[Subject line from Judith Jamison, quoted here.]

The local Humane Association's coupon book had a listing for a month of free stepdancing lessons. I finally worked up the nerve to sign up last week, so yesterday I went to my first session at the Nashville Irish Step Dancers studio.

I'll describe it in more detail later, but for now, I'm just going to note that I'm the oldest beginning student there by almost 15 years. The class structure is such that experienced students act as the lead teacher's assistants, so a very self-possessed 12-year-old (I think) coached me on foot and leg placement, and then an older teenager worked with me and two smaller girls (6 and 10, maybe) on a basic jumping drill. She was a very good instructor as well (she's been dancing for ten years, and won an open competition in St. Louis the past weekend).

Immediate benefits of the class:

I've already gained a much better idea of what to look at when watching stepdancing.

A good workout. (It's got me thinking about starting Jazzercise again, if I can find a class with a schedule that meshes better with mine (and that doesn't rent its space from a homophobic church).)

Spiritual practice. (Picture a flabby, klutzy almost-forty beginner learning alongside twenty fit and nimble girls ranging in age from 6 to 23. If this doesn't teach me how to get over myself... *rueful smile*)