Week 17. I will have to refrain from naming people in my dance class or I will soon end up with no dance partners. I assume I am safe in naming Rory as he is the instructor this week and I don't think he will want to dance with me ever.  Rory did the best class this week ... he came up with a brilliant plan, "a plan so cunning that you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel" (BBC TV - Blackadder). Rory did the class backwards. Instead of finishing with Salsa we started with Salsa. It was like a breath of fresh air. I can't wait to see what cunning plan he comes up with next time.

Tonite (yes I was boring and rushed home to write my report) we learned heaps of new steps. Perhaps we learn heaps of new steps ever other night but tonight I actually remember them. The first was the square step in Salsa, which we will use later when turning. Basically its right foot steps across the left, bring the feet together, tap the right, step back on the right, spin to the left, facing the back, feet together step tap left and repeat the whole thing once more to form a square.

Later that night we learned a new Bossa nova step - the "profiterole" - oops thinking of food again during class. It gets very hard to concentrate at around 6.30 when the stomach starts to rumble. The name of the new step is something like profiterole (I am sure a learned reader will give me the correct spelling). Basically it is along the lines of the 4 steps in the "side to side", only with the weight on the right foot, you swing the left behind, fall to the left bringing the feet apart, step on the right foot and start again on the right side. It's very similar to a drunken stagger really, and like a drunken stagger, it can be used to change direction when moving around the room. We all had chance to practice our staggers and I couldn't help smiling as I imagined how much the whole scene was reminiscent of the last dance at wedding reception (my sisters to be exact).

My favourite part of any class is learning a new turn. This week we were taught how to get into and out of the yolk. We start by dancing in an open frame, the leader pushes his left hand forwards and brings the right arm up and behind his head. The follower does the same. And then we dance around in a circle until the leader (that's me) remembers how to get out of the yolk. There are probably a great many ways to get out of the yolk, the method Rory taught was to release the right hand and slide the left hand from the partner's shoulder to the hand. Then, turn your partner clockwise and place your partner left hand on your right shoulder, scooping the right hand in the "stick em up" position (see week12) and them grab your partners right hand so you are back in a dance frame..

Felt really good tonight. Can't wait to impress the girls at dance party on Saturday ... well the beginners anyway.

Steve - Thanks Rory for a terrific class.