When You Learn To Dance, Stepping Backwards Ain’t So Bad….

Hubby swore he wasn’t going to learn to dance…..

When I first wanted to learn to dance – partner dance that is – hubby said a big emphatic, “No.” 9 months later after seeing how much fun I was having, Jamie decided to take the plunge.  6 years later hubby has become one of the best leaders in our dance studio! We do a dance called West Coast Swing.  It’s funky, it’s fun and it’s a dance where the learning never ends – on and off the dance floor….

Life lessons pile on as I learn how to dance…

Life lessons abound on the dance floor: 1) how well can I let a dude lead me = how well can I relinquish control to allow someone else to take charge? 2) how long is it going to take to get good at this dance = can I be patient as I step into the unknown and trust that all is well? 3)  and the biggest LIFE lesson I’ve learned as I learn to dance West Coast Swing, is that we take important steps backwards as part of our dance moves. Actually, when we dance, we step all over the friggin’ place! We step forward, backwards, and sideways as we express ourselves physically, emotionally and spiritually – to create a dance that brings joy to our heart and smiles to our faces. To learn how to dance – especially with a partner – requires the willingness to give and take: as dancers move across the floor, a back and forth interchange develops that depends upon each partner’s willingness to “step up” and to “step back.”  When Jamie steps forward, I step back to receive. We can also step forward to meet, but eventually, we both need to step back to continue creating our dance.  There is no dance without the willingness to “step backwards.”

So maybe taking a step backwards in life may not be such a bad thing????

So why judge the “step backwards” things that happen in our life as a step that is moving us in the “wrong” direction? Within our life path, there are twists, turns, skips, falls, straight aheads, u-turns and some really awesome leaps. The key is to just keep going, keep dancing, keep stepping to the beat of ALL the music of life. As my wonderful dance teacher, Phil LaMothe, always says, when you learn to dance, wherever you step and whomever you’re dancing with, remember to always “Smile and breathe, smile and breathe.”

Here are two of my favorite West Coast Swing dancers (and no, Jamie and I CANNOT dance like this – although we can get pretty funky!)

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Ali Skylar (242 Posts)

Ali Skylar’s mission is to use inspirational words, positive affirmations, mindfulness exercises and positive songs to help you learn how to change your life and have a true spiritual awakening! Ali uses her Shiftitudes -uniquely crafted self-affirmation acronyms - blog, books and courses to help keep you committed to your spiritual journey! Also, her Quotitudes – inspirational sayings, encouraging words and inspirational quotes about life - gently aid in helping you to achieve a positive mental attitude essential for personal growth and presence of mind. Chat with Ali on Google+ | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | YouTube