The Dance Primer

Today we conclude with Emily Potter’s salsa dancing story, The Other Cinderella. Don’t forget to read Parts I and II of her wonderful story…

“I’d like to go soon,” my friend said. “Yeah, me too,” I replied. “I work early tomorrow so I have to be in bed by midnight.”

Two hours, and not one dance. My gold slippers started to whimper. Of course it didn’t help that this was a birthday party of a woman who competes professionally. The attending dancers were all of her professional dance friends who have known each other for years.

And then, only minutes before we left, he asked me to dance. I would love to tell you that I met dreamy Jose’ who shot piercing passion down my spine. Instead, I was a charity dance. My other friend had gone up to him, pointed to me and said to him, “Will you dance with my friend Emily?” He rolled his “I guess I can do her a favor” eyes and reached out his hand.

“Oh, you really don’t have to,” I smiled and shook my head slightly. He said nothing, but made an insistent gesture with his hands implying that if we were going to do this, we might as well begin.

So we danced. He started out basic, wondering if I would be able to keep up. By mid dance, we were full force inertia experiments. He twirled me, dipped me, spun me and rocked me. There was one point where I looked in his eyes and saw exactly what I wanted to see. “Hmm, not bad,” they said.

It was raining as my friend and I ran across the wet streets to the car. Inside, I reached down to feel my left shoe.

In a far far away castle, Cinderella has just been to the ball. The clock has struck midnight and the spell has broken. Back at the castle, her glass slipper is delicately carressed by the handsome prince, who is determined to find the lovely maiden he danced with that evening.

My prince shot across the room as soon as our song was over. I got to bed two minutes before midnight, realizing that my shoe strap was broken beyond repair.

But I got to be Cinderella for that three minute song. He made me fly. And my shoes died perfectly happy.

The End

*Photo by Dan Kamminga on Flickr.