Written @ 7:02 p.m. on 2007-06-19
Ms. Smith's Dancers

I had a lovely chat with SINGLEDADGUY today! I love audience participation! Everybody! Jump in! The water's fine. In the old days, we used to have a community of d-landers who wrote everyday, and who cared and commented and supported on another. I'd like to create that again. Who's with me? Who's not jumping ship and going to wordpress? ((((the crowd roars)))

The girls have their first performance with their hiphop dance troupe tomorrow at a McDonalds. There has been all kinds of news going on with this dance troupe! I went to a street festival to see B's wrestling group, and there was this group of inner city kids just tearing it up! I wanted to dance just watching them. The junior kids were dancing great, but nothing too sexual. I don't like watching 6 year olds doing the humpty. The lady in charge, this round, happy-faced lady who reminded me of the blues singer Bessie Smith, invited all kids ages 6 and up to join them. Of course, my girls said YES! We want to dance!

I spoke to Ms Smith, and she said, yes, P. could dance even though she is only five and a half. Squinting, I asked her how much this all cost. "It's free!" she said. Well, as we all know, if it's free it's for me!
"Where is it?" I asked. "6th and Chew." Gulp. Sixth and Chew is right in the middle of the neighborhood where all of the precious children in the group live. Sixth and Chew is the home of many drug dealers, gang members, and crack whores. They have drive by shootings and stabbings on a regular basis. Gulp.

But,the stereotypical angel on my shoulder told me, it's healthy exercise. It's just kids dancing. It's free. The kids won't get another chance like this that is free, and obviously they are quite good.

"Crackwhores!"said the devil.

The girls, of course, took the side of the angel, so down to the ghetto we drive to the free hiphop dance class three times a week for an hour and a half.

The first day was frightening. We were, it goes without saying, the only whites. The troupe had been having some difficulties, and Ms. Smith was giving them one hell of a lecture. The teenaged girls were sassing her back, and she was putting them in their place. The gym where it is held was reverberating with the sounds of angry urban voices. The girls covered their ears, and I was afraid to leave them. I asked them if they wanted to go home.

"No,"they said resolutely."We want to learn to dance."

Ohhhhhh-kaaaaay, I said, biting my nails. We'll give them one more try.

The second time, the girls had a blast. They came back jumping up and down, saying "We are cheerleaders!" Ms. Smith explained,"We have a performance on wednesday, which is not enough time for them to learn the dance, so I taught them a cheer to do in the beginning!" I was so impressed that she didn't just tell the girls that they had to sit out because they were new. There is something about that Ms. Smith. "It doesn't matter if we mess up!" said P."We are only there to look cute!" She said it with so much seriousness I almost died.

Today it was 95 degrees, and the group was locked out of their gym. Ms. Smith, undeterred, played the music on her car stereo and they practiced in the parking lot.

Tomorrow is their show at the McDonald's family day. We are so excited! I'll let you know how it goes.

3 comments

before || after