Anxiety. It happens when I think about dancing. I've even stayed home and told Garrick to go to dances without me, fearing that I'd be pointed and laughed at for my horrible moves. Well, December 10th, 2011 changed all that. I went to a Ceilidh.
Our church, Trinity, hosted a Christmas Ceilidh at a social hall near our flat. I naively wore a sweater and boots, not knowing I was in for the biggest cardio workout I've had since moving here. Garrick and I stepped out onto the floor for the first dance, and watched intensely to the demonstration. It was over too soon and the band began to play. We clumsily tried to follow, stomping, spinning, waltzing, marching forward and backward, and laughed so hard that we couldn't concentrate. Honestly, I haven't laughed myself into abdominal pain for a long time. I can understand why this tradition is still valued today: It's good for your health!
Take a look at this video. It's one of the dances we did. Pay attention to the spinning couple at the front of the two lines. Garrick was a little enthusiastic during this part and I felt like I would fly across the room at multiple points!
It was great to share this unique experience with our friends and also a great way to meet new ones. Many of the dances are group dances, which allows for quickly-made friendships! One in particular was Alex, a female student from Austria. We exchanged numbers and I am excited to spend more time with her!
Walking home that night I didn't even need to wear my wool coat. Garrick and I woke up the next morning with sore arms and feet. At church that morning. Mark Stirling, the pastor, announced that the Ceilidh had been a success. He also joked that at times, he couldn't tell if it was dancing or rugby taking place. One thing is for sure, this AG girl danced and had a great time!
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