The Recital

I started belly dance in January. I took it as a bit of a lark, something to do in my spare time. I really enjoy it though. The movement has helped my back and made me a tad more agile.

I never though much about dancing. It is something I love to do and something I do to exercise. A dancer? Me. Hardly.

Then came the day when Asmira mentioned year end show. Suddenly I found my hand in the air. Did I just volunteer for the dance? Yeah I did. But I didn't think much of it.

We learned the dance. It was easy. Compared to the dance in flamenco class, belly dance was easy because the moves repeat over and over. I guess somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I remember learning choreography because I pick it up faster than everyone in my class.

A month passed and suddenly I realized that the show was soon! And I really didn't want to do it. I mean, really, really, really didn't want to do it. I tried to back out by saying my 10 year reunion was that weekend but everyone in my class made me feel guilty, especially since it wasn't that weekend.

So I decided to do it.

Friday, I found myself in a pose on stage, wearing harem pants, a hip belt a vest and a bikini top. Oh, yeah a bikini top. The last time I wore a bikini top I must have been... 18 months? I'm less than thrilled with my mid section and thus, do not expose it to the world. But there I was, on stage, with my breasts bursting out of a bikini top that was too small for me.

The music started and into the Egyptian basic I went. Walking out was fine. The girl opposite me looked like she was about to die. I was fine. Then I turned toward the audience and boom... wobbly legs. Wobble through the bicycle back steps. Paste a smile on my face. Good thing the theatre was dark, because I sure didn't want to see the full house looking on at me in my bikini top and wobbly legs.

Then suddenly I was headed off stage. Brooke grabbed me from behind and whispered a triumphant "we did it!"

We sure did.
How I'm going to do my flamenco dance next month with wobbly legs is beyond me, but I suppose I'll deal with that when I get to it.

S.