Dancing it out

Even though at times it can seem overwhelming, I’ve grown to love the fact that U of T offers us students dozens of ways to get out and try something new. And even better is that these opportunities are often completely FREE for the exploring! So after flipping through the Athletic Centre’s Activity Guide and noticing that they offer  free dance workshops this year, I decided I’d give it a shot. Last Friday I hustled on up to the dance studio to learn some new moves with the UC follies. Now, a little bit of context… I am NOT a dancer. At all. My level of skill can pretty much be summed up as follows: A little part of me kind of wishes I had stuck with dance after the two years of ballet and tap that many five year-olds go through… I’ve danced only on the rare occasion over the years, and it’s always an activity I’ve found to be fun, but at the same time quite challenging. No matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to get my arms and legs co-ordinated into those graceful, fluid movements. So it was a good thing that the workshop catered to all levels, including the, um, not so artistically-inclined. It was modern dance, a style I’ve never tried before, so it was a real watch-and-learn experience. Over the course of the two hour session, I hopped, pointed, kicked, spun, leaped, and rolled across the floor as I attempted to follow the dynamic choreography. Even though I often missed a step and had to do a modified version of the back shoulder roll, I found it really fun to just forget about everything and focus on moving my body to the music. The best thing about workshops like these is that no one is watching to see if you nail every step or kept your toe pointed the whole time. All that is expected of you is that you go out and give it some honest effort. The instructor was super friendly, and encouraging, and came around to give us all some helpful tips. So if you are looking to test out your own dance moves, grab a friend and sign up* for the next one on Saturday November 3rd with Only Human Dance Collective! UC follies is doing another one on February 8th 2013, but check their Facebook page; I’ve heard they might be squeezing in some more sessions before then! And don’t stress about whether or not you will be great at it… cause just like the song we danced to said, you’ve got nothing to lose. -Lesia *Select Downtown registered programs from the main dropdown menu.

0 comments on “Dancing it out

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


*