Shipoopi

Well, I have officially said yes, and ordered my dancing shoes . . . so I am committed to attempting to dance the "Shipoopi"!   A couple of weeks ago, some high school girls and their mom came to see me at school saying they needed to ask me something.  I figured they wanted me to play the piano for them to sing at some function, and was ready to say "Sure, how can I help?".   Instead, they asked if I would participate in the annual Fallon Swing Dance Team's fundraiser. . . Dancing With the Stars.  My initial response was, "That is a really fun thought, but you must be out of your minds!".  They gave me a few days to think it over.  What really sealed the deal was when the dance teacher called to tell me that my dance would be a Broadway musical number from "The Music Man", the "Shipoopi".  That is one of my all-time favorite musicals, the first one that I played the piano for (when I was in high school), and the last one that Sara and I did together here in Fallon while she was in high school.  I was told that they were looking for someone "age appropriate" for the part. . . they didn't want to get some "cute, young thing".  As I pondered that comment later in the evening, I told myself, "This is a good thing.  I think perhaps I can handle the dance expectations of the role of Ethel Tofflemeyer (for those of you that know the show), the pianola girl, who was definitely more comfortable on the piano bench than the dance floor.  :)   So, at the urging of  my family (the girls said, "Mom, you HAVE to do this!"), I said yes, and I have to admit that I am looking forward to learning the dance.  I am also praying that perhaps Jesus will come the night before the performance, so that I can have the fun of practicing, without the pressure and fear that I will turn out to be a total "dance blob" when I have to dance with people watching.  I feel like Sara would love that I am pushing myself to do this, so in a way, this is for her.  The picture below is Sara and her partner Steven, dancing the "Shipoopi" in the Fall of 2005.  (as Zaneetta, not Ethel Tofflemeyer)   :)