Diva-tude

The captions next to my name in my school year book were: "The next Laker Girl" and "The next In Living Color Fly Girl". Huge compliments since I aspired to be either at the time! If you don't know, the Laker Girls and Fly Girls produced two well known divas:

Paula Abdul

Jennifer Lopez

So what the heck happened to me? I could hardly classify myself as a diva and even calling me a dancer is questionable now.

One of the last hip hop dance classes* I was at our instructor, DLuckie, choreographed a routine for us that was all about attitude. I was able to pick up the choreography easily, but when I watched myself in the mirror I looked totally wrong. Something was missing ... it was the "diva-ness". When I danced in school it more about hard core street attitude, not so much about "diva-tude," so I don't think I ever developed that skill.

So how does a thirtysomething mom channel the attitude and confidence of a diva? This is my next big challenge! I watch my 5 year old daughter who has more diva-sass in the rolling of her eyes than I do in the flip of my hair. When I told her she couldn't smile in her passport photo she asked if she could pose with her hands on her hips and a pout on her face. Diva! Guess I should start taking lessons from her before my next hip hop dance class ...

*This was not last night's class. This was class 4 weeks ago. I missed a week due to the flu. Then missed the next one because my flu turned into a double ear and sinus infection. Then missed again because of a company meeting that ran really late. Guess you can't call me a real time blogger either!

Mama got her groove back!

Between the ages of 3-12 I took ballet, tap and jazz. When I entered high school I switched to hip hop and became captain of the dance team. I finished out high school as captain of the cheer team. I took a couple of jazz and ballroom dancing classes while in university. Since then nothing.

I love to dance! So, when Teresa mentioned taking a Hip Hop class at Carlsbad Performing Arts Academy you know I eagerly said "Count me in!" There was one thing I didn't think about when I signed up ... I am totally out of shape and old!

When I danced hip hop the moves were stuff like the Cabbage Patch, the Roger Rabbit, the Running Man, etc. We didn't have the booty or chest pop. Tonight when I stepped into that dance room what ever skillz I brought meant nothing. I was a blank slate and had to dust off my rhythm that had been sitting on the highest shelf for a while.

Theresa, Mary, Christina and I called in the baby sitters and joined a few teenager girls for a one hour hip hop dance lesson. We slided and glided, we popped and isolated, we stretched and bounced, and we giggled A LOT! But, when our instructor started teaching us a short routine to a JT song and it was ON! What ever ounce of energy we had left in us was sparked and we gave it our all to the very end.

When the hour was up we were dripping in sweat and our legs felt like jello. Hip Hop is an incredible workout. I will probably be sore for days. It was worth it and I will going back again next week for more!