15 Definitions that could make YOU a "DancinMoma!"

Are you a “DancinMoma?” No, not a trained dancer, but a parent on the move with a child (or two or three) in tow. If you are a “DancinMoma”, or know one who is, you should also know that there is a certain grace these individuals possess and masterful techniques they use to weave through a typical day.

Here are a few “DancinMoma Definitions" to ponder; have YOU experienced any of these?

The Pointless Pivot
Walking into a room with purpose.
Forgetting why you came there.
Pivoting the opposite way.
Remembering why you were heading there in the first place.
Pivoting again.

The Drop, Duck and Roll
The maneuver executed while walking through the living room covered only by a small, post-shower towel and hearing a loud knock on the front door from a delivery person!!
Maneuver is normally followed by a 30 second pause behind the couch, then a cautious peek.

The Trip Walk
Walking purposefully and alone to your destination, passing people and smiling confidently, then tripping, running three steps, and continuing as if you "meant" to do that.

The Tippy Toe Toy Hop
Inadvertently stepping on a Lego® creation or small toy.
Ow! Jumping! Hopping up and down holding your toe.

Happy S”hour”er
Extremely rare, uninterrupted time in your shower that feels like a frozen drink by a beach.

The Split Side
Stepping a flat, slippery object such as a magazine (Left by your spouse, no doubt). Then, while struggling to regain your balance, splaying the legs into an unconventional split you did not know you could still do.

Laser Spy Mission
Arriving from point A to point B in a playroom without hitting a toy.

The Baby Sway Stray
That side-to-side motion used to rock your baby that you do it even without your baby.

The Hip Dip
Closing doors or drawers with your hip while carrying a child in one arm, bags in the other, and cradling a phone in one ear. (Caution: only trained ‘DancinMomas’ should attempt this.)

Mac and Cheese Mambo
Stirring (and 1, 2) providing direction, repeating that direction (and 3, 4) without “boiling over.”

The Dip & Dunk:
Bending over to pick up item on floor and shoot a basket across room into the appropriate container or basket.... Score!

The Shuffle Shovel
Holding items in arms while maneuvering your foot to collect and slide things scattered on floor into a neat pile.

Cha Cha Chew Chew
The amount of time (1,2) allowed to eat your dinner — cha-cha chew chew chew — after everyone is taken care of.

The Splam
That moment when you walk away from a conversation only to run into a door or side stage wall... Splat is what it is normally called. If your name is Pam, however, like me.... the "Splam."

Five Minute Flail Fail
The 5-minute warning that evolves into 15 to 30, or more, as you motion to
your child with flailing arms that it's “time to go!”

Please Define YOUR “DancinMoma” moments below and add to the list!

Happy DANCING!

Behind the Curtain....

We all have things we are afraid of, so we hide behind our own curtains. Every so often we may peek out for a view…but how many times do we just sit and wait. Sometimes we let others perform, even open the curtain for others. But, what’s behind your “curtain” in life?

Image Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why are you hiding?

Every stage has a curtain, either actual or imaginary. Some use curtains that raise or open. Others simply need a spotlight turned on. Either way it is the beginning, the show is about to start! So you step out onto that stage with nervous, yet joyful anticipation. An audience is there waiting….will you entertain from your heart, or your head? Will you listen to your critics and hide again? Or will you rise up above to earn and then hear the cheers from the audience?

Find YOUR meaning in your LIFE performance.

Standing in the SPOTLIGHT with a down pool of light washing over you, you are exposed in a sense, yet the audience is hidden from your sight. Everyone sees YOU, yet you can’t see THEM.  Will you freeze in that moment or will you embrace the light and express that person that has been hiding behind the curtain. You can feel the heat of the lights on your face and then the music starts. It’s time to “DANCE.” Yes, that curtain may eventually close at times. The curtain in your life will rise up and down; it will open and close; but if you hold on tight to your courage, your confidence, YOU can take charge.

What a glorious moment that will be!!!

Step out from behind that curtain and take YOUR spot on the STAGE of LIFE.

Your audience awaits….

