Twinkle Toes. Hardly.

My name is Judy. Judy Garland.

No, not really. But I have taken up tap dancing classes. Yes, some of you are probably falling about laughing at that image, myself included. This ambitious decision followed my annual New Year's resolution to "lose weight/shift the baby weight/ get my ass into gear and pull myself towards myself".

Last year I enrolled The Boy into creative movement dance classes at his daycare in a bid to get him out of his shell and build more confidence. And actually just to have fun!

His dad frowned somewhat when I suggested "dance" classes, probably fueled by visions of his son dancing in a tutu as the Sugar Plum Fairy. But by that time I had already enrolled The Boy anyway. No lee way for discussion, Mr Macho Darling Husband.

His dance teacher is his daycare teacher too and she has many years of professional dancing under her enviously small belt. She suggested I try her tap dance class which she was aiming to start for moms at her studio already located on the school's premises. She cajoled me with promises of convenient aftercare for the Boy while I danced my heart out. So okay. I decided to try it out. I roped my sister in to do it with me. Her daughter, my niece, would also be keeping The Boy company while he waited for Mama to finish huffing and puffing.

So we went to tap class with the idea of getting fit and having some fun.

And we are having a lot of fun. We have just had 3 classes where we are learning the different steps - ball, heel, toes, stomps, taps, etc. We are also learning how dancing can pick your brain up too. It teaches your brain and body to balance itself by using both sides of your brain for beat counts, switching feet and general balance. It will teach us to be more conscious of our posture (as I type this I straighten myself up instead of slouching behind my desk), hopefully also teach me a bit more gracefulness (I believe in miracles).

We were kitted out with tap shoes with shiny taps. They reminded me somewhat of those foil milk bottle caps that we used to string together as kids to make tambourines. Just putting those shoes on and walking to the bar and hearing the taps jingle made me feel like I was getting somewhere.

With knees bent and clutching the wooden bar for a little help in the balance department we were taken through the steps. While these steps seemed simple and basic, I could see I had a far way to go to becoming a runaway success on stage. Not that that was where I was aiming for but I suppose I might harbor a secret desire to be a natural Grace Kelly or suchlike talented dancer.

Watching myself in the floor length mirror I watched my jelly belly wobble and quiver just like those cartoons depicting shiny red multi tiered jelly desserts. I fear dance class might just not be enough to rid myself of all that flab. *big sigh

But one of the best things you get to do in tap class (and its even better if you've been having a crappy day) is that you get to stomp the sh*t out of the dance floor repeatedly and still get applauded :)

Watch this space for more progress. Hopefully there is some...