Jazz Hands!

So last night was my first ever dance class, a jazz dance intro course offered by the Saanich rec centres.

I signed up because I've found kung fu and yoga to complement each other really well, largely because they are so different from one another--kung fu is about power and speed while concentrating on what's around you, while yoga is about breath and control while concentrating exclusively on yourself. So I figured dance might add a focus and movements much different than both of these.

Well, I was right. What I hadn't anticipated was the rhythm aspect... yes, I know it's crazy that I didn't anticipate rhythm being a part of dance. Or maybe I did, but I didn't expect to be thrown into it so quickly. I thought maybe we'd do some basics and conditioning before getting into actual, y'know, dancing.

But no, even though it was only a one-hour class, and an intro one at that, we did our warm up to music (including a rib-isolation exercise which is more dancy and less violent than the name might suggest), then did some basic stepping, and then did some kind of short hip-hop dance involving nacho chips or something.

Apparently one of the things that distinguishes jazz from many other forms of dance is that there's a lot of syncopation, which apparently means "really challenging if you don't even know beats yet" because you're often moving on the half-beat. It's very quick.

Take turns, for example. You spin in place, doing a 360 using footwork that is very reminiscent of a kung fu cross step followed by a cup choi (spinning punch). But in kung fu, at least in Hung Gar, you want to be low and strong. In dance you want to keep your footwork much tighter so you can do the full spin on a single beat. Oh, and in dance you probably shouldn't clock anyone with a spinning punch.

Anyway, I'll permit myself a little boasting: after the warm-up the teacher immediately asked me if I was a martial artist, and gushed for a minute or two about my body awareness. And then caught herself and made a careful point of telling everyone that they'd done a good job. Maybe it's just that I was the only boy present, but I seem to have impressed her in any case.

Okay, boasting now accomplished, there was a student returning from a previous session. It was neat to see what she was doing, because while I followed the steps, she actually danced. It'll be neat to eventually reach the point where I'm able to do the same.

In any case, it's time for the morning (well, lunch-time) walk. The sun is shining, and that's worth enjoying when you get the chance out here. Not that the misty evenings aren't also beautiful and pleasant in their own enchanting way.