Our Epic First Dance Journey

Hey friends!

Life has been a whirlwind lately, ‘cause I just got hitched!! After a short hiatus from blogging due to the wedding festivities, I’m back in action and ready to give some deets on my favorite part of the wedding.

A Surprise Performance

Picture this, it’s the night of the wedding. My ~husband~ Eric and I are holding hands on the dance floor, looking into the eyes of our 130 guests. Our first dance as a married couple is about to commence. The DJ is having some tech issues, so I use this extra time to double knot my white Flux sneakers, fasten my hair tie, and take a deep breath. The anticipation from the audience is building.

Then we hear our song by the Talking Heads start to play. On cue, we strike a pose. Eric twirls me towards him so he is hugging me from behind. He then flings me out to his side, as we strut towards our crowd in unison. This is the moment when our family and friends realize they are watching a choreographed dance. Cheers erupt. For the next two minutes we danced, we dipped, and we dazzled 😊.

Secret Dance Lessons

Eric and I have been sneaking off to the local Fred Astaire dance studio to take lessons for the past few months. Now, full disclosure – I’m no dance prodigy.  The lifts came very naturally to me due to my Pilates training, but actually remembering the sequence of moves and getting out of my own head was another story. For some reason, I can easily remember five hours of Pilates choreography, yet remembering a two-minute dance sequence is like trying to recall an equation from 9th grade algebra.

Embracing the Beginner Status

This whole learning process reminded me of how awkward it can feel to be a “beginner.” During our first few dance lessons, I constantly fought the urge to apologize after every mess up. I ditched that mentality quickly, once I remembered what I tell my Pilates clients. I tell them that beginners are the best, and we need to wear our beginners badges as a sign of bravery. We are the ones who are embarking on an odyssey, choosing to leave our comfortable surroundings, and flinging ourselves into a world of unknown perils. Ok, that might be a little dramatic, but I am currently reading the Lord of The Rings series.

Keep on Keeping On

Anyway, all of those mistakes paid off and helped to create the most memorable moment from my wedding. So if you’re starting from scratch or making a comeback, keep going! As the wise Lao Tzu once said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Those steps might feel a little off beat at first, but trust me, you’ll find your groove soon. After our most recent dance lesson, I made a comment about being a beginner to our instructor. She then looked at me and said, “I don’t see a beginner here anymore.”

XOXO,

Check out my Instagram @pilates_by_nix for some more pics and videos from the big day!