Chapter Seven

I snuck out of my fibers class, wandered to the student union building (also known as the SUB) grabbed a bite to eat, and made my way to the gym. The humidity hung in the air like an invisible blanket, so thick it was hard to breathe. This is going to be great, having to "dance" in the unairconditioned gym. Entering the double-doors to the women's locker room, I immediately noticed that something was different. Girls from my class were seated on the benches and gabbing. No one was changing. Could this be my lucky day? Could class be canceled? Sadly, no such luck. Buutttt, I didnt have to change my clothes, a plus in weather conditions like today.

"So, um, what's going on?" I asked.

"We dont have to change," came the unison answer from the group. "WE," the one girl in the group paused for dramatic effect, "get to learn about the history of modern dance," she added.

"Oh. Good." I think...

Actually it turned out to be quite facinating and definitely amusing. There will be no possible way to acurately detail how or why it was so funny. And it was extra good because the gym turned out to be more oppressive inside than it was out of doors! I couldnt have imagined trying to do pleating contractions, etc. in that heat. I'll add that I was even more than ecstatic to have a day off, because quite frankly, the muscles in my arms are sooooo stiff, I can barely move them from lifting my arms to the sides and holding them up for about twenty minutes at a time. I have these huge lumps near my bicep, but not quite my bicep just from Monday.

My prof is quite dramatic. I think it must come as a requirement for any performing artist. She whirled and twirled and demonstrated all the various early stages of modern dance. She began to explain how the movement started in the late 1800's (I think) and came about because of one ballerina sick of wearing corsets decided to rebel. The prof explained, "She donned a toga, tore off her undergarments, garters, etc and floated around in a circle, flapping her arms, demonstrating the 'freedom' she was experiencing all the while" she paused moving her hands up and down towards her chest, "Her boobs, I'm sure were flopping around under there looking just so lovely." My instructor continued, "Simulateously a woman in Paris, desperate to get a job as an actress was turned down. While she was leaving the audition the head of the company said 'We need a dancer, anyone here able to dance?' So this french gal lied and says she could, even though she couldn't, saying, "Just give me a second. I need to get my costume." She ran to a dressing room, spotted a bolt of fabric on the floor, started wrapping it all around her leaving yards to drape from either hand, came back out in front of the director of the production and started 'dancing' making the fabric move. These guys were so impressed, they didn't even know she wasn't even a 'dancer.' This gal ended up making more elaborate costumes, using fabric to 'dance' with her, and played with lighting effects by putting colors over top of gas lights to make them red, or whatnot. "

I really don't quite remember the rest of the story because the professor's demonstrations were just plain amusing. I got caught up in the performance and started tuning out the factual information. I believe she meant to be entertaining, because we were all cracking up. So, thankfully, now I get a whole week to recover from last monday's class. Whew.

I can't wait to hear about the history of ballet!