Bustin' the Moves in Blarney

Every Tuesday evening, the instructor for my step and set dancing classes organizes a group of students to attend a trad music session in the neighbouring town of Blarney. And every first Tuesday of the month, this Blarney pub that hosts the music session also hosts a variety show. Singing, dancing, storytelling, and free food: what could make it better?

Let me tell you.

1. A couple weeks back, I discovered that my dance instructor toured with Riverdance. Not surprisingly, our jaws all drop to watch her dance. I wonder how her feet do not get tangled. Well, not only can she rock the step dance, but she can also rock the fiddle...while simultaneously rocking the step dance.

2. My friend was adamant that she would not dance. First thing that evening, the host has everyone stand up and form two circles. I and another friend drag Adamantly Not Going to Dance into the circle. She is shooting us apprehensive glares when the host tells us not to worry, it's an easy dance, and starts the music. I'm all ready for some exotic stepping. Nope. The Hokey Pokey is what it's all about. Never has such a group had so much fun.

3. Traditional Irish music.

4. Line dancing. Even when 4/5 of the dance floor does not know the line dance.

5. Dancing the complete reel learned in step class: for an audience. Armed with my purple Converse, rusty memory, and fellow classmates to either side, I was determined to go for it. We did the reel twice: the first was a lot of bunny hopping, accidental swearing, and talking to myself. The second went much better.

We stayed in Blarney until after midnight. Based on this girl's track record, you'd think she'd be done and scheduling extended nap time by that point. Not so. After dozing off in the van back to Cork (and waking up to briefly wonder whether she was on the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland--driving is that intense), wymana agreed to an impromptu belly dance session with two friends.

Belly dance is very much about the hips. This presents a small problem: What are these hips you speak of? I have to move them? Based on previous line dance experiences (namely the Cupid Shuffle), I didn't expect too much from myself. In fact, I was just like, this ain't gonna work. But the belly dance session was a lot of fun and I'm so glad I tried it.The next morning, muscles I never even knew existed were sore. Hips really don't lie.