I probably don’t strike you as an outstanding dancer. But I have had my moments.
Possibly, the most unusual was strewing “rose petals” across the floor of Towson University’s gym in tights. I had read in the paper that the U of Maryland’s football team was taking modern dance in improve the players’ balance and performance. I figured that might be a tool that would improve my wrestling. So, I asked around and found there was a modern dance course available to me. But it was 100% women. Did I really want to join?
Sure. Why not? In junior high, I was told I could select from the list of afternoon clubs. I looked it over and thought dramatics would be a fun choice. It was held in room 123. I went there and took a seat. I felt a wave of curiosity pass around the room as I did so but I didn’t have any reason to pay attention to it. Reason is a good guide and I ignored the feeling. We were asked to select some sort of silent performance we could do and perform it when our turn came. During my turn, I went to the front of the room and tried to portray an elderly sad man all alone in the world. I don’t remember the class showing much interest in the lonely fellow. At the end of the class, the teacher took me aside and said she thought that since I was the only male in the class, it might be better if I found a different club. I wound up in the audio-visual club, showing movies on projectors.
In college, I choose elementary education for curricular reasons without a clue that manly men generally chose history, a subject that bored me cross-eyed. I found that many of my classes were all women and me. I like women so I didn’t mind.
I thought I might wow my fellow wrestlers with my newfound grace so I did join the modern dance class. We spent time prancing across the floor in a graceful (see?) gallop, reaching gracefully into our imaginary basket and gracefully strewing imaginary rose petals across the floor, very gracefully.
I did wow the other guys but it was my bravery and the shapes of my fellow dancers that got to them. They had heard about my new practice and filled the bleachers high about us. They actually snickered at me, when they could take their eyes off the other dancers.
