I arrived home and greeted Mum. She and Dad were eating a meal in front of the TV. She asked how my day had gone. I mentioned I had been to the doctors but that everything was fine. I told her I had a dance lessen at 8 and I needed to hurry. She volunteered to make me an omelet while I changed.
I went to my room and removed my clothes and earrings then put on the leggings and sports bra I had found in the wash. I threw on a white tee shirt over the top then put on some socks and runners.
When I returned to the kitchen Mum was putting an omelet on a plate for me. I asked how her day had gone. She said that it had been a tough day. Sarah and Hilda had signed the necessary forms in the morning then had to say goodbye to Rod. She said Sarah had broken down completely and she had been with her all afternoon. She was meeting with Hilda again in the morning. To go over funeral arrangements. The funeral looked like being on next Monday at the local Catholic church. But that was dependent on the body being released.
And here was I going for a dancing lesson. However it was 7.30. I needed to leave.
I rang Sarah on bluetooth from the car. She didn’t sound as upset as Mum had made out. But she admitted she had lost it when it came to signing forms. She was enjoying a night to herself at home and was planning to watch TV and hopefully forget her worries. I told her to ring me if she wanted me to call around and that I was heading out to a dancing lesson that Jenna had arranged. She was curious about what type of dancing. I said I didn’t know.
I arrived at the address I had been given and found a door in an industrial shed with a sign saying ‘Meteor Dance Studio’ I parked out the front in a dimly lit carpark. There was only one other car present.
The door opened when I turned the handle. The front room was dark but there was a light coming down a hallway. I tentatively walked towards the light. A woman was in an office apparently doing some paperwork. “You must be Emma, I’m Katie” She stood up and shook my hand. She looked to be in her late 30’s, and was slim with long red hair. She wore a black leotard with a wrap around skirt.
“Where is the class” I asked
“Just you and me tonight, follow me” She walked further into the building and opened a door, turning on a light. This was more like what I expected a dance studio to be. One wall was completely mirrored.
“So I believe you want to learn some simple routines and generally just polish up your performance?”
Not knowing what Jenna had wanted I just said “Yes”
“It will be easier if you take your shoes off and dance in your socks” I did so. “Ok how about you start with mimicking my moves. Let’s see what you are capable of” She stood in front of the mirror and raised her right arm in the air. I stood beside her and did the same. She started gently swaying and moving her arms I followed her motions as closely as I could. The moves got trickier and included doing the splits. I was amazed to see this body was capable of. I was able to sit on the floor with both legs at 180 degrees, something that would have been impossible when I was male. She then crawled her hands forward so that her torso was now totally on the ground. I managed to mimic this move as well. It was only when Katie lifted her legs forward over her shoulders and had them on the ground in front of her face that I had to concede defeat. I couldn’t even get close.
“I can’t do that” I said
“That’s fine. I would only expect a gymnast to get that far. You have very good flexibility. Let’s try something different” She bounced up and turned on a CD player to some dance music. “Try copying me again”
This time she started swaying to the beat. I could see in the mirror that I was doing a pretty good approximation of her moves. There was a lot of crotch thrusting and exaggerated arm movements. We ended up with our hands and feet flat on the ground with our stomachs upwards doing pelvic thrusts to the music. By now I was raising a sweat. ”Very good” she said “You have natural rhythm. Have a break. There is a water fountain through that door” I went through the door into what appeared to be a change room. I used a plastic cup to quench my thirst.
When I returned she had two chairs set up in front of the mirror. “I will show you some basic chair moves. Just watch and then try and repeat what I do” She turned the music back on. Then approached the chair with a sexy walk and placed on leg on the chair, thrusting her chest out and hair back. “Try that”
I mimicked her moves. When I was finished she suggested I do it again but more slowly and to lean forward more on my knee. I tried again, more suggestions followed. I realized I shouldn’t look in the mirror but just concentrate on the movement. Eventually she said “Good, let’s try something different”
She again did a sexy walk to the chair and ended up sitting on it but not before numerous pelvic thrusts and hair shakes. I had to break it down to individual movements then put it all together. After 5 minutes I was doing a reasonable approximation.
She then showed me another sequence of moves which ended up with her squatting on the chair and wiggling her bum to the audience. It took me 10 minutes this time to get the sequence of movements right. Lastly she asked me to try and put all 3 sequences together. I started and twice got halfway through before she pulled me up, showed me what I was doing wrong and told me to start over. Eventually I got through the whole sequence.
“Congratulations you can now do a 5 minute chair routine. That’s enough for 1 week”. Can you make a class on Thursday nights 7pm? I have 5 other learners then”
“I have a hair appointment this Thursday night but otherwise I can make Thursdays”
“Well I think you are a natural and could skip the 2nd lesson. How about you come on the 26th but you will need to bring heels and wear a clubbing dress”
“Sure I can do that” I must have looked puzzled.
“A full dress rehearsal so to speak”……. “If you get the chance practice the chair sequence we did tonight”
“Ok, what do I owe you?”
“Nothing for tonight. First lesson is free”
“Umm before I go can I use the ladies?”
“In through the change room. Tell me if it’s too personal but are you wearing a pad?”
I was embarrassed by the question “Err yes, my period has just started”
“So it’s not for leakage. That’s ok. It’s just that if you have troubles down there then this sort of dancing probably isn’t appropriate” I had no idea what she meant
“Thank-you. See you Thursday week”
I went to the toilet and changed my pad. Katie was back in her office. I said “Bye” as I walked past.
I left quickly getting into my car, I checked for any messages from Sarah but there was nothing. I drove home.
Mum and Dad were already in bed. It was almost 10pm.
I cleaned my teeth and went to bed. Knowing I had a period Mr Millionaire didn’t get a showing. I tried the pirate book again. I read for half an hour. Charlotte the heroine was a lady in the late 1700’s. The daughter of a Baron, she was travelling by ship to marry a Scottish lord she had never met in an arranged marriage. All she knew of the lord was that he was 60 years old. She was only 19. A new chapter started when a strange sail had been sighted somewhere in the Irish sea. I thought that was a good place to stop for the night. I set my alarm for 6.30 and turned the light out.