The Other Side of the Mirror

As I type, M, valiant spouse of Purplestate, is competing against hundreds of others in a dance contest.  Hold your horses, there, petey.  This isn't nothing to be ashamed of (as if you have any shame), this is West Coast Swing.   Follow the link to see video of our good friends, Angel and Debbie, doing a WCS competition routine last January.

Now, M isn't doing anything easy like a prepared routine. No, she has entered a category called "Jack and Jill"  In J&J comps, you get a random partner, and the two of you dance -- it really is that simple. Judging is based on leading and following, with leaders and followers being judged separately in the preliminary rounds.  The idea here being that the Swing community values the ability to perform when you've rehearsed -- but they equally value the ability to dance spontaneously, when you don't know the music and you don't know what your partner does or doesn't know.  Yes, some of it is luck of the draw, especially in the final rounds where you are judged as a couple, but its a far cry from the meticulously scripted choreography-fests that are the staple of competition in ballroom dancing nowadays.  

In point of fact, M has been gone pretty much 24-7 since Thursday.  This has left Purple at home, parenting, which is a switch from the normal run of our affairs.  Historically, I've been the one to go off, to teach, attend conferences, play in tournaments, or even to go dancing.    Back when dancing was my job, I needed to be out in the world a lot more than I do now.  M is having a blast, taking classes, making friends, and doing all those things one does at conferences/workshops.  Go M!

So, this is a good switch for us!  I like the time with J, and so, I think, does he with me.  M, it turns out, wants to win pretty badly, which surprises her a bit -- not so much me, but there you are.  She has entered in the 3rd of four possible divisions, as she felt that her years of dance experience gave her an unfair edge over those who were competing in the lowest skill category.  I (and I hope you as well) wish her the very  best!

Training is going well -- I am tapering, which means running, biking, and swimming less.  Woohoo!  Actually, it is a good thing, because last week's run really put the hurt on me.  But that's to be expected, and the point of braining the mileage down is to get the body ready for the race.  Two weeks from Tomorrow.  Woot!

Research and writing are going well -- I am working through an awesome source for chapter two that I got through interlibrary loan.  I jobbed in to teach for some colleagues this week, which cut into my writing time a bit, so I am at home cranking away rather than rooting on M (if you were wondering).  I'm joining her tonight for some social dancing, while J stays with his cousin.