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I was forty-four when I started taking ballroom dance lesson and a year or so later to compete as an amateur with my pro teacher, the professional. It was called pro-am. Before I danced in that category, I appeared at the dance studio in a fancy and specially bought cocktail dress and danced before dancers at the studio. Many I knew, others I did not. While I was dancing and very nervous to be that age and dancing before a crowd, one of the patrons there, a very obnoxious fellow named Pat yelled out "smile, baby smile." I heard that and felt peculiar, but I smiled.

A few months later my pro teacher and I, the amateur danced in a competition in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. I was among about eight couples and came in sixth which was pretty good for the first experience competing.

A year so so later, I went with my husband and this coach to Florida and danced there in seven heats as they are called and won five trophies. I was so excited and when I came home I displayed my five on specially built shelves in the kitchen. I dust them every week. Now I have fifty-eight trophies and medals and certificates.

When we came home from Florida, I wrapped my five trophies in towels I had 'taken' from the hotel. They checked our carry on luggage and from the bag they were in, they looked like guns or rifles. The checker opened each towel and saw they were trophies, looked at me and smiled and said OK, go forward. I was embarrassed they were in towels from the hotel but proud I at that age at won.

Winning gives you more confidence in your dancing abilities and great ego enhancement for your mind and body and soul. I continued to take ballroom dance lessons long before the craze that has now hit the country from the dancing shows on now.

We ballroom dancers knew back then in the seventies and eighties that ballroom dancing excites the brain, stimulates the brain and causes adoration in one's heart for having accomplished this great feat.No pun intended but the feat stimulates the feet to move and to be active and to create.

Creating is what it is all about and as you age and now it is thirty years later, I am so proud that I took up this 'hobby' and not only does it elevate one's self to feel proud but it invigorate and stimulates your personal growth and lights a fire under you.

A good fire that warms your entire being and keeps the mind enlivened and refreshed.

Any one who is thinking about taking up this form of dance, do not thing you have to wear skimpy costumes, take seven hour a day coaching or show off half of your body as they do on Dancing With The Stars.This is not real ballroom dancing as we do, this is show-off for television hoopla.

Real ballroom dancing is for real and everyday people. Try it, you will be delighted.

Learn more about this author, Elita Clayman.
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