Bride and Prejudice

I will do a lot of things just for the experience a/o story. I feel like this makes me more adventurous than I otherwise would be because if given a choice based on my real preference, I would always choose to stay in my comfort zone. To not do/experience whatever is being offered because I’m lazy. BUT, in the interest of living a more interesting life, I make a concerted effort to say yes to experiences that seem unusual, typically trying to say yes early so I’m unable to back out later. This has led to a number of awkward meals and random excursions—I love the line in 30 Rock in which a guest star warns Liz to “never follow a hippie to a second location”—but for the most part, things usually turn out fine and I have a richer life because of it.

That’s how I ended up in a Bollywood-style dancing class last Saturday at my local library. I was just there to drop off some books, when I noticed a flier announcing some upcoming events. Typically, these advertised events are ESL classes or volunteer tax help—nothing I’m too interested in. But then I saw that they were starting to offer Bollywood dancing classes “for fitness”, and it would be starting that very Saturday at 11 a.m. I looked at the clock; it was 10:58. It was fate.

The class was hilarious. The teacher was 4’10” and between 16 and 26 years old. (There was no way to know.) I was the youngest participant there by 30 years, which was extra awesome because there was a lot of hip thrusting and shoulder shimmying. The teacher shouted encouragements with a heavy accent and some unusual phrasings, i.e. “make around” for turn around. “Come on! You are sexy! Shake your butt!” It was what I imagine a Bollywood-themed Zumba class might be—a lot of jumping around mixed in with some generalized culturally-based dance moves. There were also several musical theatre-style elements thrown in, e.g. jazz hands, which you guys know I love. Seriously, if I didn’t have all this wedding/honeymoon nonsense coming up, I would definitely go back.

What about you? Do you ever do things just for the story?