Dancing in the Days of Delta

We are not yet in a full blown surge but it feels like it is coming. Every week they update the state map and there are less counties in blue and more in orange. Nothing yet in red but it is likely just a matter of time.

So I decided to go to the group class and party last night. They still have not yet gone back to Silver groups so this was still basic Bronze stuff. But I went for several reasons:

• It was Waltz and I’ll never turn down an opportunity to Waltz.
• Sitting at home is getting boring.
• Even if I knew the step, there is always something to be working on.
• The best way to feel like part of the studio is to participate.
• It is only a matter of time before masks come back and then I’ll be sitting out (more on this later)

There was considerable shock when I showed up last week for party. There was quite a bit more when I walked in for group class. Well they were happy to see me as well but I guess it has been such a long time that I’m a rare sighting. Kind of like us birders seeing a bird you don’t normally see.

And there were more women than men in the group so it was good I showed up to help balance things out. We got shown two steps designed to help move the Waltz down the floor. I remember this from back in the day. Waltz starts as a box that doesn’t move and then they slowly start teaching you how to break out of the box and actually make the Waltz move and that makes it a heck of lot more fun.

The good thing about a group class like that is that it does give an opportunity to work on leading. It is different working with beginning students rather than an instructor. And the steps we learned required a lot of rotation so making that happen was the challenge. In the end, nobody fell down or got stepped on so it was a success.

And the party was fun. They took a break to allow one of the instructors do an International Samba with his student. This wasn’t a warm up for any sort of event but just a way for them to showcase a different dance. Very clever these people are.

It appears that the newest instructor failed to make the grade. She’s been missing from the studio all this week. She is still in a group photo on their website but that could just mean they haven’t gotten around to updating it yet. Maybe there is another reason but normally when an instructor vanishes, they never return.

We were all discussing the virus situation before group class. With the general level of panic on the rise, it feels like it is only a matter of time before masks come back or, worst case, another shut down. We already see mandates and recommendations in other places. Our State Fair is going on for a couple of weeks and I really don’t see anything happening state wide before it ends. That isn’t to say that a city or a business couldn’t decide to reimpose those restrictions.

While I know I can dance in a mask, I have some pretty strong feelings on the level of protection they provide and I’m not really wanting to participate in mask theater. So, if it comes back, that will be the end of groups and parties for me. I suspect it will also impact the Showcase coming up in September. I’ll continue to take lessons but not at the same level.

We’ll see what happens but I’m ready for the dance life to take some twists and turns.