First, it helps to know left from right
By Chuck Doud
The Madera Tribune
I thought the dance craze would be over by now, but it seems it is just getting started.
Dance shows are proliferating on television, and dancing teachers are getting more customers than they know what to do with.
A lot of those who are dancing are people who just a few years ago were jogging or running. The football player Emmitt Smith, who not so far back was running down sidelines dragging two or three tacklers behind him, last year was whirling around the dance floor on “Dancing With the Stars,” with professional dancer Cheryl Burke hanging on to him and whispering to him where he should put his feet. Most of the time, he did what she told him.
Now, a whole new set of dancers is sweeping across the ballroom, and Mrs. Doud is their biggest fan. She hardly ever watches television, but when the dancers are doing their stuff, you better not get between her and the TV.
I always thought it would be nice to learn to dance like Emmitt and Cheryl, but about all I can do is bump into the other dancers. I think I also embarrass Mrs. Doud, who is a pretty good dancer in her own right.
I do attempt free-form dancing, that a lot of rock ’n’ roll fans enjoy. For example, I used to be able to do the Twist, but now it makes me dizzy, and it soon turns into the Stumble.
The real ballroom dancers are getting into the dances which have “structure.” Dances like waltzes, fox-trots, salsas, rumbas and tangos all have great discipline and build smoothness and grace.
Of course, it helps when you know the difference between your left foot and your right, which is where my problems begin.
