HOT Dance Party.

I am not usually the kind of person who goes alone to a party. It is not that I wouldn't like to meet new people (or wouldn't be able to do that) but I just hate sitting alone when people looks at me like "what is she doing here?" Last time that happened in Sarajevo when I went to a Salsa club during my InterRail trip. I was sitting in a table and checking out who I would like to dance with when some locals came to talk to me: "I guess you are not from here. No Bosnian girl would come to a party alone."

Luckily yesterday I made an exception and went to HOT Dance's ballroom dancing party. I knew that some of my dance class mates were going there but I can't really say I would know them since I've seen them just couple of times in the classes. My fears of sitting alone in a corner all night were, however, fallen through the moment music started to play when a nice gentleman came to ask me for a dance. Even though most of the people there seemed to know each other, even many good dancers were kindly dancing with the new comers and beginners. Even I was brave enough to go and ask some of them for a dance! The party had a set playlist where everyone could see the coming dance genres, which I think was pretty good idea. If there was a dance I didn't know I could stand back and just watch and learn; if they played a dance I really wanted to dance I could ask someone already in advance. The dances ranged from Foxtrot, Bugg and Waltz to Cha-cha and even Salsa and Bachata.

I got many interesting comments during the night form my dancing partners. Many of them asked what I had been dancing before because my style was so different from others. My style, I didn't know I had one (I was just trying to follow the lead as well as I could)? When I asked if I should change it somehow the answer was definitely not. Well I guess I never wanted to be like everyone else anyway.

After the party I think I can now proudly say that during the last two weeks I have learned to follow the lead pretty well. I still have to concentrate quite a lot just to the following but compared to my first dance class I've improved dreadfully. I even got disbelieving looks when I mentioned this problem to some of the dancers. Of course I still have lots to learn but I'm happy to see some concrete results this fast. Finnish ballroom dancing has also already changed my attitude towards ballroom dancing. It is not about trying to do the figures perfectly but just going with the music. There are no rules in the dance floor: everything that feels good is acceptable.

After the party was finished one guy I danced with came to ask me when I'll start dancing Zouk. I answered I have never even heard of that, which resulted me getting an interesting Zouk performance. It looked like a fun dance so maybe I'll give it a try some day soon! I love trying new things so I'm open for everything dancing-related.

Oh, I came across with my old friend last night. Yes, my back pain came to say hello. I guess I was looking for it by dancing almost five hours in a row. It wasn't a nice reunion. At least it was gone this morning and I hope it stays like this.