A trip better and worse than it may sound

December 3, 2006

A solo trip to SOS because I felt like it. I hoped to catch their lessons for a change. I failed to make it. I had a look at their level 3 and level 4 classes for last 10-15 minutes or so. Level 3 looked easy. Level 4 looked doable in class settings with slow songs – I think the instructors were Alex Amoroso and Kat Wiklund.

There were not many Cambridge-based people – no surprise. Only Johnny and Serap and later Liam, who looked very ill; he was not a happy camper during the return trip.

I have written some months ago that I thought I was better than average at SOS. I wonder if I had overestimated myself back then or there were many bad leaders back then.

I am guessing that I am not done improving. Helen thought or at least said so at least in terms of smoother lead. It is probably true whether she meant it or not (and in any case she wouldn’t have said such thing if she wanted to discourage me from asking her for a dance – after all, I’m not paying her or anything – unless she was using reverse psychology – I am impossible… a miserable skeptic, no?).

Although there were no dances that wowed me, there were no dances that left me feeling disappointed or inadequate either. This is not to say that most dances were mistake-free but merely that I was able to maintain good connections with everyone. Probably the word control describes tonight’s dances best. Steady is another good one. Of course I might consider these statements absurd in another six months.

Aside from the first two songs (Swing La Moderna by Ray Barretto and No Critiques by Manny Oquendo and Libre) and one or two other song later in the evening (I can’t remember which one they were… nothing particularly interesting), all songs played were not something I knew very well. Most were fairly bland, which might explain partly why so many dances felt more technically well done rather than joyful.

I think this might have been the first time at SOS when no one declined me for a dance – although upon thinking more there was one case where I accidentally asked someone who had already said yes to someone else. Law of averages? Luck? Good choice? Does this sound like I am bragging? Maybe I should try only asking the haughty and difficult-looking women next time? I don't know.

I am thinking about writing less. Or at least avoid writing for writings sake. Or maybe give myself a time limit on writing. Or perhaps publishing less. It's something I've been thinking about, especially since around the "camel" post. We’ll see.