Dancing through life

Every now and then, I stumble upon an unique New York moment...usually when I'm not looking for it at all. Such was the case this afternoon. I was out for a run in Central Park when I saw a group of people dancing in a circle near Turtle Pond. Intrigued, I got closer to figure out what exactly was going on. I thought perhaps I was intruding on a Greek wedding, but when I didn't find any shards of smashed plates, I ruled that option out.



Upon further evaluation, I discovered this sign:


That's right, ladies and gentlemen - I discovered free, singles International Folk Dancing in Central Park. Now let me first say that I did not jump in to participate, although in retrospect, I wish I had. I just found it so lovely that this group of people, most of them in their 60's or 70's I would guess, had found each other...that someone somewhere said one day, "You know what? This city needs more international folk dancing, so let's plan something. How's Sunday afternoon?" It could very well be my imagination running away with itself, but I like to think that these folks have been meeting at the pavilion near Turtle Pond for years, decades even. That they used to be strangers but now they're friends. That the man with the long gray ponytail and the woman in the denim jumper met here one Sunday and declared it love at first sight and have been blissfully married ever since. (They of course did the circle dance at their wedding.)

I stood and watched the International Folk Dancers for 10 minutes or so, thoroughly fascinated and entertained. Despite my best investigative journalism/staring, though, I couldn't for the life of me figure out who was leading the group. Surely there must be a coordinator, someone who sets up the boom box, brings the cassette tape filled with polka music, and leads the free-for-all of community dancers in the circle dance...sort of a folk-dancing senior citizen aerobic instructor if you will. Regardless of the leader or lack thereof, though, everyone seemed to be doing just fine, following one another, moving as a circular unit, joyfully smiling as they hopped and bopped around.

Because that's what community is all about, right? Holding hands together, moving in the same direction with one another, laughing together, opening your arms to anyone and everyone, and creating memories to last a lifetime. It's not one person being out front telling everyone else what to do and how to do it; instead, it's coming alongside each other and dancing through life's journey together.

If polka can do that for the Central Park International Folk Dancers, then I feel confident that there's hope for us all.
:)