Tapping on the Door to Progress

 January 21, 2022

I made a list of goals for the year at the beginning of January.  These are not so much New Year's resolutions as they are reminders of things I want to accomplish this year.  One of the things on my list was to get back into the habit of getting 10,000 steps every day.  So far, so good.  Another goal was to take a beginner's tap dancing class for adults.  Random, I know, but I have always wanted to give it a try.  I have some dance experience in my background, but absolutely none in that particular kind of dance.  And, honestly, who doesn't love the aesthetically pleasing sound of the tippy-tap-tap of well-articulated tap choreography?  The problem is, finding beginning adult tap classes in our area is a little like finding a needle in a haystack.  I just haven't found anything.  So as I was checking my Fitbit and trying to determine how much of a late night walk I needed to take, I decided to take a different approach.  I put on my tap shoes (recently purchased, optimistic that I'd find my elusive class), and put Youtube on my big screen.  I did a quick search for tap choreography for beginners, chose a video at random (well, not quite random--the teacher was choreographing to Kenny's Loggins' "Footloose", and my 80s-loving self couldn't pass it up), and hit play. With my TV on in the living room and me tip-tapping on the dining room floor directly across from the screen, I took my first tap class.  Y'all, it was fun!  I fortunately stumbled onto a Youtube teacher who was fast but not too fast, explained and demonstrated just the right amount, and was friendly and personable.  Now I'm going to stick around with her videos for awhile until I gain some aptitude before I branch out and find some other tap lessons.  She was a great introductory instructor, and I want to get the choregraphy down to be able to perform it without watching her feet or hearing her direction.  I'll just have to be the only pupil in my class for now.  But in the meantime, not only did I try tap, but it was a great way to get the rest of my 10,000 steps for the night!