Meeting Peabody
Dec. 14th, 2007 06:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
livingdebMan, you work at a place for seven years, and people start to think you're dedicated.
**
I finally saw Peabody, a ballroom dance I've heard described as "faster than quickstep." (If you're unfamiliar, quickstep is like foxtrot, only faster. And foxtrot is like waltz, only you pause on one step of every three so you can dance to four-beat songs.)
I went to a workshop on this yesterday, even though I'm still feeling a bit weak. But in the two decades I've been dancing, I've never noticed the opportunity to learn this, and who knows when I'll get another chance. Plus with other people learning, they will start asking me to dance with them because I am the person you ask if no one else wants to do a dance. Specifically, I felt quite sure that S. would be there. And he already told me he comes to me for all the fast dances. So, I had to go.
The first half was not scary at all. We did only "slow" steps. And most of the music was ragtime music, which I like. It's a bouncy dance, almost like you're happy or something. During the gallop, which is a series of 8 or maybe 4 quick steps, our instructor felt he had to explain to us that it's not supposed to be like you're psyching yourself up for it and giving out a sigh of relief when you're done. It's supposed to be more like you've suddenly decided to race your friend to the next lamppost. After that, D started opening his mouth and widening his eyes in an excited expression every time he led that step. Fun! (Also cheating, with that visual facial lead!)
Most of the dance never gets to true closed position and usually is in left- or right-side position, as if to accommodate someone with a rather large belly (such as, legend has it, Mr. Peabody). So it's good for pregnant people. Pregnant people with lots of energy.
At first we just learned Peabody versions of advanced foxtrot steps and how to stick a grapevine step in there. I quite liked the dance at that point. Then we learned the aforementioned gallop, double-time grapevines, and lock steps, which made everything a lot harder. Still, overall, I like it. (Especially when I have close-toed shoes.) Whew. I really didn't think I would.
**
I finally saw Peabody, a ballroom dance I've heard described as "faster than quickstep." (If you're unfamiliar, quickstep is like foxtrot, only faster. And foxtrot is like waltz, only you pause on one step of every three so you can dance to four-beat songs.)
I went to a workshop on this yesterday, even though I'm still feeling a bit weak. But in the two decades I've been dancing, I've never noticed the opportunity to learn this, and who knows when I'll get another chance. Plus with other people learning, they will start asking me to dance with them because I am the person you ask if no one else wants to do a dance. Specifically, I felt quite sure that S. would be there. And he already told me he comes to me for all the fast dances. So, I had to go.
The first half was not scary at all. We did only "slow" steps. And most of the music was ragtime music, which I like. It's a bouncy dance, almost like you're happy or something. During the gallop, which is a series of 8 or maybe 4 quick steps, our instructor felt he had to explain to us that it's not supposed to be like you're psyching yourself up for it and giving out a sigh of relief when you're done. It's supposed to be more like you've suddenly decided to race your friend to the next lamppost. After that, D started opening his mouth and widening his eyes in an excited expression every time he led that step. Fun! (Also cheating, with that visual facial lead!)
Most of the dance never gets to true closed position and usually is in left- or right-side position, as if to accommodate someone with a rather large belly (such as, legend has it, Mr. Peabody). So it's good for pregnant people. Pregnant people with lots of energy.
At first we just learned Peabody versions of advanced foxtrot steps and how to stick a grapevine step in there. I quite liked the dance at that point. Then we learned the aforementioned gallop, double-time grapevines, and lock steps, which made everything a lot harder. Still, overall, I like it. (Especially when I have close-toed shoes.) Whew. I really didn't think I would.