learn to tapdance

in the springshow of my dancing school next sunday, I think I can mark this as done. The lessons will continue in the fall.

I have now clearly moved on to the next level. Meaning that learning new steps is no longer easy. First I felt disappointed and also slightly startled – what if I’m not good at this, what if I’ll never learn. Now I realize that learning this properly means hard work. Which is a relief. Because it also means I don’t have to be good at everything yet. I just have to be patient and accept the fact that I can’t master this right away – which always takes a bit of effort. I don’t mind though. I really love learning something completely new. And if it takes work, well, at least I know it’s something that will keep once I get the hang of it and give it time. So I’m just going to keep on trying.

I have now been to three lessons and it is every bit as wonderful as I imagined. Even though the steps we’ve been practicing so far are quite basic, the tap routine we end every lesson with feels already like the real thing. I love the rhythm and I love the moves. And the shoes, oh, the shoes! It’s quite a thrill to hear ten pairs of them tap the floor in perfect synchrony (although we’re only just learning and aren’t always so synchronized). What surprised me was how much the lessons remind me of my childhood ballet classes, where we repeated the same moves over and over again to learn the right way of doing them. Lots of repetition here too, but it’s amazing how after only three lessons you can already hear the difference in the sound the shoes make. Last time I was really stunned to notice it. So I guess I’m making progress :)

Bought a pair of tap-dance shoes today. What a wonderful sound they make!

I have taken the first step in fulfilling this goal and signed in on a tap dance course that lasts the whole spring. I’m so excited!