So I said yes, & declared, “we’ll work on smooth tomorrow.” (Before our enforced separation, I would probably have phrased that as a question.)
Hahaha! Well, THAT didn't go quite as I expected. Pro is clearly still the one in charge. I arrived today for my double lesson (already masked), washed my hands, and put on my smooth shoes. But before I could even walk all the way across the dance floor to greet Pro, he looked down at my feet, shook his head, and said "no, no...we need continuity...we need to reinforce what we worked on yesterday with your Latin movement. So put your rhythm shoes on, please."
Sigh. Of course I obeyed.
Yesterday, he asked if I wanted to move into the small ballroom where we used to always have my lessons. I said nah, the main ballroom was fine, since there was only one other couple there. Today, however, he said, "let's go in here instead," and bcs there were 2 other couples in the main room, I agreed.
He said we'd spend the second lesson on smooth, but explained that because we hadn't done much actual dancing yesterday, he wanted us to work on incorporating the Latin body movement into the various dances. And we did - but we only got thru rumba, the tiniest bit of cha cha, and a tiny little corner of salsa, in the 50 minutes after my 40-minute lesson started. He suggested we take a break before the second lesson. I said I was fine going straight thru & just ending early, but he said he needed to go take off his mask for a few minutes (I totally get that!!!!).
We did waltz during the second lesson; reviewed the figures I've already learned, tidied up some rough edges, and at one point I missed his lead on something bcs I was actually dancing with my eyes closed, a big smile under my mask. It just felt so good to be dancing with a partner, even if said partner was only holding me by my right hand and my left forearm.
Second lesson also ran about 50 minutes. This is nuts. I've NEVER had a lesson with Pro run over before that I can remember, until this week. And now I've just had 3 in a row run long.
Between lessons, each pro goes to whichever table where his/her last student's belongings were during the lesson, and sprays down the table and all chairs at that table with disinfectant, and wipes everything down. Ditto for the restrooms, including the doorknobs and light switches. There are also signs up ALL OVER the studio, about washing your hands (including how often and for how long), leaving your mask on at all times, and so on.
It's weird having the studio so empty. Studio Mgr wandered in during my second lesson to check on things (from a distance). I was glad Pro & I weren't touching each other right then...I had this absurd flash of adolescent guilt - "oh-my-gosh-did-he-catch-us?" Like, WTF? Catch us doing what? (The voice in my head is booming, "[Pro]! I saw one of your fingers move a quarter-inch past [PNP]'s elbow, almost to her bicep - how dare you violate the social distancing rules! Ye are both hereby banished from the kingdom!")
He offered me another lesson tomorrow, but I said no. (My schedule is actually free, but 3 lessons in one week is plenty, even though I'm still in withdrawal; and I do need time to practice also [and I do actually work full-time...just not during the hours most people do].) I told him I was surprised he wasn't booked up...that I had expected to get no more than one lesson every other week, and certainly no doubles. He said "yes, that's what we expected too! But a lot of students say they can't dance in masks." I asked, "can't?" He shrugged & said, "or won't. Whatever. Same thing. Some say claustrophobia. Some say not comfortable. Some opposed in principle. Anyway, it means my schedule is very open."
Sure, the mask is uncomfortable, especially when you're waltzing and need to take deep breaths...and when it shifts to bump the lower eyelid (maybe that only happens to me, since I have a small face)...and when the straps pull on your ears or strands of hair get caught on them - BUT WHO CARES??? It's a temporary inconvenience. A very small price to pay, IMO.
