dancing cheek to cheek

*warning* This post contains the boring details of my dance history. Not for everyone. =P

I first learnt to dance at Berkeley. There was a weekly social dance class, and we were taught the very basics of waltz, cha cha, Lindy and a few others. I certainly wasn't born to dance. Team sports were more my kind of thing. Shakin' and moving those hips don't come naturally to me. Put me on a dance floor and i'm about as groovy as a surfboard. But it was fun, and no one cared that I wasn't a dancing queen. When I moved down the peninsula to Palo Alto, M (at Stanford) and I often went to these social dances and had so much fun dancing till we got really dizzy.

It was in Boston that I was introduced to the world of competitive ballroom dancing. I started out shy and tentative with the Boston University team. I struggled for almost a year, trying to find a suitable partner. I never did well at competitions - I didn't know how to move, didn't know how to balance, didn't know how to look good. Moreover, I focused on Latin, which involved being sexy, and I don't do sexy very well. Haha... =)

It was not until I started dancing with David that things started to pick up. He danced with the MIT team, and it was there that I was introduced to a very different instructional environment. There were classes tailored specifically for different levels of dancers, and these classes strongly emphasized basic technique, something sorely lacking at BU. It was with David that I got my very first ribbons! (Yeah, when we make the finals, we get ribbons, just like in dog shows.)

no, that's not a legal dance move.

I continued dancing Latin with a new partner, Stewart, and we did okay at comps. We usually almost always made semi-finals at the Silver level, but found it really hard to improve. We were both too alike - laid back and aloof, so we never really pushed each other to practice and become better dancers.

yar, everyone tells me I should get him to smile more.

A year down the road, started competing in standard and smooth with Kenny. When I started, I was not very confident at all. I hardly knew the basics of these new dances, so how was I to show them off on the dance floor. Most of all, I didn't want to let Kenny down, as he had done really well with his previous partner. But I never looked back once I started. I knew that this was IT. Instead of sexy, think dreamy and elegant. Not exactly words to describe myself, but the feeling of floating across the dance floor was amazing.

Recently, I stopped doing latin, and decided to concentrate on standard and smooth. Happy happy! We've been doing really well at competitions and I attribute it to Kenny (who's a great leader) and the fact that i'm much happier doing what i'm doing now. We've moving up to the Gold level next semester and competition will be really tough. Wish us luck!

Dance has greatly influenced my life. I still don't have good enough posture and high heels still kill my feet, but I've improved so much since those California days. More importantly, I'm discovering and exploring this new side of myself, and I certainly like it! =)

making a mess of things
gosh, why am i so terribly untidy? Trying to clear up my room bit by bit everyday so that he'll have some space to put his stuff. Yet somehow, piles of stuff never seem to stop appearing on my table and floor day after day. Clothes suddenly sprout on my desk and chair, while notebooks and magazines line the floor. Perhaps i was picked up from a rubbish bin, for my parents are the neatest and most organized people i know. Messy room syndrome will terrorize me for the rest of my life! =(
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went for a dance class with housemates and hk. attempted foxtrot and samba. woohoo. okay, really, i had a great time....just that dancing seems like a rather personal and intimate thing...and so it was kinda weird to dance with some random guy. remind me to convince him to try it out. haha, it'll be something if he does.

trick or treat
or ?
Happy Halloween!! was thinking of joining the throngs of people having a hella great party tonight down at Castro. but as usual, inertia set in. Besides, i wouldn't know what to dress up as. I remember going there in my freshman year. that was fun. 7 of us, 3 girls and 4 guys, packing ourselves into Rob's car (accord..woohoo!!) and paying a bomb for parking. but definitely, the atmostphere was great. People were dancing, posing, and flashing in costumes ranging from wild to beautiful to just plain weird. but everyone was having a wonderful time. Mm. i'm not a part of this big party tonight, so i shan't say anymore...but i hope that hk, f and the rest of u there right now are having lots of fun! =)

well, staying home is not that big a drag too...came across the sanrio homepage..and fell in love with some of the adorabllingest characters with the cutest life stories. i never knew there were so many. i personally like chu-chu ta-co (somehow i like octopusses), Kokko chan, and many many more. some are just so silly sounding, like Landry the Laundry Raccoon or the Seven Silly Dwarfs....*sigh* really know how to pull at heartstrings la...haha..or maybe i just need to grow up. *grinz*

cha cha cha

well, it was not really chacha, but salsa dancing that i tried last night. It was interesting...tons of people packed into the Allegro Ballroom in Emeryville, all there to enjoy some rest and relax on a sunday night. But no, it wasn't that relaxing after all. The music was great, but after minutes upon minutes of continuous feet tapping and overhead twirls, i felt like i had just gotten a good workout. Also, it was rather strange dancing with so many random guys. we paired up in a huge circle and girls moved around to switch partners once in a while...yeah, kinda like the girl guides 'New Friend Found' campfire song. so i started off dancing with a fellow UC student...but as the lesson progressed i must have danced with men of all ages, heights and races. T'was a little uncomfortable...which took something away from the dancing itself. Oh well, perhaps next time i'll have to drag someone down with me. Nevertheless i still had a wonderful time, and hmm...i'm kinda inspired to take dance classes now.

haven't written much in the past few weeks. I guess i have to be in the right mood to write (this is why i've never been able to keep a journal). But i've been feeling very happy recently. There are just so many things to smile about. =) School has been good to me. Did surprisingly well for all my midterms (and i only have one round *phew*) and quizzes...which really encouraged me to do my homework more consistently and diligently...for about 2 days. Anyway, i will not complain about work, coz in fact, i'm rather thankful. Then i've been trying out stuff with TBP...like i went rock climbing not too long ago at Berkeley Ironworks. Arms were aching, fingers were sore, and now i know for sure, i have a looooooooong way to go to become a decent rockclimber. but, still fun lah. Although I would have enjoyed it more had i gone with people i knew better....so anyone interested in any of these activities? Also, the weather has begun to clear (*cross fingers*) these couple of days. No more hours upon hours of freezing cold and gloominess. Today's weather is simply excellent. I love tank top weather. think i'll go lie in the sun for a bit now. yay! And finally, less than a month to London...yippee!! we've both been really happy with us for really long now. summer was just wonderful..and the magic has kinda lasted till now. *big grin*

NEW FRIEND FOUND
As...we walk to the left and
We walk to the right
And we walk (3x) all night
With a heel and a toe and a half turn a round,
With a heel and a toe and a new friend found.