Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Wind your body...

It seems I’m terrible at following instructions. There’s this svelte, gorgeous woman in front of me telling me to raise my hand, turn this way, look that way, shimmy shimmy shimmy and shake, and stop! And instead of copying her moves, I am mirroring them, turning left when she turns right, raising the left foot when she says right, and that too, a few seconds late each time. Ands I’m not even supposed to be here. My place is on the treadmill, in the other corner. In my sneakers. Sweating off that morning donut. Not on this lovely parquet floor. Barefoot. Shaking the belly I should be working off. After all, this is a belly-dancing class.

Yeah, it’s my slot at the gym and although I have about forty thousand left feet I couldn’t resist abandoning the treadmill and joining the circle of multi-shaped women aged anywhere between 17 and 40 who’d converged on the gym for a free belly-dancing class that happens twice a week. “I can make a fool of myself for free,” I thought. Yeah, I can totally do that. I’m doing it. So I scurried off to join them.

It was tough, it was fun, it was pointless. But that was the point.

15 comments:

Diligent Candy said...

i am so proud of you

Thinking Cramps said...

Me too me too!

the mad momma said...

go anna go!!! we're cheering you.. me and DC. you CAN do it :D

Suku said...

yoo-hoo this sounds like fun. good for you.

thanks for your comment on my space...you are right..this is one of the many 'letting -gos'. i didnt bawl this morning although i got teary eyed. she is doing fine...so far so good. i keep looking at the phone, expecting a call from her school any minute.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Tharini said...

Good for you love!! This was soooo cute! I wrote about a similar experience here...

http://tharinid.wordpress.com/2009/01/02/sometimes-it-takes-a-zumba-mix-to-drive-home-a-point/

Doesn't it feel quite liberating, making a fool of yourself (acc. to you) and then having ful thru it all??

Belly dancing will be infinitely tougher I am sure!

Anamika said...

Hey Namesake, I tried belly dancing for a couple of free sessions some months back. Its really fun but honestly, it never felt like a workout. Our instructor got us shiny scarves with bells that jingled, to tie around the hips :D

dipali said...

Wow- most impressed:)

Anonymous said...

This is great !! but best in its real attire !! what do you say !!!Trying to picture you in it....keep it up.

Thinking Cramps said...

MM: Thanks. Think I will go again today!

Sbora: Wow - so the day went off smoothly? I am so glad!!

Tharini: Am going to check out your post right away! Yeah, it's fun. And I'm so glad I went!

Anamika: Namesake to namesake: Yeah, I know what you mean - but if it's not a workout why did I ache all over the next day??:) Some of the other girls had those scarves, but no way am I getting one to announce to the world that I'm two beats behind them all! It's like a ghungroo that way!

Dipali: Thanks

Tagore Town: Chan di, no no, not that costume! I don't think I'd be allowed out in public!!

D said...

Sounds so much fun! I wish my gym would do something like this too...

Unknown said...

Well hell girl - go ! we're cheering you on !

Anonymous said...

Oh you did it! Such fun, such fun! I was particularly bad at the shimmying bit while I was learning. And no, you can never ask me to show you. I think I'd make a lucrative business out of giving left-footers pep talks. What do you think? And you're going back, right? Goooooooooooooooooooooo Anamika!

Thinking Cramps said...

D: :) Suggest it to them!

Eve's Lungs: Thanks...

OJ: I'm particularly bad at every bit, so won't you give me some pointers, pretty please? ;)

Anyway, "going back?" hell, I already did!!!

Bong Mom said...

Shiny scarves with bells that jingle...wow...can you keep them ?

Thinking Cramps said...

Hey Sandeepa: The other Anamika got them. At my class I think I have to get it for myself or buy it from her. Once I am confident enough, I MAY think about it! Right now it's too much of a commitment! :)