Do You Dance?

September 10, 2023

Do you dance? I dance. I love to dance. I wanted to be a dancer when I grew up.

I am of an age that when I was a teenager, we were taught etiquette in our Young Men/Young Women's programs at church. Part of that etiquette was learning how to dance as a couple. And I am of an age that I was part of disco fever and line dancing. Now, I live in an age where it seems there are few opportunities to dance.

Before I had those dancing classes, I attended a teen dance in my hometown of St. Johns, Arizona. My cousin approached me and asked me to dance. I accepted, and then he did something I had never seen before, he took my hand and led me to the dance floor! (He had obviously already had etiquette classes. I became observant and realized that all the other boys had taken those classes also.) When I returned to my heathen community, I took it upon myself to educate my male classmates in the proper way to lead a girl to the dance floor instead of turning around and expecting her to follow and find him somewhere in the crowd. (Apparently I was trying to be a social influencer even then.)

While sitting in my Seminary class shortly after having moved back to St. Johns, our Seminary teacher, Brother Lake, was talking to us about etiquette and dancing. "SueAn, please join me in demonstrating a waltz." How did he know that I knew how to dance? Did I look like a dancer? If only?

In college, I attended almost every Wednesday-night dance. I wasn't there to find a mate, but to dance. And dance we did!

During this time, I remember one of my friends talking about her fiance, his qualities, and why she loved him. Apparently one of the things that made him marriageable was that he danced. I thought that a silly reason to marry a man until I married my dear Chuck, and he didn't dance. (Abusua doesn't dance either, but he did ask me to teach him to waltz once.) Sadly, those Wednesday-night dances were the last ones I attended, except as a sponsor when I was a teacher. I miss dancing with a partner, but that didn't stop me from dancing alone. My preferred form of exercises is to dance. I still have rhythm, and I can still move, there is just more to move, and I'm not as spry. My dream of being a dancer when I grew up has come true.

No matter if you have a partner or not, in the words of Lee Ann Womack, "I hope you dance."