February 21, 2012

And if the music is good, you dance

Lately I've been thinking a lot about how dancing came to play such an important part in my life and how it managed to change so many things for the better. If I were to draw the line now and sum up the benefits of almost two years of dancing, I'd have to place on top of my list the fact that I became more aware of my femininity and I stopped trying to pretend it was a non-issue. It's a major issue, it looks good and it feels good and it makes me happy. I became more intuitive and figured out a thing or two about dealing with people, not having the same expectations and demands from everybody, giving back just as much as I receive. No need to get too involved with people who aren't going to get involved with me. It might sound self-contradictory, but while dancing has helped me become more tolerant and made me see the bright side of everything, it has also  made me more demanding and has given me a good dose of assertiveness and forwardness that does wonders not just on the dancefloor, but in life as well. Ballroom has taught me to trust people, focus, smile more and stay positive, something no shrink and no pills have managed earlier. 
The other day I found another confirmation of all my conclusions, surprisingly enough while watching The Simpsons (not South Park) over morning coffee: apparently, the part of the brain responsible for learning dance steps is also responsible for anger. Studies show that people who can do the foxtrot are less likely to commit a double homicide. Which is probably pretty much what I'd feel like doing right now if it weren't for my countless hours of trainings and practice, so I can only be grateful for all those hip twists, promenades and turns as the most efficient means of fighting stress, anxiety and of course deadlines. 

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