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Showing Up to Dance

By Thomas Stastny

There are plenty of clichés out there telling us to be proactive in our lives; nothing will happen if we don’t make it happen. However, that isn’t always the case. One of my professors ended the semester with this piece of advice: “Ninety percent of life is just showing up.” Be there and see what happens. I had never heard that sentiment before, and the weekend of July 4th provided an unexpected demonstration of it.

Whether competitive or social, I always enjoy an opportunity to dance. During that holiday weekend, however, dancing was the furthest thing from my mind. On July 4th I went down to the Stone Arch Bridge to watch the fireworks. While walking across the bridge, I ran into Seth, Hannah, and Alex, fellow members of the University of Minnesota Ballroom Dance Club competition team. We continued crossing the bridge together and headed over to the music stage, which featured a live band performing for a sizable crowd.

In that moment, we picked an open spot right next to the stage and decided to dance to each song, switching partners in between. This was not a competitive dance floor; it was uneven grass and dirt, and we danced barefoot or in tennis shoes. But it didn’t matter. We were caught up in the moment as we danced rumba, mambo, and hustle.

That brief encounter was one of the highlights of the entire weekend. It was the first time I thought deeply about my professor’s advice, which has since become part of my own outlook. Looking back, I realize I've missed several other opportunities. I’ve been dancing competitively for two years and have social danced at a few studios in the Twin Cities area, but there were many more instances, whether visiting family at home or a friend’s house, when I could have danced but didn't. This wasn't necessarily because I didn’t want to but because I didn’t even consider the possibility. But now, with my professor in mind, I know there is always an opportunity to dance; I just have to be there. Like he said, anything can happen.

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