My "Curtsy" to Oscar Night

Time for a little sparkle and maybe a little bubbly. The stars are coming out! Not the beautiful constellations in the sky but the MOVIE stars! You see, I'm a big fan of the Academy Awards and going to the movies. I love the escape a well-crafted film can provide. I also enjoy the “I’d like to thank the Academy” speeches. And I LOVE the idea of being a movie star....I think. Well, maybe just for a day....for the adventure.  

What do you think about being a movie star?

Speaking of ‘thank you’ — at the end of a pre-ballet class we always wrap things up with a final curtsy, in other word's, our final bow. Using our imaginations, we pretend we are bowing to our audience or even our prince! It's my method of showing my gratitude towards each student for a wonderful class. It's also their sign of respect and thanks to the dance teacher (yours truly), and makes them more comfortable doing the curtsy for an appreciative audience in the future.

To me a curtsy eloquently says, "Thank you."

This brings me back to the Academy Awards and the infamous "acceptance speech." I like to hear what the winners say. It’s as if for those 2 minutes we have a brief window into that person's soul. Are they truly humble? Or have they won so many Oscars that they need to drop names for business reasons. The heartfelt humble words and the speeches that make you laugh along, that's what I am looking for. Each speech makes you think, who you would thank and how you might react.

So with that, I'm going to share my annual "Fake Acceptance Speech." You can go running back down the red carpet or you can join me in my imagination as I, Miss Pam, receive my fake Oscar and give my fake speech.....

"O. M. G! Is this for real, is this really happening?
(I look directly into the Oscar statues eyes here)
Hellooooo there Golden Guy.... Wow! I can't believe this!

Hugh Jackman are you out there?
(Here I scan the audience for his holy hotness and look in his eyes.)
“Hellooooo Hugh”
(in my most provocative, flirty voice)

Can you sing your song from Les Mis for me — “Bring Him Home” — because that is where this guy (refer to my Oscar) is going TONIGHT!

While I have your attention....Hughie,
(We’re getting to know each now.)

I LOVED when you hosted. I watched your opening number countless times on my DVR, until our hard drive space was full.
I had to delete you, but I will never forget.
(I wink at Hugh, and he smiles back and blows a kiss.)
(Hey, its my fake acceptance speech).

(I fan my face with my hand and take deep breath.)
I'd like thank my family first and foremost. My hilarious, impersonator hubby, my creative, witty boys, and my precious daughter who is our good luck token from Vegas. (I pause and giggle.) You all bring unending JOY to my world.

To my mom, and her adorable, nervous, happy energy that has passed onto me. (Here I motion with my arm and almost knock over the Oscar). You SEE!

To my Dad and Brother...you put the MURPH in Murphy's Law, but my god what an ADVENTURE life is.

To my girlfriends & soul sistahs, you make me laugh till I cry and cry till I pee.
Yes, I've had three babies!
Seriously, you put the SANE back in my insanity moments.... your support is invaluable!

Thank you to social media for bringing the world closer together, for bringing my family across the country together, for inspiring moments, support and love. As long as my time is positive there, it is well invested.

P.S. #SMGirlfriends you ROCK!!!

To my adoring fans —
(Remember, this is my fake acceptance speech.)
We are ALL here because YOU go to the movies.
Thank you!!  

To my cast, fellow cast-mates, directors, producers, and crew. You know who you are, and it's all on the credits because of ALL that you did, you deserve the Credit. I will do some individual shout outs on Twitter later on! (music starts playing)

Wait!! I'm forgetting someone.... Oh Jodie Foster. After hearing your words upon receiving your lifetime achievement award recently, you're my idol. Someday, I hope that I will OWN myself the way that you do. I am such a big fan and…

(Music playing louder and drowns me out as I’m dragged offstage gripping Oscar.)
(Music stops. Then I rush back onstage.) 

Oh and .... Donny O....Yes you know the one. I thank you every year for putting a smile on my face since I was a little girl. Meeting you in VEGAS was a dream come true. Someday we can take a spin on the dance floor, now that you've won that mirrored trophy. In the words of your character in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
"ANY DREAM WILL DO."
Yes.
(I hold up my Oscar.) Any dream WILL do. Thank you, thank you
(I do a very sincere, eloquent final curtsy.) THANK YOU!!!!
(I blow kisses and bop another curtsy, start walking away, then run back to the mic)

One more thing...Justin Timberlake....so glad you are BACK singing....

