dancing as a way of life

[elisedance]

This was stimulated by PDO's 'training' topic but goes, I think much further. 

In what ways do you find dancing to invade/affect/improve your life? 

I find its everywhere - its going to take many posts - and I hope this helps me identify many things that I had not thought of.

I'll start with PDO!!  Look what this place has done - and I would never have the chance to correspond with you gorgeous lot without getting into dance...

[Dora-Satya Veda]

I would never have traveled the world like I did/do if it wasn't for the dancing. I have seen more countries and cultures then most people do in their lifetime. It is wonderful to meet so many wonderful people from all over the world and all because of dancing.

[Dora-Satya Veda]

I would never even have considered moving to the US if it wasn't for dancing.

[Medira]

I have met some of the most amazing personalities through dancing.  People from all walks of life with incredible experiences to share, from all over (for now, primarily) North America, whom I would never have encountered had I not taken up ballroom.

[ttd]

I think it brought out creative part of my personality, which I would have never discovered otherwise.

[emeralddancer]

dance has made me become more positive. through the people I have met, has taught me to be more tolerant (for lack of a better word) of each others differences, has taught me to be more self aware and aware of my surroundings, has gotten me into volunteering, will re-visit this.

good post Elise

[Rugby]

Dancing has caused the worse times in my life and my best.  Right now it is one of the things that is helping me through a bleak time in my life.

[catsmeow]

Dancing helped me find a partner I would stay with for a lifetime. She is the reason I dance.

[Rugby]

Dancing helped me find a partner I would stay with for a lifetime. She is the reason I dance.

Thats how I feel too catsmeow.

[QPO]

I find my reasons for my love of dancing the same as describing love of your partner. It is the whole experience, of the music, the company, the execution....when they all align it is pure joy....and we strive for that each time

[elisedance]

I gravitated to dance by an inner instinct that those around me thought was absurd - and if you had seen me when I started you would have agreed.  I have no idea why I took this up or why I continued, as for many of us here there is an inner urge to dance that is so deep it is, I think, futile to try to  figure it out.  But the outcome has affected I think every single part of my life.  Its made me physically fit, its provided me with a 'second life' outside my work - and I think saved me mentally when the latter was going very badly indeed.  When I dance I can not think of anything but the dance.  There's the people - such a diversity, (the dance bug does not have a personality filter!);  The studios, time spent early in the morning alone, with partner or coach, with the sunlight filtering in;  The music, which goes to my bones; The competitions - preparing, dresses makeup, performing, competing, loosing, winning, whiining, celebrating, getting better and worse, the comararderie even the stickers and trophies ;  The physical challenge - getting an older body to perform to a young standard; The heady and the heartbreaking - achieving beyond any expectations, working through injury.  Endless - and thats just the dance side.  It will take another post to touch on the impact of dance on the rest of my life.

But I come down to the one and most important thing - dance has given me an outlet for artistic expression.  For me all the training and everything else boils down to that one thing.  As I get more skills I acquire more tools to express.  It really all boils down to a way to express using my whole body and soul.  Indeed, if I could not do that I would no longer dance....

I've always had a need for some artistic outlet and have tried a lot of different forms from painting to music. 

[Bordertangoman]

I have eaten alot of Pannetonne

[Lioness]

Dance has given me confidence and the chance to get to know my DP better. Before he was just the nerdy kid at school who always knew everything and wasn't afraid to show it. Therefore, people didn't like him. I'm so glad I got to know him as a really good friend.

[elisedance]

Dance has given me confidence and the chance to get to know my DP better. Before he was just the nerdy kid at school who always knew everything and wasn't afraid to show it. Therefore, people didn't like him. I'm so glad I got to know him as a really good friend.

then it seems it has also made you a better human being too...

[malakawa]

I would never have traveled the world like I did/do if it wasn't for the dancing. I have seen more countries and cultures then most people do in their lifetime. It is wonderful to meet so many wonderful people from all over the world and all because of dancing.

I would never even have considered moving to the US if it wasn't for dancing.

like i am writing this myself.