It Don't Mean A Thing, If It Ain't Got That Swing

-by Carmen Champagne

I think there area lot of people like me out there who harbor a little secret spot inside them that yearns to learn to dance. The reasons are different for everyone, I’m sure. But for me it was that scene in the movie, Swingers. Mike, the more contemplative friend of the swinging bunch, was so busy hanging onto his old, less than desirable relationship that the art of meeting someone new was proving to be nothing short of disastrous for him. Watching the infamous telephone answering machine scene literally makes me cringe for him, no matter how many times I see it.

But at the end of the film, Mike takes another shot at a relationship by making conversation with a quite fetching young woman named Lorraine whom he meets at a swing dance lounge. An easy conversation develops between them and he accepts her invitation to a slow dance on the dance floor. And no sooner does the couple begin to move than the band finishes playing the slow song and jumps right into a catchy, faster number.

Here it is: Lorraine looks him in the eye and makes no move to get off the dance floor. She wants to keep dancing. You can feel the mental anguish that Mike is going through.

Will he blow it?

Again?

But son of a gun, he can dance! And he proceeds to swing, twirl and move his girl—along with his luck—around. His friends watch in amazement from the sidelines, mouths agape. And finally, the good guy lets go of the past.

The result?

He gets the good girl.

So admittedly, I have a crush on Mike. I’m a sucker for a thinking man, anyway. And if I ever found myself on the dance floor with one such fellow, wouldn’t it be great if Iwas up to speed, too?

I recently started working as a communications specialist here at Fred Astaire headquarters. That’s when it became officially ridiculous that I still had not enrolled in dance lessons. But that all changed last month when I signed on for six lessons at my local Fred Astaire Dance Studio. Being a thinking gal, I thought, gosh, if it took me this long to get off my duff and follow through on making my secret desire a reality, how many others are out there not taking the (literal) steps to do so as well? Maybe I should document my lessons somehow; to show everyone else that they should try it, too. And my idea was conceived…

This Friday,January 13^th, Fred Astaire Franchised Dance Studios proudly presents, Champagne Social; a six-part internet video series following yours truly as I learn to swing, rhumba, tango and cha, cha, cha from the pros.

Stay tuned for my adventures in the world of dance lessons!