Spirits of Rhythm

Coming to terms with the rhythms of women's lives means coming to terms with life itself...
-- Margaret Mead

Friday, February 5, 1999
One year ago: Lindy Basics

I had proposed a short while back that Jack's older daughter A---- might want to come to the First Friday dance this month, the one that's always put on by the Savoy Swing Club. It's always a fun all-ages event, but February's dance was featuring Casey MacGill and the Spirits of Rhythm, a very good band! I'd last heard them on New Year's Eve and enjoyed them very much. I knew that Jack would enjoy the music even if he couldn't get into the dancing. She was eager to come, and decided to bring a friend.

So they picked me up at about a quarter to seven and we drove down to Belltown. We stopped on the way at the KFC drive-through for a snack, since I hadn't eaten and we had the time. Jack and I each got a chicken barbecue sandwich (I found mine tolerable; Jack found that his didn't really agree with him, poor guy!) and the girls split a kid's meal because they wanted the pokemon toy included. I don't know what the toy was, exactly, but they were disappointed that it was made of cardboard.

The dance was being held in Belltown, at the Carpenters' Hall, a union-hall type of place. I'd been there before, at a Friday night Practice in the spring of 1998. We were there early enough to get a parking place in the lot right in front of the building. We were also there early enough to pitch in and help with the preparations. The room was still set with folding chairs which we needed to move to the sides of the room. The extra ones were folded up and placed in a side area.

We all took part in the beginners' lesson. A---- and her friend were giggly and silly at first, then settled down. A---- thinks she knows more about dancing than she really does, so sometimes she doesn't pay enough attention. I didn't put myself in the position of keeping tabs on her, though. That way lies madness.

I often like to do the pre-dance lesson myself, even though I know the steps just fine. It's a good way to find out who can dance among a group of new people! Jack seemed to be bearing up pretty well as I peeked at him from across the circle, laughing and smiling, but this might have been a stress reaction.

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There was a very good crowd by the time the band started, with lots of familiar faces and some new ones. I talked with Tony, a dancer and teacher in Tacoma (I met him at the Rush Hour Jam a few weeks ago) and saw Keith from Oregon, too. As I danced with various folks, I trolled for partners for A--- and her friend. I knew if they had a good time, it would increase my chances of getting Jack out dancing again! I did dance with Jack once or twice. I'm sure he's much more self-conscious dancing with me than with anyone else. I saw him getting asked to dance once, at the beginning of the evening. The rest of the time he was sitting, partly sheltered by the folded-up room divider, "thinking about stuff." He did enjoy the band (and I bought their newly-released CD). They play a variety of styles and tempos.

We left around eleven o'clock. I'd have stayed until the end if I'd been on my own, but I really enjoyed having Jack and A---- there with me. I liked it that Jack had a chance to see what a dancing evening is like for me. He and A----- had been with me at Two-Tone Tuesday in December, but that was a unique scene. A----- said she'd like to take swing dance lessons on a regular basis, but it would need to be a place on the east side for Jack to be able to take her there conveniently. She does have a record of starting an activity, then wimping out or losing interest, so making a large investment wouldn't be a good idea.