My friend Sarah has been asking me to go Blues dancing for over a year and I keep saying no because why add one more arena for rejection and/or failure into my life? I also kind of thought Blues dancing would be dancing to that blue babade babada song repeatedly and that is so not my idea of a fun Friday night. Once she explained that that song isn't even in the Blues genre (I KNOW), I agreed to join her.
Let me give you a crash course on Blues. Once upon a time humans were the worst and they thought slavery was cool. Spoiler alert. It wasn't. When Abraham Lincoln had finally had enough of that crap, a lot of newly freed slaves still had trouble finding work because of discrimination and a guy named Jim Crow. One way to earn extra money was playing Blues music for tips after working a regular job.
Blues dance refers to the dances that go with Blues music. But it's a specific style developed around that specific genre of music. You can't just put on some B.B. King, do they hokey pokey, turn yourself around and call it Blues.
Apparently Blues dancers interpret the music and come up with extemporaneous (like an improv group but less annoying) moves that match. I have been dancing for years (Dance Marathon, hello), and I SWEAR I thought dance was just repeating the sprinkler and jazz hands until you needed a water break. Who knew? Blues isn't steps you memorize. Which makes it terrifying for me. There are Blues moves and a Blues aesthetic but this ain't the Macarena.
My Blues instructor, Sarah, told me that Blues dancing is like a conversation between the music, the dancers and the ground. But she doesn't mean falling. Blues is centered on something called grounding which is NOT the same as grinding. Grounding means that your motions are angled or connected downwards which marks Blues as an African-derived dance unlike more European upward lifts. I am in no shape to be lifted so this was a relief.
As much as I was tempted to wear a skirt or dress that would flare out dramatically when I spun, I put on some leggings (because chaffing) and a top and we headed out. When we first got to the Triangle Dance Studio that RDU Blues takes over every Friday night from 8 to midnight, I began phase 1: Recon. I sat with Sarah and watched the other dancers while she explained some simple things I could do to not look like a complete idiot.
She also assured me that I could say no at any time if someone asked me to dance and I felt uncomfortable. Has she met me? I am physically incapable of rejecting someone in this manner. Luckily I didn't have to because not many people asked me to dance.
I did have a contingency plan in place. I imagined that should someone ask me to dance I would either calmly explain that it was my first time and I was nervous or frantically shout that I had tuberculosis, and we shouldn't risk it. I was feeling almost ready to ask Sarah to dance with me when someone else asked her to dance. It was a real Blues triangle, but I let her go. Now I was a sitting duck. Immediately the DJ asked me to dance, and he seemed so nice so before I could think of an excuse I said yes. I think I did pretty solid that first dance, and I asked Sarah for some critiques after, and she said that I could stand to relax a bit.
I could stand to relax a bit in all aspects of life, so I decided I was crushing it. I danced with someone else, and then finally it was my turn with the studio owner. An absolutely precious older gentleman who is in way better shape than me. He was spinning gals around the floor with the gusto of a young Patrick Swayze. I felt the need to explain that it was my first time so I wouldn't embarrass myself in front of this Blues aficionado. He asked why I had never come before, and the only response I could give was that I'm type A.
We ended the night with minimal casualties, and I really think I will go back. Especially if they give me the aux cord. Blues isn't my fave, but I could play some Hadestown and Delta Rae. Local bands get local dances.
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