The Favorite Dancer

Everyone has a favorite person they like to dance with.  Of course, mine is Rex.  And before he danced with me, there were a couple other guys I liked dancing with the most.  Most of the time, the favorite is determined by skill level.  In Rex's case it's determined by my personal relationship with him; even if he is not at the same level as many other men I dance with, I have the most fun with him and am less self-conscious and therefore perform better with him.  It is true that there is also a matter of connection between dancers just as anyone would click better with some people more than others.  As I've danced with more people, my preferred list has changed somewhat, but not a lot.  This idea of a favorite dancer has always been, in my mind, about who I prefer dancing with the most. 

It never occurred to me that I might be someone else's favorite person to dance with.  Oh, of course I'm Rex's favorite; he pretty much won't dance with anyone else.  But the more I dance, the more I find out that I am one of the favorites!  This blows my mind!  Yes, I know I'm a good follow, and Rex insists I'm the prettiest girl on the floor (of course he does!).  But I don't take lessons and I don't have a lot of flare.  (My styling comes out when I'm most comfortable -- when I dance with Rex.  It is limited when I dance with other men.)  It's not like everyone is lining up to ask me to dance, so I am always surprised when people tell me I'm one of the best dancers in town.  Rex says the only reason they don't clamor to dance with me is because everyone knows I'm married.  I say I don't know what someone's marriage status has to do with dancing: a dance is a 3-minute relationship, and then it ends.

But over the last couple months, as I've actually been dancing less often, I find myself in higher demand.  I chalk it up to my lack of attendance and therefore being viewed as fresh feet.  But I honestly can't tell myself that anymore because my leads tell me that I am among their favorite follows.  One person, who I believe is far beyond my skill level and who travels to Austin and Houston every week just to dance with higher-level dancers, actually sends me an occasional email to see if I'm going to something -- my attendance being his deciding factor for his own local attendance.  (Don't worry, he's not interested in me in any way beyond a dance partner. )  It is proper dance etiquette not to monopolize The Good Dancer, so he tries not to ask me for every dance.  I believe I've become a much better dancer because he dances with me so much.  And I find it beyond flattering that he, along with other leads that I deem to be among the best in town, think that I am that fun to dance with!

Months ago, I wrote about a someone who gave me a hard time about not feeling the beat.  He made me feel terrible that night and I was always glad for months afterward when he would not ask me to dance.  Well, lately, he's been asking me to dance once every time I'm there.  Last time, he told me that I am one of his top 3 favorite follows.  I realized one type of move that he loves to do with me because I do it so well is actually a variation from the swingout that is so prevalent in lindy hop.  I laughed out loud when I realized no other westie does that and it's exactly why he does it with me.  Far be it for me to mention the correlation though, as westies would be mortified if you likened any of their moves to lindy hop (and vice versa).

I hadn't gone dancing in several weeks and was missing west coast again.  Normally, if I can't go on west coast night, I'd prefer a live band (if it is a decent band), and if I can't go to either of those, I'd choose two-step at Midnight Rodeo over the swing society.  But that particular week, the swing society had recently moved to a new location and a west coast friend had decided to start attending those nights too instead of Midnight Rodeo, so I decided to give it a try.  Like I remembered, the society was pretty close to dead and there were only newbie dancers; even the instructors leave after giving their lessons prior to the social.  I was about to leave when an out-of-towner walked in.  After his first dance with me, he kept asking me over and over again, apologizing for monopolizing me.  But I was more than happy to dance with him because he was amazing!  He danced like a lindy hopper who knew west coast.  He complimented me on just about everything I did.  Normally, I try to pretend no one is watching me, but that was impossible that night.  Several people told me that night that we were so much fun to watch together.  I was floating on air for the next few days.