Don't Forget To Dance

There is an old Hebrew adage, roughly translated, "Do what you must in this life, but don't forget to dance." 

A day or so after Irene, I was riding my bike home-bound on Fifth Avenue, just about to make a left on to Union, when I found myself in the thick of a an old school "bow to your partner! Now circle left!" genuine, unadulterated, square-jawed, hootenanny square dance. 

It turned out that the Park Slope Fifth Ave BID had been sponsoring these once-a-week hoe-downs for the past couple of months, and August 30th was the final one. 

The draw of the hoe down felt like a Places to go! Things to do! intervention. I parked my bike, took a seat and let my worries dissolve into the the live fiddle and bass playing, by the Backyard Boys Band. 

Before there was , before there were cities, there was folk dancing. There is something very timeless and pure about groups of folks joining hands and moving to music. There is something about the waves of giggles as, little girls danced with father or mother (or both), and same sex duos swung their partners, bowed to their right and allemande left!

I let go of my obligations and gave into the sweet escape of square dancing and stayed until the very last dance.

NYC Barn Dance has an ongoing series of dance events coming up and, not to worry, they'll be back to Brooklyn too. Check them out here.

Amazingly, the next night, biking toward the Picnic House in Prospect Park, I took a double-take at what appeared to be a hula party as three women in grass skirts, accompanied by soft Tahitian drums, shimmy-shammied in clear, syncopated steps.  

Were these dancers or apparitions? Again, I got off my bike and took a moment to sit and watch. Just two days after, here was a slice of Polynesia in the heart of Brooklyn, replete with a gentle breeze, an easy setting sun and mellow, rhythmical drumming. 

I felt myself let go of the worries and the pressures of the never-ending what has to be done yesterday/should have been done last week and took a deep breath, staying until the very last dance, yet again.

A slight variation on the old Yiddish saying for post-millenium: Do what you must in this life, but don't forget to take a moment to appreciate what is right there in front of you. Especially in the Slope.

Kaini Quenga  is now teaching at Brooklyn's , Wednesdays @ 6:30pm!!