I may or may not have had a one man dance party in my sports bra and running shoes in my basement - but I can't confirm or deny that..
If I HAD partaken in this dance party, I may have had earbuds in while amazing tuneage blasted.. making me think I would make one kickass dj!! I could show that long-haired EBar dj what's up, and how to keep a crowd interested. What? You don't think a crowd would be down with a mix of Kanye, MGMT, Nikki Minaj and M83? I find this shocking.. and I disagree!! (maybe) Well, so, Dj Kristyn may not have wowed the crowds, but the one man party was a hit and 45 sweaty minutes later, I feel great, burned calories and had a blast! I came up with some crazy ideas whilst dancing my cares away, including teaching a class at a gym where people were just allowed to go nuts and dance their hearts out. Have you ever danced to Shake by Pitbull and the Ying Yang Twins and just shaken your whole body - arms, butt, feet and head and just gone crazy? There is really something to be said for dancing like no one's watching. But I love the vibe of dancing in a huge group, too! So fun!
Anyways, before I get my career break as a dj, or start up that class at Goodlife (I picture myself going rogue on the group exercise room with my class, then being chased out of the gym with torches and having my membership revoked) I thought I would take a moment to share some of my favourite thoughts, memories and reflections on my love of dance. I should mention at this point I dance like a total white girl.. and have a few pretty redonk/laugh-inducing moves.. but man do I love it.
- I started dancing when I was 17 and my friends and I discovered all ages clubbing. We would just drive to downtown TO in our tube tops, miniskirts and chunky heels (ohhh ya 1999...) and dance the night away. I remember being at a school dance after about a year of this clubbing craziness and saying to Jana "why does everyone else look so timid out here and our group of friends is just GIVIN' IT?!" and she said "because we dance all the time and we've got the moves!! and the confidence!". Haha, you said it, 18 year old Jana! Dancing is really all about believing no one's watching/judging and just letting go and feeling the music. I do believe, though, you either love it or you don't. Don't try to force it, or you'll just be those timid grade ten girls at my high school dance with their self-conscious shimmy..
- I haven't stopped dancing since! Whether it was throwing down on stage at the Brunny with my girls (we used to make a habit of "starting the dancefloor", usually to Beyonce's Bootylicious!), dropping bows with Nic at Red Rock, winding at the Palace in Guelph (that sentence made me feel dirty just writing it), bouncing around at Doogies grooving to the live music with my "B Squad" (haha that one was for Pam), "owning the dancefloor" at Trappers with Erica during those slow summers in Guelph, going crazy at EBar with Dave, Jay and Viv way back in '05 (uhh, Call on Me anyone? or the My Humps dance that lived for a total of 4 minutes and never was to be seen again due to Dave's shame..), kicking it old school at Retro Night at the Trasheteria (later Vinyl), or givin' 'er two weeks ago with my bff Dawn on her 30th birthday to a song about lambos - I freaking love a dancing night out!
- I am a sweaty mess! That seems to be a common thread for my blog posts, doesn't it? Jay will never let me forget the time I was throwing my hair around in circles and he felt a "spray" - I think he exaggerates slightly.. I couldn't have been THAT sweaty, could I?? ;)
- I really think this should become an acceptable social practice http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib3Duz_6a9M. When Jay told me the story of "catching" Viv on his way to work dance walking by the river I laughed for about 2-4 years (I am still laughing at the image). Perhaps it struck a strong chord with me because I like a sneaky dance walk here and there. There are some conservation trails in the east end I often walk on and I'll stop, look 360 around me and if no one's watching but the birds, I'll do some spinning/dance-walking/top of lungs singing. It is SO liberating! Maybe I should hold my no-holds-barred-no-judgement dance exercise class (that doesn't exist..yet..) outside into nature - that's totally the best of both worlds! ;)
- I used to walk to school when I actually had/went to classes at U Waterloo. I would carry my DISCMAN (oh man showing my age!!!!!!) and burn a new mixed CD (again -ahhh!) every few weeks and would call them "Rockin' Walkin' Mix"es or things to that effect. And I'm sure I amused more than a few commuters down Columbia (yup that's where one of the RIM buildings is, it's not an un-busy street!) as I sang my heart out, punctuated by the occasional dance step. It always made my mornings so much better, my afternoons on the way home that much sweeter and inevitably left me in a good mood, dancing all the way up the stairs to my cockroachy walk-up ;)
- My husband does not dance. What a heartbreaker. When he's had 12+ beers I can get him out on the dance floor to some old school hip hop (the stars have to align just right for this to happen). But I will say he is a champ at slow-dancing and always lets me sweep him onto the dance floor at weddings for some slow spins to a romantic slow song which I love! <3 Dancing comes in all forms indeed.
- Is there anything better than a good car dance? It's waist-up only, I know, but you can really go for it sometimes. There is something wonderful about the way music SURROUNDS you in the car, it feels like you're right inside a great song. And then you just gotta rock out! I have a bit of a routine when driving home from Leafs games (sidenote: :*( ) when they've won (sidenote: shut up they do win) to ask Jeff "can we rock out?" and then turning up some Tool really loud and just singing at the top of our lungs and playing various air instruments, etc. all the way back to Guelph. I love rocking out!!!
I really believe music is the undercurrent running in the background of my life at all times. I feel lucky to be someone who feels music from the inside out; where music hits deep within and guides movement through life. Every song has a place in time and a place in my heart and a whole bunch of people I love associated with it. I may not be much of a dancer, or a singer, but I will be singing and dancing until the last days of my life.
A photo montage for your viewing pleasure. The best thing about these photos is how happy EVERYONE looks while dancing. So with that: let's dance!! :)
Aye, a classy bachelorette indeed..
Everyone's face is awesome in this pic at D's wedding (hold on tight to strapless dresses!!)
Kicking it at ebar
Vet Frat Party!
Two stepping with Viv (just try to stop us). Dave commented on this pic on facebook: "did Kristyn just get hosed down? out of the shower?" - thanks Daver..
THE BIG O!! I need not say more
Whose idea it was to play Jay's leg like a guitar I'll never know; but it is an old standby! A classic!
