Life Lessons from the Dance Floor

inspirational musings from a dancing scientist

  • Community Line Dancing

    Community Line Dancing

    The last few weeks I signed up for beginner line dancing lessons in my town, held at the local VFW building that has a stage and dance floor. It was taught by an enthusiastic young woman who is a competitive line dancer at her university and was home for the summer. I had only tried…

    Read more: Community Line Dancing
  • Off Script

    Off Script

    Today I enjoyed a transcendent dance lesson with my teacher Fitz, as we started preparing a show dance for competitions and charity events. We focused on Waltz, Tango, and Viennese Waltz and combined steps from different levels (Bronze and Silver) and styles (International Standard and American Smooth). Instead of practicing Bronze level competition routines, we…

    Read more: Off Script
  • Starstruck

    Starstruck

    Several weeks ago I attended Derek Hough’s Symphony of Dance Encore show in Boston with a VIP ticket I splurged on last winter, when I was immersed in Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) Season 34. I was starstruck to meet the Emmy-winning choreographer/dancer/actor/singer/tv personality, take this joyous photo with him, and participate in the Q&A…

    Read more: Starstruck
  • “So much happening”

    “So much happening”

    Ballroom dancing is a gorgeous and challenging art form. In today’s lesson I had fun continuing to practice the Waltz, Tango and Viennese Waltz with my outstanding teacher Fitz. We talked and laughed about “so much happening” in every single moment. Feet, legs, torso, arms, hands, back, neck, head all have their roles and must…

    Read more: “So much happening”
  • Wednesday Bliss

    I’ve been taking private ballroom lessons regularly on Wednesday afternoons for the last few months. That hour is the perfect midpoint of my week! My teacher is helping me polish American Smooth Waltz, Tango, Viennese, and Foxtrot bronze level routines. Each style has its own personality, and dancing them brings out different facets of my…

    Read more: Wednesday Bliss
  • Shakin’ My Groove Thing

    Shakin’ My Groove Thing

    Hello! It’s been too long since I last posted because, well…Life. Including unexpected early retirement, family medical challenges, traveling, finishing my novel, et cetera. But I’m happy to report that I have in fact danced a lot since my previous post. After a friend gave me a salsa lesson gift certificate for my last birthday,…

    Read more: Shakin’ My Groove Thing
  • Dance Therapy

    Dance Therapy

    [[Note: this post was written in May, 2024]] Dancing is my preferred form of therapy. Heartbroken and fresh in the shock of betrayal that ended a three year relationship, I forced myself to attend a West Coast swing class followed by a social dance. It was out of my comfort zone and I was numb…

    Read more: Dance Therapy
  • A Valentine to Dancing

    A Valentine to Dancing

    Well, I survived another Valentine’s Day – a holiday charged with societal expectations that are hard to live up to even if one is in a romantic relationship. It is also celebrated by (single) women as “Galentine’s Day.” This holiday I’m focusing on love and gratitude for my galentines who inspire me and have supported…

    Read more: A Valentine to Dancing
  • Humbled

    This week and last I took two adult tap classes and private ballroom lesson. I loved them all for different reasons, and my teachers are all great for different reasons. One tap class focuses on performance choreography, and the other on classical training and tap history. Tapping in sync with a group of women at…

    Read more: Humbled
  • New Year, More Dance!

    Happy New Year, friends! I am thrilled to be resurrecting my 2017 dance blog and happy you are reading this! Fall 2023 was challenging for me, as I was very ill with pneumonia for several months. One of my goals/intentions/resolutions for a joyous 2024 is to dance as much as possible and I’m off to…

    Read more: New Year, More Dance!
  • Community Line Dancing

    Community Line Dancing

    The last few weeks I signed up for beginner line dancing lessons in my town, held at the local VFW building that has a stage and dance floor. It was taught by an enthusiastic young woman who is a competitive line dancer at her university and was home for the summer. I had only tried…

    Read more: Community Line Dancing
  • Off Script

    Off Script

    Today I enjoyed a transcendent dance lesson with my teacher Fitz, as we started preparing a show dance for competitions and charity events. We focused on Waltz, Tango, and Viennese Waltz and combined steps from different levels (Bronze and Silver) and styles (International Standard and American Smooth). Instead of practicing Bronze level competition routines, we…

    Read more: Off Script
  • Starstruck

    Starstruck

    Several weeks ago I attended Derek Hough’s Symphony of Dance Encore show in Boston with a VIP ticket I splurged on last winter, when I was immersed in Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) Season 34. I was starstruck to meet the Emmy-winning choreographer/dancer/actor/singer/tv personality, take this joyous photo with him, and participate in the Q&A…

    Read more: Starstruck
  • “So much happening”

    “So much happening”

    Ballroom dancing is a gorgeous and challenging art form. In today’s lesson I had fun continuing to practice the Waltz, Tango and Viennese Waltz with my outstanding teacher Fitz. We talked and laughed about “so much happening” in every single moment. Feet, legs, torso, arms, hands, back, neck, head all have their roles and must…

    Read more: “So much happening”
  • Wednesday Bliss

    I’ve been taking private ballroom lessons regularly on Wednesday afternoons for the last few months. That hour is the perfect midpoint of my week! My teacher is helping me polish American Smooth Waltz, Tango, Viennese, and Foxtrot bronze level routines. Each style has its own personality, and dancing them brings out different facets of my…

    Read more: Wednesday Bliss
  • Shakin’ My Groove Thing

    Shakin’ My Groove Thing

    Hello! It’s been too long since I last posted because, well…Life. Including unexpected early retirement, family medical challenges, traveling, finishing my novel, et cetera. But I’m happy to report that I have in fact danced a lot since my previous post. After a friend gave me a salsa lesson gift certificate for my last birthday,…

    Read more: Shakin’ My Groove Thing
  • Dance Therapy

    Dance Therapy

    [[Note: this post was written in May, 2024]] Dancing is my preferred form of therapy. Heartbroken and fresh in the shock of betrayal that ended a three year relationship, I forced myself to attend a West Coast swing class followed by a social dance. It was out of my comfort zone and I was numb…

    Read more: Dance Therapy
  • A Valentine to Dancing

    A Valentine to Dancing

    Well, I survived another Valentine’s Day – a holiday charged with societal expectations that are hard to live up to even if one is in a romantic relationship. It is also celebrated by (single) women as “Galentine’s Day.” This holiday I’m focusing on love and gratitude for my galentines who inspire me and have supported…

    Read more: A Valentine to Dancing
  • Humbled

    This week and last I took two adult tap classes and private ballroom lesson. I loved them all for different reasons, and my teachers are all great for different reasons. One tap class focuses on performance choreography, and the other on classical training and tap history. Tapping in sync with a group of women at…

    Read more: Humbled
  • New Year, More Dance!

    Happy New Year, friends! I am thrilled to be resurrecting my 2017 dance blog and happy you are reading this! Fall 2023 was challenging for me, as I was very ill with pneumonia for several months. One of my goals/intentions/resolutions for a joyous 2024 is to dance as much as possible and I’m off to…

    Read more: New Year, More Dance!