September 18, 2006
- Day 6 - Week 24 - Dancing with the Stars
I have always loved to dance since the early days of
college when I ascended to the bandstand and
spontaneously danced with The Platters. Spring break
at Brown was always a combination of sports,
parties, and shenanigans and somehow I found myself
participating in all three. Actually, I had learned
to dance as a young boy in Short Hills New Jerseys’
racquet club under the tutelage of Miss Shalleaf.
Awkward and not particularly graceful, what I lacked
in style I made up in enthusiasm. I was certainly
not a star by any stretch of the imagination, but
dancing has always been a great joy through the
years.
Today there is a television program called ‘Dancing
with the Stars.” I have watched the program, though
I must admit I much prefer to watch the professional
dancers compete in ballroom, Latin, swing, and
contemporary styles. Athletic, graceful, toned and
taut, the world of professional dancing is something
out of my reach, yet to dance is to live.
My father and mother were great ballroom dancers.
The intimacy was only one aspect they enjoyed and
the frequency was less than they desired. Dancing
was non competitive, mutually satisfying and in
retrospect for me, symbolic of their long term
strong marriage.
Dancing is a celebration of life and every culture
has their dancing rituals. Whether the tribe is high
in the community of the Andeans, or on the African
svelte, to dance is to reveal and to delight in
life.
Saturday night Katy and I danced. We had not danced
in several months and the occasion of a friend’s
birthday bash for his wife enabled us to dance
close, swing each other around and smile as the good
old days were revisited. Katy is good dancer and
through our 25 years together we have been to many
wedding receptions where dancing is mandatory. I
finally wore out after a couple of upbeat songs were
strung together, but upon returning to our table I
realized just how important dancing can be in life.
I have witnessed Native American ritual dances, Sufi
dancing, and a host of other styles and types.
Irrespective of ethnicity or nationality I can
safely say if the people of the world danced more
often we might not be in the mess we are in. On a
micro scale couples who dance together might possess
a ‘super’ activity to aid in the prevention of all
kinds of emotional and physical problems.
Thanks to Lynn and Mike Croft for enabling Katy and
me to recreate something that has been important to
us through the years. Feeling well enough to dance
and then being able to dance to a terrific band
amidst friends and acquaintances reminds me what I
am fighting for through the Kreitler Compact. Get up
and dance and the world is always a little brighter.
Hugs to all. Peter
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