Dancing the night away

Sunday 25^th November

I stayed in bed until after 10, just to make sure I’d have enough energy for more dancing today! I had not realised how much I missed dancing (well, dancing with a good partner) until I did some. I wonder if I can find some way to occasionally do some in shoreside life.

The ship’s dancing professionals were teaching the cha-cha. I went along to watch. I sat with Peggy while everyone learnt the basics, but then stood up to join in for the Allemagne turn. By then everyone else had found a partner so I was dancing alone – until the male professional came along and danced it with me! He also danced with me when we put all the steps together. It was great to have a rock-steady dancer to get me back upright whenever I lost my balance from the ship. For the final practice dance, Alan asked me if I could dance with him and lead him through the steps, calling out what to do. It reminded me of all my years helping out at basic ballroom dancing classes.

Lunch with Chris and Peggy was fun. I’ve been tasting all the chilled fruit soups on offer. On Friday I had peach soup; on Saturday I had blackberry soup; today it was pineapple and pina colada. Lovely!

After that, of course, was the boring task of resting! At least there was a purpose for the resting – so I’d be able to dance the night away.

I sat beside someone new at the table again – Malcolm (and his wife Barbara) on one side and Alan on the other. Another good time. The others went off to various activities like Trivia and the show, while I went back to my room for a rest. We were meeting up in the Queen’s Room for the Black and White Ball at 9.30, so I went at 9.00 to stake out seats for us. It was a bit of a fight to keep them, as more and more people came in!

It was a wonderful evening of dancing, and we kept going until after midnight. The ship has 4 gentlemen hosts who are there to dance with ladies over 50 who don’t have a partner. I danced with 3 of them, had several dances with Trevor (including trying to work out a Samba routine – not a dance I was ever good at) and one with Alan.

The professional dancers (who teach the midday classes and will give private lessons if you have the money) put on a display of the Viennese Waltz.

Some of the dancers on the cruise were superb. Peggy had a bet on with Alan, that he was to ask this lovely lady for a dance before the end of the cruise. His reward is to be a Guiness. I think the dance itself must have been reward enough. (Look at the tall gentleman and elegant Japanese lady in the middle.)

Trevor posed with me afterwards just so you could have a photo of me in dancing dress and up on the ballroom floor! Here’s proof.

While waiting for the lift I started chatting to one of the hosts, seeing he’d been introduced as having a Doctorate in education. I mentioned that I’d done my Master’s in that. We went up to the buffet for a cold drink and talked until 1.15! His work at the moment is in the field of testing and evaluation of programmes. By the time I’d got up to the Lido I’d discovered a broken blister on my right foot, so I walked back to my room barefoot!