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| photo courtesy Johan De Vits |
It had been five months since Shashi started going for salsa classes once a week. The classes were near her home, and she had always loved dancing. Now that she was separated from the children's father, she actually had some time for herself as he kept the children one week out of two. Moving her body had been something that had always kept her mentally strong, and she felt great after each class.
Sure, the transition from being at home every evening with her family to getting herself out there had been easier for her than for other people she met who were also divorced or separated. Indeed, she connected easily with most people, as she'd always been extroverted. She loved coming to the class, saying 'hello' to everyone and lining up with the women. The teacher usually would have his female assistant stand in the centre of the line of the women, while he stood in the centre of the group of men that faced the women. The dancers were being taught steps that would follow later in the right order. The men and women were just not yet touching each other.
Shashi knew that in a few weeks they would be doing moves that involved touch, and something in her wondered how she'd feel about those new sensations. She'd been loyal to her ex, and the idea of dancing close to another man hadn't even occurred to her in all the years she'd been married. Now, here she was in these new circumstances. Life had brought to her, or rather, she had chosen. Yes, she corrected her thought process. This was a decision she had made. A step she had taken to get to know who she was now.
As the music played on and she heard the teacher count the steps, Shashi searched for herself in the mirrored wall that was behind the line of men. She smiled as she found herself amongst all the movement, fixed on her own gaze, and twirled to the beat. She revelled in the joy of the music and in her heightened self awareness.
As the music played on intensely, Shashi suddenly woke up in a cold sweat. 'Oh, that was a dream!' she thought. She sighed in relief, as the very idea of going and dancing in a couples dance studio worried her. She was afraid of all the eyes on her and all the fingers pointing at her. What the neighbours would say, what the relatives would say, and what she still thought mattered to her. She longed for the freedom to do what she wanted but found herself locked in her closed-mindedness. "Maybe it's time to change a bit," said Shashi to herself as she got off the bed and walked to the bathroom.It had been five months since Shashi started going for salsa classes once a week. The classes were near her home, and she had always loved dancing. Now that she was separated from the children's father, she actually had some time for herself as he kept the children one week out of two. Moving her body had been something that had always kept her mentally strong, and she felt great after each class.
Sure, the transition from being at home every evening with her family to getting herself out there had been easier for her than for other people she met who were also divorced or separated. Indeed, she connected easily with most people, as she'd always been extroverted. She loved coming to the class, saying 'hello' to everyone and lining up with the women. The teacher usually would have his female assistant stand in the centre of the line of the women, while he stood in the centre of the group of men that faced the women. The dancers were being taught steps that would follow later in the right order. The men and women were just not yet touching each other.
Shashi knew that in a few weeks they would be doing moves that involved touch, and something in her wondered how she'd feel about those new sensations. She'd been loyal to her ex, and the idea of dancing close to another man hadn't even occurred to her in all the years she'd been married. Now, here she was in these new circumstances. Life had brought to her, or rather, she had chosen. Yes, she corrected her thought process. This was a decision she had made. A step she had taken to get to know who she was now.
As the music played on and she heard the teacher count the steps, Shashi searched for herself in the mirrored wall that was behind the line of men. She smiled as she found herself amongst all the movement, fixed on her own gaze, and twirled to the beat. She revelled in the joy of the music and in her heightened self awareness.
As the music played on intensely, Shashi suddenly woke up in a cold sweat. 'Oh, that was a dream!' she thought. She sighed in relief, as the very idea of going and dancing in a couples dance studio worried her. She was afraid of all the eyes on her and all the fingers pointing at her. What the neighbours would say, what the relatives would say, and what she still thought mattered to her. She longed for the freedom to do what she wanted but found herself locked in her closed-mindedness. "Maybe it's time to change a bit," said Shashi to herself as she got off the bed and walked to the bathroom.
#dreams #salsaclasses #whatwillpeoplesay #thewallswebuild
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