I saw you waving at me in 2011. Tell your mom, Hi! Can you say, JT concert? 

(Thunderous applause from the audience, as I bop my final curtsy and am carried off stage by Ben Affleck....) ;-)

Okay, now it's YOUR turn! And the winner is....

Heart "Beat"

"The heart. 

The beat.

To start your feet...."

A couple of lyrics's from on old song called, "That's Dancing" by Henry Mancini. What I remember the most from dancing to that song is the beginning heartbeat....thumping....thumping....like the sound of a drum, along with the clickety, higher pitched sounds and rhythms from our tap shoes.
(In fact, I'm dancing some of those steps in my kitchen. Right. Now. Hey. It’s my floor.)
But this also made me think about our own internal "music." That precious heartbeat that rhythmically travels through us and literally keeps us moving. Our hearts beat to different rhythms in each of us. It responds to our feelings and our activities, our thoughts and our movements.

Place your hand over your heart, over your child's heart, over your parent's heart. Stop. Listen. Feel it. Hear it. It's a GIFT we carry around everyday. We literally owe our life to it in a physical way, yet if we listen in a soulful way....you can hear the whispers of LOVE....when your heart flutters at simple moments in your life.

On this upcoming Valentine's Day, embrace your heart, your passion, your LOVE in whatever way YOU want.

Listen to the "heartbeat" of YOUR internal drum

Then DANCE!

The "Dance" of Life....your FIRST steps.

“Firsts” are momentous, and they happen just once for each new experience. The list is common, yet unique to each of us.

First steps.  

First smile. First kiss. First heartbreak. 

First job. First car. First baby. First loss.
First ultrasound. First concert. 

First words.  


And, yes, first dance class....  

Excitement fills the air as little girls dressed in pink leotards, tights and tutus, with perhaps a flower in their hair, shuffle tentatively into the dance studio for the first time in their lives. Brand new ballet shoes in tow, many of these youngsters will find that the studio becomes a lifetime companion. The little ones look around with an infectious curiosity. Some leap right into action while others hang tight to mom or dad. 

Miss Pam (yours truly) greets each little one for the first time. Neither of us can know yet whether the teacher and student relationship will last for one session… or decades. For me, this first meeting is always a celebration. Teaching these precious soon-to-be dancers has taught and continues to teach me much about life, about me, and about firsts. I want to share these simple lessons of life with you and together we can celebrate our own "firsts."

For instance, this is my "first" official blog. I am still learning the "steps" of a blog, but subsequent posts will be filled with thoughts in my head that keep me awake through the night. Dancing, motherhood, teaching dance and experiencing life through dance have provided me with a distinctive perspective on life. I invite you to share the journey.

The correlation between dance movements and those of day-to-day life is simple yet quite fascinating, in my opinion. As we begin class I instruct the girls and the occasional boy (have to get more boys involved) to stand on their tulips with feet together. I teach them how to turn their toes to either side and look down. To the new dancers it looks like a piece of cake or pizza, or at least that what I understand through their giggling. We reach down for our magic sparkles and toss them into the air and onto our feet to create our "twinkle toes." :-) Some girls reach down to open their feet, some try, others need assistance, but at one moment they are all standing in first position, otherwise known as “kissing heels.” First position is a success! They will use it from this day forward each time they dance, as I secretly hope that the sparkles touch their hearts to let them shine from within....

Firsts can add anticipation, curiosity, a new hope or a new beginning to life, such as the first of the year or the first chapter of the book you've always wanted to write. I ask you to recall your firsts — good or bad, reflect on how you've learned from them. Are you using what you've learned to improve YOUR life? 

First dance. First time driving. First snow. First meeting. First book. First movie. First sunset. 
First phone. First birthday. First tooth.

That first precious look in a mirror.... Sigh ....

So many.... "Firsts." 

For today's final curtsy, I'd like to point out that the word ‘first’ is also correlated to its counterpart, the numeral ‘one.’ 

One. 

So simple, yet so complex. I believe that ONE person CAN make a difference. So take those FIRST steps in your life today. 

Be that ONE.

Be the FIRST.

"DANCE" through your life.... 

And watch what happens!