In good times or bad, dancing brings me joy.  I am one of those people who have always danced.  I took my first dance class when I was four years old and it seems that I have been dancing ever since.  I danced with a troupe in college but wouldn’t dare allow myself to even THINK about dancing as career.  My parents’ mantra of being “gainfully employed” played continuously in my head.

Yet even though I didn’t choose to dance as a full-time career, I have literally been dancing through my life.  I made the connection of dance and fitness towards the end of college and started taking Jazzercise® and Hip-hop aerobic classes.  Exercising by dancing was so much more fun for me than getting on a treadmill.

About five years ago, I took my first Zumba® class, and I fell in love!  Zumba® is a Latin fitness dance program.  The music, the moves, the letting go of whatever is going on for an hour was and still is amazing for me!  Studies show that dancing improves memory, flexibility, strength, endurance and a sense of wellbeing.

Almost two years ago, I became a Zumba® instructor and embarked upon a journey only God could have ordained.   In September of 2010, I became a Certified Devoted Fitness® Instructor and Choreography Assistant.  Devoted Fitness® is a ladies dance fitness program set to Christian music!  It is truly group fitness for your soul!

Now, I am blessed to have my own class that God has filled with the most amazing ladies!  We dance together but more importantly, we encourage each other!  Together we have danced through bad days, good days, illnesses you name it.

Last night, we cooled down to Kirk Franklin’s Stellar Award winning song, “I Smile”.  Here is the chorus:

Smile; even though I hurt see I smile,

I know God is working so I smile,

Even though I’ve been here for a while

I smile, smile..

It’s so hard to look up when you’ve been down.

Sure would hate to see you give up now.

You look so much better when you smile, so smile.

 

Yep, in good times or bad, dancing brings me joy!

Psalm 30:11

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,

(This post was part of Mama Kat’s Weekly Writer’s Workshop)

Dance on Divas,