All about my dancing

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Beginnings:

I was so curious about ballroom and Latin American dancing since I was a teenager at Grateley House School. I researched about ballroom dancing by reading dance books from the library and also watched Strictly Come Dancing on BBC television and dancesport competitions on Eurosport which I later took up the habit of doing some dancing at the age of 17.

At my tender age of 17, I went to the Latin dancing workshop in Salisbury were I learned how to dance the cha-cha-cha as taught by two Strictly Come Dancing professional dancers named Andrew Cuerden and Hanna Haarala. I learned the steps first then I pick a dance partner and I took my first ever dance and I really enjoyed it. At the end of the class, I had a chance to meet both of them who taught us how to dance and it was fun meeting them!

After the interval break, Hanna and Andrew did their Latin dance routines and the dances that they dance are the paso doble, rumba, samba, jive and cha-cha-cha and I really enjoyed it that night!

Taking up weekly dance classes:

At 18, I went to the scout hut to learn how to dance the modern jive or for franchise reasons, Ceroc and witnessed a group of scouts dancing the modern jive lessons and I was so curious about dancing it and the next day, I took up!

I really enjoyed the beginner’s class then I worked up to intermediates class and I enjoyed dancing the modern jive with lots of good tunes!

I also did some ballroom and Latin dancing and danced the Viennese waltz, slow waltz, cha-cha-cha, samba, foxtrot, rumba, quickstep, tango, Argentine tango, salsa and jive but never danced the paso doble, Charleston, lambada, West Coast Swing, blues, lindy hop or even the American smooth but would love to dance it in the future.

My Ceroc/Modern Jive days:

After I took up modern jive, I gradually joined Ceroc which I find it socially acceptable and more moves I can learn. I used to go to Stevenage, Hatfield, St Albans and Wembley. Nowadays, I am learning to dance Ceroc at Uxbridge and I am enjoying it. I got a blend of at least 20 regular dances which include few ladies that I dance with them every week and I love dancing Ceroc and I have dance it for the past five years.

My Salsa days:

In August 2008, I decided to boost my dancing confidence by taking up salsa dancing at Havana nightclub in St Albans and I did the beginner’s class and I gradually go into the ranks in the intermediates class which I did so well. In September 2009, they organised a special evening which I remembered for completing the Great North Run by doing a charity salsa party which they eventually did and it was a great night to remember.

Feelings:

When I dance with the ladies, I feel confident, healthy, happy and sociable but some ladies (whether she’s a beginner or an experienced one) don’t give me a chance to dance because of my Asperger’s and some people don’t understand me. The positive aspect of dancing is a great night out to remember. The physical advantages are burning at least 200 calories and work my muscles out and it’s good for my heart (in accordance with the British Heart Foundation).

Future:

In the future, I will be doing more Ceroc dancing plus will be going to any Ceroc weekenders but it has to be no more than one weekender per year. I also would like to do some more salsa dancing and lastly, my dream is to dance with a Strictly professional dancer with the rumba, Viennese waltz, cha-cha-cha and foxtrot provided that I have enough money to pay for the private lessons.

Thanks for posting this. I also am taking ballroom dance and have been
dancing various forms of dance off & on most of my life starting when
I was 5. But due to injury and various times in my life my AS caused some
very traumatic experiences to be more complicated than they probably
are for NTs, some of the off periods lasted for several years.

I love social dances and in 2000 I started with salsa then added Argentine
Tango which quickly replaced salsa. I met my now ex at tango and when
things went wrong in that relationship and he even stalked me at tango
events, another off period started.

Then a couple years ago started watching Dancing With the Stars and
a year ago, I finally worked up the courage to find and go to a dance
studio here in the Phoenix, AZ area. I was hooked!

Dance was one of my earliest Aspie obsessions and I am happiest doing
it. But yeah some of my Aspie quirks do show up in the group classes
and not everybody dances with me as far as male students go. But I
to just focus on the people who are nice there. I think I may have started
rambling so I'll end here but I could really relate to your post.

Great story!! !