dance... and other things...

when i was in my teens, my parents separated.  my mother became depressed but it didn't last for long and i have marvin gaye to thank for that.  somehow, some way my mother either bought or was given the entire marvin gaye music collection.  on friday nights, my mother would throw on her cds, sip on some brown juice and relax.  eventually those friday nights became dance nights for us.  it started with her showing me how to do the "hitch hike".  after that, we had a new routine on fridays, she'd throw on the marvin and we'd move to "pride and joy", "stubborn kind of fellow", "hitch hike", and "grape vine".


1st thing saturday morning my mother called.  she was frantic.  one of her locs popped and she was ready to cut off her hair, which is midway to her waist. she had no idea where the loc broke off from but she screamed in the phone "if you don't get here with a solution, i'm taking the scissors to my head, i swear". i knew she was lying, just peeved that her hair was breaking so i went over to her place.  after washing and treating her hair, she was happy again.  so with that, i threw on some marvin gaye, grabbed my mom and we hit the living room floor.

it wasn't easy.  my mother didn't want to dance.  half way through the 1st song and she was done.  by the end of the 2nd song, she went to shut off the stereo.  i danced the 3rd song by myself and she joined me for the 4th and 5th songs.  we twirled and dipped.  i grabbed her around the waist and we joined hands for one number but then she pushed me away so she could dance solo.  it was great to see my mom move and laugh and have fun.

when i was prompted by my sister KayC to dance on national day of dance (july 31st), i eagerly agreed, not really realizing that i ain't as young as my heart feels and my body is slightly stiff from inactivity. after dancing those 5 songs, all i wanted was a shower and two motrin.

my homie CB is my party partner.  hip-hop, r&b, reggae, soca - i can count on her to be my dance companion.  it just so happens that my partner is home recovering from surgery.  we read KayC's baila! post together last monday and she touted her lips as she told me that i can't go dancing because she can't go dancing.  i laughed at her as i facebooked my homie from high school who wanted someone to join her at  club fantasy on saturday.

as i finished errands on saturday and had a moment to rest my bones, i got a text from CB "urgh i'm bored".   as much as i'm cool with my high school friend, she's not my ace. CB also has the best soca music collection.  so i put on my black leggings, my hot pink shirt and my sensible sandals and headed to CB's.  i promised to bring her some walter mosley books, some sparkling moscato and i picked up some cod fish fritters and ginger beer to cheer her up.  as soon as i walked in the door, i asked her to throw on the soca cd with the song where the woman sings about deep sea diving... all CB could do was chair dance but me, her mom and her dad whine up and whine dung low all tru deh living room.  we danced and sweated, sipped some moscato and ate and then we danced and sweated some more.

sundays are my usual dance days... and so the pahty continued last night with caribbean fever... i thank my sister KayC who double-dared me! i released a lot this weekend and dancing was my instrument!