Do I live to dance or do I dance to live?  I can’t say.  All I know is that dancing is more that just some Saturday night activity for me.  It’s that little bit of joy that I look forward to in my week.  No matter what day it is, I’m always thinking about the next time I’m going out dancing.  Where it is, who’s going to be there (is that amazing follow going to be there this week?), what sort of music will be playing, etc.

It’s always in my thoughts.

I listen to dance music at work, in my car, anywhere I can, even when I can’t dance.  And whenever I’m in a place that has danceable music, I find myself looking for a partner to swingout.  Sometimes I’ll just be walking down the street and break out into a dance step.   It’s in my bones.

Obsessed?  Maybe, but I think it’s a good thing.  It seems like every new technological innovation in some way helps remove you from the social world.  Can’t see your date tomorrow night?  Use a cell phone!  Got to withdraw money from the bank?  Use an ATM!  We keep removing people from our lives, even in the most indirect ways, every single day.

Dancing is different.  Dancing requires an intimate connection with another human being.

I do mean intimate.  When I’m dancing with a follow, within the first few seconds I can tell how interested she is in the way I dance, her skill level, and what we can do together.  Through the connection of lead and follow, I can communicate emotions, thoughts, laughter, intent.  All without saying a single word.

For those three minutes, all that exists in my world is me, my partner, and the music.  I love that feeling, in part because it’s so impulsive, so connected to your gut that you don’t think about it.  You just go with your feelings and see where they take you, how they work with your partner and the music.  And when those three elements come together in harmony on the dance floor, you get something truly amazing: Zen lindy.

Zen lindy is a state of being where you, where you, your partner, and the music are working in perfect sync with nary a conscious thought.  Sometimes that it shows up in just a shared smile or flirtatious banter, with barbs tossed back and forth.  Other times, it’s just pure physical attraction being played out in its most polished, platonic form.  But either way, you’ll feel that spark pass between you and your partner.  Your heart pounds, you feel lightheaded, and you know that you are truly, intimately connected.

For three minutes, your entire world consists of you and your partner becoming the music.  It’s truly an amazing experience that can occur with anyone you dance with.

And that’s the cool thing.  You can have this Zen lindy experience with someone that you’ve never been introduced to before.  It doesn’t matter.  When it’s over, you’re still left floating on air.  As someone I know put it, “I guess it would be like having the best sex ever then saying ‘Hi, nice to meet you. Where did you say you were from again?’ I live for those kinds of dancing moments.”

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Questions? Email Martin@LindyChef.com