dance ball and my husband and I’s favorite move that we pull out at all weddings, reeling in the fish. 

(My husband and I- bringing the party to the dance floor since 2001)

I fell in love right after my first two DanceFIT classes- Barre + Tone and BalletFIT. My legs were so sore not just the day after, but three days following. I felt leg muscles I never knew I had! Releve’. Tendu. Bouree,. Passé. Plié….  These lovely French words had my legs shaking by the end of class.  The instructors in all of my ballet and barre classes are encouraging and give very clear instructions. I did not feel silly, and even got to “pretend I was shaking my tutu” as Mozart played in the background. It was my dream come true, for 45 minutes I was a ballerina!

Today my legs are still shaking after just taking the lovely Gina’s “Love Your Legs” class, 30 months after my first class.

(These pictures were all taken before class. During class I am dripping sweat, and usually have a grimace on my face as the instructors tell me “just eight more” as they smile ;))

A couple of months ago, someone asked if I was a dancer. I almost hugged them as I wanted to jump up and down with glee. Instead I just cooly smiled and said “Why thanks, yes I am”  (all thanks to DanceFIT!) The celebration dance was held after I got home in my living room to Taylor Swifts "Shake it Off".

this post was a guest blog from our virtual spokeswoman Megs! Continue reading our blog to follow her FIT journey @danceFIT.