Even though I quit the Northwest Dance board, I still have this mission to bring dance to all and sundry. So, I thought why not throw a dance practice party where beginners get a chance to try out their moves and feel welcomed into the community?

John and I have been T.A.ing for beginning swing dance classes, so at the class party, we tracked down as many of the beginners as we could and invited them. Then we invited friends who have a tangential interest in dance, and dance buddies. It was a nice mix of people all game to try dancing.

We had a delicious potluck. (Cultural side note: In the Seattle I grew up in, potlucks had excellent food. People brought their show stopping dishes. That has slid somewhat, especially with school potlucks and parents coming straight from work, but this was back to the old standards.)

Then John and I gave a lesson. It was our first time teaching a large group, so it did not go as smoothly as I would have liked. I'm still trying to figure out what exactly do I do with my hand for an inside turn, I don't know how long to have people dance before moving on to the next person, etc. But, everybody mingled, had fun, and it was good practice for us because we are going to teach the dance class for the school sock hop on Saturday.

Then everybody danced. The kids danced. The kids went to bed. Everybody kept dancing. And they all left by 9:00. We are definitely going to do it again.