Dancing, a contact sport?
Well, I always say that dance is a contact sport, and I was
speaking from my own experiences. You see, I live in Boise, Idaho.
While we do have “organized” dance associations that are great,
much of our dancing is in country honky tonks.
Picture this, me in ballroom dance shoes, on the floor with
dancing cowboy boots. Yes, scary, and I have lost a toenail or
two, dancing the Country Two Step, and had a few bruises along the
way, but I sure felt a bit better after watching Dancing with the
Stars tonight.
You see, even Gold Medalist, Misty Trainer, was injured while
dancing. Meaning I am not the only one getting beaten up on the
dance floor. It was a horrible injury and I felt so bad for her.
They were also showing injuries sustained by the pros. But once
again you hear someone say the worst part of the injury was that
she had to stop dancing.
So remember, while dancing is a contact sport, not all of the
contact is painful!
Happy Dancing,
Michele@learntoballroomdanceonline.com
I avoid some of those foot mishaps in the country taverns by wearing cowboy boots. I think some of the problems in the bars is when its get later, patrons become more inebriated and more clumsy. I actually find boots more comfortable than dance shoes as that’s all I had to wear when I started learning to dance.
As far as other types of contact, hmmmm……sometimes its more contact than I would like, particularly from the person I’m dancing with!
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My daughter and I are avid dancers–even have a dance every other week to teach and to enjoy by all. It is held in a country bar in Golden, Dolo. We live in Arvada a suburb of Denver. I tell you this so you will know it is no better in a large city. Denver is after all a real cow town. Sooo—we had a place to dance for a long time, rock and roll , ballroom, swing etc. BUT it went to rap –we had to find someplace else to go. After three years of almost no dancing I decided we had to go country or not ever dance again.
We did and have been wounded several times by the boots and the wide swing of the cowboy elbows and feet but none the less, we are dancing and have brought some, over to rock and roll and even the ballroom cha-cha.Right now my middle toe is killing me and after fridays’ dance I had to take advil to sleep.
BUT, aside from that I want you to know we did not change the way we dress. No cowboy boots or regala. We still wear our cocktail dresses-sequins and ruffles, short and sexey. Some of the regulars have gone to dresses and skirts but still wear the boots—bless their hearts.
At first, we were not at all appreciated, and were looked upon as really strange and a little show-offish—[imagine that]. but we survived and now these same, really nice people come to our dance to learn ballroom and jitterbug WOW–
also—thank you very much FOR THE LESSON ON MANNERS AT THE DANCE—WE ARE TRYING TO TEACH THIS AS WELL.
Thanks again—aggie156@gmail.com
LOVE—is all there is!!!
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Agnes, thank so much for you reply. I guess we aren’t the only “ballroom girls” gone country!
I have to laugh just a bit, because I, too had to take Advil last Friday night for a hurt toe. Not to mention, I danced so much my feet were killing me!
Cindy and I often show up in dresses, me always in ballroom shoes, Cindy sometimes shoes, sometimes boots! And like you, we have seen quite a few of the “country girls” starting to dress up, and even come to some of our dances……….which goes to show you, dancing is good for the soul! Not to mention the body and brain………..lol.
And I think you’re right……..those great cowboys and girls are actually now happy to see us!
I have friends in Boulder, if I ever get out that way we will have to go out dancing!
Happy Dancing,
Ras #1
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Hello Michele, My husband and I are a pair of those honky tonking dancers. We have had people follow us from place to place, just to watch us dance, take pictures of us and want to pencil us in on their calendars. We have been told we are not telling the truth when we confess that we are not professional dancers.
Although, in Tucson, Az we did take tango lessons. We had a ball.
I like your blog and I love to dance!
Shirley Bass
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