A recital

I recently dragged Mr. Silvershoes to a show at the dance studio at which I've been studying ballroom. It was basically an adult recital, primarily with teachers partnered with students. The range of abilities varied from not so much to phenomenal, and we didn't even stay for the whole show. A few notables:

• A lady who looked a great deal like my 80-year-old grandmother and performed not one but two dances, Tango and Swing. Her movement was restricted, but the spirit was there, and the crowd loved it. She had great legs, too. When she started into the Swing you could almost see her back in the 40's. (Someone in the audience actually called out "You go, girl!")
• A Cha Cha and Rumba in the International style by a great young couple. Oddly, although the lady looked quite good in the Rumba, I got the impression that she was far less comfortable performing it than the Cha Cha.
• An International Waltz by a male student and a professional, Milana Pliner. Ms. Pliner was lovely in the waltz, but she very much had the look of a Latin dancer doing Standard.
• Another International Waltz by a male student and a professional, this time with Viktoria Belova. Although standing next to each other Ms. Belova and Ms. Pliner have similar styles (clothing choices, hairstyles), they dance quite differently. Ms. Belova was sublime in the waltz, smooth, flowing, and totally without affectation. She and her partner Eddie Stutts recently placed 6th in International Standard at the Ohio Star Ball, so we should get to see them when that event is televised on PBS in early February 2006.

Watching all the dancers made me itch to be up there performing. I haven't performed since August, and I'm not currently in rehearsal for anything. I think I'm suffering from withdrawal....

Damn, it's hard to stayed seated when "Great Balls of Fire" comes on.