A Night of Magic: Summer Dance
Thu, Jul 15, 2010 10:34 AM by Ryan Jones
By: Kristie Gaalswyk (Ordway Intern)
As I walked up to Landmark Plaza, I didn’t know what to expect. Things were still getting set up and I was surprised to see that people were already sitting and walking around waiting for the impending night of dancing. It was great to see everyone mingling while eating and drinking.
It occurred to me quite quickly that people from all walks of life were coming together to share in this one moment. I saw older people, young people, a man with a cowboy hat, a woman in a wheelchair waiting patiently, a group of teenagers in flip-flops standing awkwardly, and even little kids jumping with excitement were there to share in the fun of learning and experiencing Tango.
When the instructors were beginning the lesson, I was curious as to how such a varied group of people would interact in this one space, the dance floor. What I came to see was truly awe-inspiring. Everyone became involved in the learning process. They forgot the people around them, who were either stumbling over the steps or excelling at the sultry movements of Tango. They didn’t even pay notice to the people outside of the dance floor watching with smiles glued to their faces. They were certainly in the moment. Some were fast learners, picking up on the dance moves quite quickly and others struggled a bit, but nobody paid any attention to this. You could tell by their faces that everyone out on the dance floor was lost in the moment and having a great time.
As the lessons went on, people walking by would come to a halt and after time would start making their way into our little cluster. Some would join in the dancing, others would meekly dance on the side trying to catch up on what they had missed, or others would just become one of the spectators watching the magic happening in Landmark Plaza while sipping on a glass of wine or munching on a delicious crepe.
It finally came time for the people to test their newly acquired dance techniques to live music. Mandragora Tango started to play, and the atmosphere changed. As the music began, I decided to walk the perimeter taking in the beauty of the weather, the sun gleaming on the Downtown Saint Paul buildings, and the people who had come together for this one night. There was a pair of older women smiling and swaying to the music as they sat on a nearby park bench, a mother spinning around to the music with her little baby in her arms, two little giggly girls skipping through the dancing couples, and a woman leaning against a parking meter mesmerized by both the music and watching the couples as they danced by. This was truly a sight to behold.
It was refreshing to see how this moment really gave all people, from all walks of life, the opportunity to experience arts and culture. I was truly proud of the Ordway and the downtown Saint Paul organizations for creating such an event as this, an event that makes the arts accessible to all.
As I walked away from the plaza, the music began to fade, as did the smile that I had on my face the whole time I was watching the event. I began thinking to myself; will the beauty of this moment be forgotten? Will people who came together for this one night forget the magic that just occurred in the plaza? My question was quickly answered, however. As I got into my car in the parking ramp, I saw a couple all by themselves in the distance, silhouetted by the setting sun, and they were dancing the Tango moves they had just learned. The smile on my face quickly returned as I drove off into the sunset, thinking about the magic of the night; and how glad I was that a night of Summer Dance shall return tonight where people can learn another genre of dance, Disco.
Let the dancing continue!
Posted in Summer Dance, Dance
Comments
Laura writes: 7/15/2010 3:47:58 PM
Wow, how GREAT! I can't wait to attend tonight!
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