Recently, Alex has been spending time engaged in a new activity--dancing. As I've mentioned in previous blog entries, he really likes music: everything from jazz to country, so long as it's not rap music. He's been listening to our cable television's Music Choice channels lately, especially music from the 70's, 80's and 90's. A few nights ago, he heard Chumbawamba's 1997 one-hit-wonder song, "Tubthumping," which has now become one of his favorite songs. Apparently its catchy lyrics ("I get knocked down, but I get up again") and driving beat inspire him to dance. After hearing the song on Music Choice, he found it on You Tube and played it over and over, having his own little dance party in the family room that evening.
Perhaps the inspiration for Alex's sudden interest in dancing can be traced to his watching the movie Saturday Night Fever last weekend. Fortunately, he was watching the edited-for-television version, so instead of imitating the profanities, he could try to imitate disco dancers' moves. Since Alex has always liked the Bee Gees' music from listening to their CD's with me, I wasn't surprised that he enjoyed the dance sequences. What was surprising was that he watched the entire movie and then watched it again when it was repeated another night.
Although we're pleased that Alex seems to enjoy dancing so much, it's too bad that his moves aren't too smooth. Ed has a terrific sense of rhythm that makes him a good dancer, and I won a disco dance contest when I was Alex's age. Poor Alex, however, didn't inherit any natural ability to dance, and so far, he hasn't picked up any of John Travolta's grace on the dance floor from watching the movie. Somehow Alex seems to sense his awkwardness, as he'll immediately stop dancing if Ed or I walk into the room. I think he knows that his dancing is more like Elaine Benes on Seinfeld than John Travolta on the lighted dance floor.
Even though Alex seems to have two left feet, Ed and I enjoy secretly watching him dance because he exudes such joy moving to the music, so long as he doesn't know that anyone is watching him. Perhaps he exemplifies William W. Purkey's quote best: “You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”
"Let them praise His name with the dance; Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp." Psalm 149:3
2 comments:
Love it! There is something so freeing and joyful about an impromptu dance party. We're big fans of that chez Wells. :) And I had NO idea you won a disco dance contest!! "You are the dancing queen, young and sweet..."
Hi K.C.,
I always figured my ability to "cut a rug" makes up for my lack of athletic prowess. Alex was again dancing to '80's tunes today, and I think his moves are improving. ;)
Love,
Pam
Post a Comment