Dance Party Night

The last posting was about belly dance.  I learn flamenco too.  My flamenco teacher told me to go and see a dance party and gave me the ticket.   However it was not a dance in disco or nightclub.  It was a ballroom dance.  I’d never seen it except for TV.  I was just curious what it was like.

When I entered the party room,  oh dear!  there were many elderly people.   People in their 60s and 70s? created a peculiar atmosphere.  Why is a ballroom dance popular in elderly people in Japan?   Is it the same situation in overseas?   Pre-retiree men may be busy at work.   How about young women?   It must be tough to dance with an old man.   Senior adults are vigorous.   They looked very happy.  They held up their heads and stepped well to the music.   Women dressed in their flashy dresses.  Men dressed in … How should I say…

At this point enter SOUNDCLOUD!  Please look at the picture while listening.

The chairs were placed along the walls.   While sitting quietly, I was asked to dance by various men.    I politely refused each time.  I was embarrassed.   They must have looked quizzically at me.   I should have worn jeans, not a long skirt.   When I regretted it,  a younger good-looking man came up and said, “Would you like to dance?”  “I can’t dance.  I’m just looking.” “Don’t worry. It’s all right.”  He took my hand and led to the center of the hall.   “First, move sideways.  That’s it!  You’re doing great. ” “Then, move back and forth.  Now you’ve got it!”  I was able to move naturally with him.  He must be a teacher.   After music ended, he brought me back to the seat.   “Wow!  he is like a prince!  Then am I a princess?”   What an old princess!  But the image in my mind was like this. lol

If I can always dance with a handsome man like him, I will learn a ballroom dance.   But I ‘d like to decline the dance with complete strangers.  It would make me sick to be my hand and back held.  ( In Japan, it’s not the custom to kiss and hug.  There is no physical contact even in family)  I think a ballroom dance itself is attractive though.  I reaffirmed a solo dance is the best for me.   After dancing, I went home right away.  But I guess I should have asked his school name…

That night I recommended my husband learning a ballroom dance after retirement.   He said “I don’t want to dance with an old woman.”   No problem!  You’ll be an old man by that time.

Almost Tuition-Free Belly Dance Class

I wrote about the tuition-free cooking class the other day.  I also take a belly dance lesson at the community center.   It is a eight-part series in Oct. and Nov.  The tuition is 2000 yen.  It isn’t  for one lesson.  It is for all eight lessons.  How nice!

The instructor is Caravan Nami.   Actually I’ve taken her class at another place since April.  Though I can’t attend it very often, I feel the difference in my body.   I think it’s important to continue.   I hope I will keep on dancing as long as possible.   The purpose is to have a supple body rather than to improve my dance.   The older we get, the more inflexible our body is.   I want to prevent my body from being anatomically inflexible.   Thinking of my age, I’m careful not to strain my lower back while dancing. lol

When I met her for the first time,  her figure and dance were very impressive.

She is a beautiful woman with long black hair.  In addition she is gentle with full of womanly charm.   I was attracted by her elegant movements being attentive to the tip of her nail.  I decided to take her lesson right away.

She seems to be a member of Caravan Carnival Oriental Dance, which promotes belly dance around Kyushu in Japan.   The dance recital was held in August.   Kaori, the head of the CCOD danced too.  She is petite, but looked big on stage.  All students danced well and their costumes were beautiful.   To my surprise, one of the students was pregnant ( in the middle of the picture.)  She had a strong presence.  I hear she gave birth in September.

I was encouraged to go on stage at the recital,  but I refused.   I don’t want to show my belly (>_<)

I unexpectedly met Kumamon again!

When I walked around downtown, there was a crowd of people.

Oh,Kumamon!   He was handing out flower seeds on the flower-planting campaign.  People were taking pictures of him.   He was able to speak through an interpreter who wore a yellow jacket. .  His reaction was comical.  Hearing music from nowhere, he began to dance.   His quick movements made people laugh.  I was impressed by his talent.

His name is Korou-kun.  He is the mascot of Kikuchi city.  He is unknown to people yet.

His name is Higomaru, the face of Kumamoto-city.   Poor Higomaru.  People in Kumamoto know him, but nobody was around him.  Only a little boy was staring at him.

Kumamon is the hottest mascot in Kumamoto.  He has the title of sales manager of Kumamoto prefecture.  He is a really good worker.   He produces a great economic effect.  The prefectural governor and many prefectural government’s employees created Kumamon with strategy and they continue to support him.  Kumamon has his blog and even twitter account.  That’s the reason he is very popular, I think.