Gonna Get My Groove On

I always knew I could dance. I mean c'mon I lived up to the typical black stereotype of having rhythm for goodnes sake. But I didn't know I could dance until I was 14 at my baby cousin's christening. The dancehall came on then out of nowhere just started shockin out! I surprised myself I had no idea I could even move like that. From the way people were looking I knew I was either dancing like I had a seizure or was I just damn good. I was just damn good. I'd had no exposure to nightclubs at this age and playing loud music in my house to practice I don't really remember doing prior to that. Had I known there was a mini Janet in me I would have taken dance classes right there and then.

The only time I dance is at the club or at home with the Ipod on in the hallway in front of the 30+ mini Ikea mirrors in jogging bottoms and a tied up T-shirt showing the midriff. I downloaded some songs from Itunes, 'When I Grow Up' by the Pussycat Dolls, Radio and Single Ladies [Put A Ring On It] by Beyoncé, Swagga Like Us by Jay-Z and T.I. and just danced my ass off for an hour before bed. I'm so glad I already ran the bath because I jumped straight in to soak away the aches before they got me in the morning. I'm going to make it my mission one verse and chorus at a time to learn the Single Ladies dance, there are plenty of folks on You Tube having a go who have mastered it already. And when you break it down it's not that difficult at all.

Everybody thinks I work out. Truth be told I don't. You will not get me in a gym or jogging in a park. I see the need but I don't see the appeal of it. If I could dance every minute of the day then I would. I cannot lie I've had on the odd occasion people come up to me in the club and ask if I was a dancer and seen the girls who dare not even break a sweat for fear of ruining their hair and sweat out their clothes look on and me and my sister get down to just getting on with it on the dance floor like it should be done. If there isn't a dress code, I'll make sure I'm there in jeans and sneakers and a tight tank top. I'm not there to pull a man but to enjoy myself and every time I go out dancing that is my simple aim. My friend even told me once I have too much rhythm, and a guy [I'll protect his identity] tell me I dance too hard like I'm battling on the dancefloor…whatever...he was just a boring, conservative Houstonian anyway. And on that note do women in Houston even dance or just sit up in the club looking pretty?

I once asked my cousin who is a professional dancer many many years ago who goes by the stage name of Paradigmz [pictured left], to teach me some dance steps. He told me "oh you don't need any dance lessons trust me." I took that as a compliment and went on my merry way, because to me he was one of the baddest [as in good] dancers I'd ever seen so for him to say that…

So after having quite a hiatus doing the dancing at the club and at home, I got back into it last night, and for a while have been thinking about taking a street or hip-hop dance class. Freestyling is no problem, but dancing an actual routine is something I want to learn. All that aerobics shit and Pilates doesn't interest me and if I'm going to remain active may as well do something I love.

So I went on beloved Google and typed in 'street dance classes' and will get to searching a little later on.

**struts on out the blog**

As usual I'll keep you posted.