Hip Hop moooooves/grooves

Let me start by saying that the pink shirt in the first video doesn't seem like appropriate office wear. Business sensual? I don't think Ne-yo was going for a realistic workplace setting for this video. I definitely do NOT have my finger on the pulse of corporate America, but that's my take. But hey, "Miss Independent" is the song we spent our first dance class dancin' to, and it was fun.

The song has interesting counting, and honestly, our teacher was a better dancer than teacher. But that's okay - she was subbing for the real teacher. She was great to watch - fluid legs, beautiful arms, expressive shoulders. It is definitely the case, however, that talent in an area is not synonymous with the ability to teach that talent. But by the end of the night, I had most of the combination, and could feel blisters forming on my feet. Proud moment!

Was I scared to walk in that studio? Yes. Was I intimidated to freestyle with the rest of my classmates? You betcha! (But also excited - all those mirrors are much better than dancing in my living room.) Did I manage to hold my own? I think so, mostly because everyone was consumed with watching their own awkward reflections.

There were 6 college students and 4 other adult women. After class, we adults gathered together.
"I think I'm in the wrong class," said one of them, shrugging her shoulders.

"No, no," I said, encouragingly, since I obviously want the other adults to stay put in this class. "This is just week one."

"Easy for you to stay," she said. (Yes, she said stay.) "But I think I'm going to sign up for Sassy Dancing instead," she continued. "It's the class with chairs and feather boas."

"Whoa," I said. "That is NOT the class for me. I need to stay far, far away from feather boas."

I'm looking for some transformation, but not of the *sassy* variety.

Our other class warm-up, stretch out and freestyle song was "I Can Transform Ya." Did you hear that one last year? I played it for my kids this a.m. as our wake up call, and Graham kept saying, "I know this song! I know it!" It was, after all, the hook-filled theme song of that big popcorn flick (which I did NOT see), starring that actress I can't stand, you know the one? What was it called?  "Megan Fox Runs From a Robot"? "Optimus Something or other"?

Re: the song. Look, it's complicated with me and Chris Brown. He makes me SO mad, but I like his voice. I want to wipe that smug menacing scowl right off his face, but man, the boy can dance. Maybe I should separate his violent personal life with his obvious singing/dancing talent? Maybe it's okay to like the performer but despise the behavior? That's a tough question for another day.

For now, yeah, I liked the beats on this. Speaking of, Swizz Beatz is good. Lil Wayne is skilled too, albeit in a scuzzy way, and it's fortunate that he can rap; the man is not, as we say, "a handsome cub scout."