More Than A Token Part Two Of Six: The Dancing Fool

When I went to my first Saturday morning dancing group exercise class, I was overweight and uncoordinated. I couldn't keep up with the moves and I was not only the only autistic in the class, I was also the only guy. I was a bit intimidated and walked out for a quick second to "make sure I was in the right class" and left. I came back in, and while I was often the only guy for numerous dance classes (and the other guys that show up when there are some are suffering a lot from a disorder called "extreme toolism"), I have been not only the only person with autism in these classes, I also have been the only person with a differing ability in all but two classes (one where my roommate joined and one where I went with a fellow person with autism and there was a person with Down's Syndrome in the class). Regardless of how often I went (which ended up being quite regularly), I could hold my own and even did a Hip-Hop workshop class for 8 weeks and did a Dance Marathon for 14ish hours recently. The Dance Marathon situation was epic because I was able to meet people and strengthen the friendships I had and dance for a long time for a cause (St. Luke's Children's Hospital). And the epic feeling of completing a Hip-Hop workshop class for 8 weeks and putting it all together (with the instructor saying that I'm fun to watch), that made it even more satisfying. I have been able to make some of my closest relationships in my college career through dance classes and life is a dance, man or woman- life is a fleeting moment and all the various parts in it where you feel strengthened and loved, cared for and appreciated, trusted and confirmed, and all these other emotions that you feel with close friends. I'm able to see the dancing in my life work on my balance, my coordination, and my footwork, which strengthened my experiences in various things I do. I'm able to be especially spirited and feel loved through dancing. And I love life as a dance metaphor, because even when you move, you are structuring a dance that only you can make. To do something as good as a Dance Marathon and have energy until noon the next day is one of those trademarks of the "darn four letters" as I like to call ADHD. But the gift of autism is without parallel for what I can accomplish through these feet feats, as I've always loved to dance, I just haven't found non-impulsive ways to dance until recently. And to live life through a vicarious love for dancing and appreciation of others, that's what life is all about, whatever circumstances you are in. Stay tuned for the next installment of this series: the uninhibited worship/singing energizing non-token.