The Dance of Life
Toward the end of last year, I began taking dance lessons. My significant other is a competitive dancer and thought it would be fun to dance as a couple. At first, I was like “Whoa”. Learning how to dance ballroom style seemed way out my league. Watching others dance formally felt overwhelming. I knew how to hold my own on the dance floor but this was different. After some contemplation, I thought “What the heck” and gave it a shot. Five months later, I’ve learned about 8 dances and have danced many times in different outings.
I realized three things from this experience: One – Ballroom dancing is a lot of fun. You learn very specific steps during lessons, put them into practice on the dance floor and see the fruits of your effort. I never knew moving around the floor could be so exhilarating! The second was the synchronicity you need to have with your partner. Although the male is the lead and each person has their own steps, both of you have to move in rhythm and tempo together. When one is off, it affects the dance. When both are in sync, the dance is effortless and a beauty to watch. The third and probably the most meaningful to me is how dance imitates life.
Learning how to dance allows you the opportunity to stretch the limits of what you know to allow for something else. How many times are we presented with opportunities to move out of our comfort zone into a new and uncomfortable area? When you put your lessons into practice, you are birthing a creation. The way you move and how you show up on the dance floor becomes an expression of you. Life is very similar – we are constantly creating something new and the outcome of that creating is Spirit expressing itself through us – through that which we create. Just as our dance moves are a reflection of us creatively; our creative expression is a mirror image of our Self.
My takeaway from dancing is, like life, why can’t something new be fun when you move past what may seem uncomfortable. When you are in alignment with all aspects of your life, doesn’t it feel like you are moving through life easily and in sync with everything around you? Finally, we are always creating so why not create that which expresses who we truly are and how we want to show up in this thing called life. So when you are given an opportunity to create whether its dancing or something else that is new or unknown, take it by the hand, step onto the floor and move through it being who you were meant to be.
Words and Lyrics to Rhythm of the Night
This is the rhythm of the night
The night
Oh yeah
The rhythm of the night
This is the rhythm of my life
My life
Oh yeah
The rhythm of my life
You could put some joy upon my face
Oh, sunshine in an empty place
Take me to turn to and babe I’ll make you stay
Oh, I can ease you of your pain
Feel you give me love again
Round and round we go, each time I hear you say
This is the rhythm of the night
The night
Oh yeah
The rhythm of the night
This is the rhythm of my life
My life
Oh yeah
The rhythm of my life
Won’t you teach me how to love learn
There’ll be nothing left for me to yearn
Think of me burn and let me hold your hand
I don’t wanna face the world in tears
Please think again I’m on my knees
Sing that song to me
No reason to repent
I know you wanna say it
This is…