I wanna put on my my my my Boogie Shoes

A friend and I were at lunch today and she talked about opening a dance club.  That comment with the combination of Dance Moms being on Lifetime made me think...

These days, the closest I get to a dance floor is slipping out of the shower.  But I have loved dancing in my life. 

When I was around ten, I started with drill team with the Idaho Gems.  I remember even then that I wasn't limber.  I had to sit in a bathtub backwards to stretch out before competitions.  And I slept in foam rollers - do they even make these any more?  But it paid off in sparkly costumes and makeup.

I moved to a group called the Marionettes - less competitive.  I gotta admit that I got pretty good at drill team - especially drill downs.  (Amazing now because I'm not a fan of taking orders!)  I competed in a couple of competitions and did okay.  I learned one important thing - you should always use Velcro when you have a cape.  I practiced for weeks with a cape and never had a problem untying it during the routine until the day I went to competition!

I loved dancing in the parade and at the Miss Idaho Falls Pageant.  And it was fun to do this with my little sister - who had less than ideal rhythm, but so much confidence that all eyes were on her.  To this day, when I hear "Magnum PI" or "New York, New York", I still remember the moves.

I danced in roadshows.  I remember my mutual teacher who coached the Honeybees at Bonneville telling me that I was really really good.  I danced at church dances when I was FINALLY old enough to go and hardly believing there were so many cute guys out there (that feeling wore off as I got to know some of them).

I stopped with competitive dancing after a few years.  Back then, the drill team tended to have a different reputation than I had.  I did join the Dance Club my junior year.  I remember my friend Vicky coming up with a routine so we could try out - Howard Jones "Things Can Only Get Better".  I danced in the parade one year and danced at the Homecoming Festivities.  But, getting to dance in group numbers was more political than on actual skill so I dropped it.

High school Friday nights is where my dancing shoes got worn the most.  Probably every other week, you'd find me in the cafeteria at IFHS clapping and swaying to "Mountain Music" by Alabama and "Old Time Rock & Roll" by Bob Seagar.  I wasn't afraid to ask a guy and wasn't afraid to dance with girl friends.  I loved Prom and Girls Choice - I had a wall of pictures and memories.

College saw the beginning of my dancing shoe retirement.  The Galleria (or Gonarea as we called it) had some appeal, but I got more nervous on the floor as the stakes were a little higher and the competition a little more fierce.  My best memory - dancing with the music group The Jets one fall day (thanks Katia).  I took a ballroom dance class at BYU as a junior with a bunch of freshman guys.  I had fun and can still do most of the moves today.

Now, I'm usually the girl hangin back on the wall.  You'll see me dance with my nieces and nephews in the kitchen.  But, if the right song comes along like "On and On" by Earth, Wind, & Fire - the old shoes start tapping and I'm cha-cha-cha-ing across my bedroom floor.  I should dance more...I'm gonna dance more!