Basic moves in Viennese Waltz are natural (clockwise) and reverse (counterclockwise) turns, with change steps (a three-count connecting figure) in between. As my ballroom dance teacher has been breaking these down for me to practice, I’ve been reflecting once again on how dance mirrors life.
In my family life, I view getting married and having children as natural turns. Those life transitions followed expectations and, from an outside observers’ perspective, might seem to flow as easily as a standard Waltz. On the other hand — tragic estrangements, chronic illness, divorce trauma, and empty nest transition were change steps and reverse turns. They threw me off balance, and made me falter.
in my education, graduating from elementary to middle to high school to college to grad school were natural turns. My focused hard work propelled me through the grades, as dedicated practice makes the Foxtrot look deceptively effortless to float around the dance floor. School vacations and summer breaks were change steps, necessary to take a few breaths before the next sequence of moves.
My intense scientific career also flowed easily for me with extremely hard work, akin to a fast Viennese Waltz (typically danced at a tempo of 180 beats per minute). Promotions and awards were natural turns, and temporary position details (lateral assignments) were change steps. A dramatic reverse turn was unexpected early retirement, when the federal workforce was downsized in 2025. That spun me dizzy, until I regained balance in my new phase of life focused more on creative passions.
Turns in both dance and life can be exciting, unsettling, and rewarding. Which ones have made the most impact in your life?
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