In my recent post about how we've been celebrating birthdays, I mentioned dancing in the park. AND I think once before in one of my "EA Faves" posts I talked about it there as well. That was in a different city though, where the "night life" is a little more young, hip, and techno-y.
Here it seems so much more.... cultural-y.
The majority of the people dancing there are a little older than the typical techno dancing crazies in other places.... not all, but more than not.
In the middle of the dancing area, people do lots of different fancy waltz ballroom-y dances that progressively move in circles, and it is so lovely! Everyone is so warm and friendly, and happy to help a poor foreigner learn to dance.
This lady taught Janessa for a while....
While Hannah waltzed around and around with this sweet, sweet old man. Even though she really couldn't communicate with him at all, it was so sweet to see them smiling together as he gave her a great lesson. I might tear up if I think about it for long.
So while everyone waltzes around in the middle, small groups of people {mostly ladies} do choreographed dances on the sides. I call them line dances {as everyone stands in lines and does the same thing over and over}, but I'm reluctant to call them that for fear of it being interpreted as The Boot Scootin Boogie, Watermelon Crawl, or Electic Slide. What they do is so much more graceful and beautiful.
One woman stands at the front of each group and "leads," but most of the women already know all of the dances. Every song has its own dance. Each one consists of 3 - 5 sets of 8-counts, so while it isn't as easy as picking up the electric slide, you can eventually join along.
Which I did.....
{Thats me there in the back left- you know the one that doesn't look quite as Asian}
I really love it.
At first I feel a little insecure... Knowing they must be thinking, "What is that crazy WaiGuoRen {foreigner} doing thinking she can do this traditional EAian dance with us? Is she mocking us?!" and then I just lose myself in the music and the steps {cheese louise- totally just Friends referenced that one in my head... "I'm boring!?!? Oh Chandler I just lost myself in a MOMENT"} and float right along with them.
But as this picture shows, I will always be a foreigner and like everything else in life here, not get it quite right. That's okay, that's how we did it in years and years of ballet in America. I know you like my little coupe' there.
No worries. When it was done I came back to earth and returned to normal with my friends.....
Crazy Foreigners.
ps - Would love any DSLR no-flash nighttime picture taking tips. Adam took the last half that are not as grainy after being edited. Please pass on any helpful advice!
Joyfully Dancing,
