Out of Dance Retirement

 Well, the last few years haven't been easy. The main reason I went offline from blogging was my full time commitment to care giving for Pat Traymore. When Pat passed away in July of 2022, it was a very difficult time for me. For the most part, I had been off the dance floor since the pandemic.

In May of 2023, I experienced another unexpected loss, my dear pup, Aggie, crossed the rainbow bridge.

The day after I lost my sweet dog, Arthur Murray Dance studio in Chevy Chase, Maryland, called to offer me my position back as dance instructor (this after being unceremoniously dismissed in 2021). I accepted the studio's offer, as I learned that the studio is under new ownership, under the direction of Phillip Gofreed and Jeniifer Battle,

Pat’s next story

 This month I’ve been helping Pat Traymore continue story telling on her Patreon page. Pat is currently working on a story about Ned Wayburn. It’s hard to believe that Pat, age 97,  with her 83+year career, has been in the business so long, that her career actually overlapped with Mr.Wayburn. Pat is probably the last  living person in our industry to have worked with him. Prior to working with Pat, I had no idea who Mr. Wayburn was. He made some fascinating contributions to the dance industry. This story will be published in June. 

checking in

 

This week I'm looking forward to coaching time with Nick Short at the Hollywood Ballroom. Dance life has been quiet for me, but it's still going. I'm back on the floor but only dancing with close friends. A few hours of dance practice each week keeps my heart going.  I'm still helping Pat Traymore with her biographical project. Pat has nearly completed the story of her life, and she's started a new historical video series called Footnotes. You can learn about Pat's story here: Pat Traymore is creating the story of her life | Patreon  At age 97, Pat is living with the assistance of a part time aide. The money from her Patreon account is going to help with Pat's cost of care, which is continuously rising.

I'm trying to set aside some time each Monday to check in. I've managed to reduce my screen time, and hours online, but continue to blog as a weekly check in. Since starting a digital detox, I've felt less stressed and more focused, especially with my dancing and exercise. 

2021 has brought good luck to me so far, I've spent more time in the present moment, and it feels good. I'm focusing my dance efforts with friends and family. The next several weeks and months will  be concentrated on closed syllabus work. I'm not in a rush to return to the competitive floor or travel to distant dance events. I feel it is best to wait for the world to settle into Post Covid life, before jumping back into the event circuit and travel.

It's a nice feeling, knowing that the years of  of frequent travel are behind me. I had always intended to live the fullest life in dance, check all the boxes, and then slow down. I thought this wouldn't happen until age 50, but it seems I arrived at that point a bit sooner than expected. I still look forward to many dance events, but doing so with a focus on social and fun. Formal competitions I intend to limit to not more than 4 per year. I remember at peak, doing 26 events per year, and I'm happy those days are over.

The pandemic shut down has really helped me discover something deep. It helped me to restart and make choices for a more authentic, and less complicated way of life.