dancing as a way of life

[Rugby]

Isn't it cool that dancing has brought us all together, from all over the world.

[QPO]

Yes it is...and that the passion is world wide... I hope to dance forever with good luck...and good health....

[elisedance]

My work schedule revolves in large part on my dance practises and lessons.  Its actually the only way to do it as I can usually plan my work meetings a long time ahead whereas changing the latter is difficult.

[QPO]

Yes most things we do, revolves around our practice and lesson time..other things must fit it to that.

[cornutt]

Ah... one thing I like about weekends is I have more time to ponder the really good topics...

Here's a stream-of-consciousness answer: First, there's the physical health aspect.  In particular, for me, was that before I started dancing, I was having a lot of foot problems.  But in about eight years of dancing, I've only run into two foot issues, neither of which had to do with either dancing or general health.  (One was caused by a set of ill-fitting street shoes, the other by inhaling construction dust.)  In addition, my balance has improved, my overall level of muscle tone has improved.  I've been amazed at how dancing can "find" and work muscles that a gym full of Cybex machines doesn't touch. 

There are two aspects of my personality influenced by dance.  One was my artistic side.  However, the one that surprised me was the joy of motion and contact, which was a side of me that I never suspected even existed before I started dancing.  Also, it has made me a more socialable person.  I'm a lot more comfortable in a large group than I used to be. 

And our marriage has benefitted from it.  My DW and I have both learned a lot about each other, some of it not so good, but most of it good, and the not-so-good stuff we have been working on.  It's something we can do together, and be a team, that's just pure fun and doesn't involve daily support or maintenance functions. 

[QPO]

Yes I agree with you. Dancing has enriched our relationship. We used to work almost 24/7 for four years and during that time had no social life, it was just as wll we enjoyed each others company. We were a reasonably new relationship and most people knew me  being with someone else...

So I wanted to do something that people only knew us and nothing of the previous history so no judgments could be made. We have a wide range of friends now from diverse walks of life, which makes for great conversation.

On the relationship front it has brought us even closer together, as we work together about making our dancing better. We acknowledge our weaknesses and work on them and praise the ones that do well. It is a journey and so far we enjoy the journey.

[SwingWaltz]

My work schedule revolves in large part on my dance practises and lessons.  Its actually the only way to do it as I can usually plan my work meetings a long time ahead whereas changing the latter is difficult.

You mean dancing comes before work?

[elisedance]

well, they fight it out may be a better way to put it.
After all, I work at any time (day night) so why should I not schedule my dancing as necessary?

[QPO]

Work comes first when I am there as it pays for me to be able to dance, but in my free time everything must revolved around the dancing. Each time we dance it is a practice for a comp....and we need all the practice we can get....Other people think we are obsessive perhaps (except the dancer friends) but we are enjoying it. It is our way of life.

[StageKat]

There is not one single tiny aspect of my life that has not been effected by dancing... 99% of the change has been for nothing but better.

[QPO]

dancing is something that  fills the space when others things have finished. ie work, or home commitments. I do them really quickly to give dancing the most time it gives me the most satisfaction

[TangoDancer]

Dancing truly is a way of life. I tell my students, always, to find what the dance does for them... why they are here, and seek to achieve that through the dancing. Then is when dancing becomes an all-inclusive part of their lives.

[elisedance]

and here I would go beyond you TD I use dancing in my thinking - and I have do do a lot of the latter.  There is a natural swing step rise and fall to thinking too - you can use the energy form one idea to bring you to insights on others.... same thing goes for anything you do - I use dance in music now as much perhaps as I use music in dance....

Dancing isn't exactly a way of life it can actually become life....

[Bordertangoman]

and here I would go beyond you TD I use dancing in my thinking - and I have do do a lot of the latter.  There is a natural swing step rise and fall to thinking too - you can use the energy form one idea to bring you to insights on others.... same thing goes for anything you do - I use dance in music now as much perhaps as I use music in dance....

Dancing isn't exactly a way of life it can actually become life....

hmmmm.....