Many years ago I went to dancing class – in fact it was the Thursday late class in the local church hall. Very exciting stuff when you go to an all girls school. All the boys would line up on one side of the room, girls on the other. There was a truly agonising moment when you were not sure who you would get to dance with. The worst possible outcome was having to be partnered with the instructor. Absolutely uncool as a 16 years old girl.
Tonight I went along to Wolfson College for a salsa lesson. Perfect solution to what had been a long day. Oh my goodness! Nothing has changed. I still have two left feet and an inability to make my hips wiggle independently of the rest of my body and the girls and boys still line up on opposite sides of the room.
The last decade or more has reaped some benefits – the boys were less awkward about where to place their hands and I was not so worried about being uncool. Being able to laugh and enjoy being silly has to be one of the great benefits of our thirties.
While it was great fun I am not so sure I will be heading back to refine my hip wiggling anytime soon. I have no doubt that Cambridge will provide another new thing to try tomorrow that will generate just as much laughter.
