Belly dance beats the c@#$ out of allergies

I know that I had willingly offered to teach class this past weekend, despite my original plans. However, I was quite a grump in the afternoon when I realized I wouldn't have a relaxing evening, but had to get up and off the couch and go teach. To say that I was less than enthused doesn't even hit the mark. I'll blame it mainly on my allergies which are really driving me crazy this past weekend. Never mind that I've been cleaning out closets and the utility room (double yuck), vacuuming rugs out on the driveway and all the while forgetting to take my allergy medicine. It couldn't be my fault that my nose is congested, running, itchy and sneezing. It wasn't my fault that I just wanted to lay on the couch all evening, right?

I grudgingly packed up my dance bag and headed out, trying all the while to mentally map out what I wanted to work on. I thought we may have a small class, but I wasn't completely sure. I've talked before about how much effort it is at times to go do dance events, but once you're there it is all worth it. Well, teaching is no exception to that rule. The closer I got to the studio the more uplifted I felt. Even if I had only one student out that night, I was excited and ready to start the year off.

This time last year, I had just started up my intermediate classes on a regular basis. We had a space to dance in that had many disadvantages and never really felt that warm and welcoming. I had picked that spot based on availability and proximity alone. After that location closed I had to look elsewhere and found the perfect new home. We have a beautiful, warm and charming dance space that is often filled with the excitement and enthusiasm of young girls and teenagers taking ballet, jazz and cheerleader classes. It's as girly as girly can get. And, on Sunday evenings we have the space all to ourselves, to behave more, hmmm womanly perhaps!

I had a nice full class, with one new student and one returning student that I haven't seen for months. We worked on incorporating breath and movement, improvisational dance, and a short choreography. We stretched, we shimmied, we butt-bounced and all the while, my nose and allergies behaved. Really, it was like Cinderella at the ball, except in my case I didn't lose the glass slipper at midnight but I did regain the stuffy nose after the evening ended. My prince may not be waiting tonight, but the Benadryl is!