A few weeks ago, I finished a rewrite on a book that wasn’t, well, easy. Not that rewrites ever are. I won’t go into the gory details, but suffice it to say that the book is fabulous now and I’m very happy that I sacrificed my life, my health and my sanity in order to do what had to be done. I promised myself I’d take a month off of writing on a schedule and so far, I’ve had no trouble keeping to my promise. Yes, I still work everyday (few working writers really know what the concept of “time off” means) but I noticed something this past Saturday that proved my time off is paying off.
I danced.
First, it was on Saturday night when one of my all-time favorite movies came on–That Thing You Do starring Tom Hanks. (If you haven’t seen it–rent it! It’s a feel good movie. And the music rocks.) No matter how many times I’ve seen it, I can’t help bopping around to the music. It’s hip, it’s snappy. Then on Sunday, while my husband was futzing in the yard and my daughter was playing with her toys in the Jacuzzi and my mother-in-law was channel surfing, I was in the kitchen cooking. I turned on my radio, which I normally do. However, I normally listen to talk radio or National Public Radio, but neither were interesting, so I hit my favorite 80s-90s station. And while I was cooking, I found I was dancing.
Around the kitchen. Unabashed. Not giving a flying fig if my husband looked at me as if I’d been dipping into the cooking sherry. (I wasn’t.) Right this very minute, I can’t even remember the song. But something struck me and I danced.
I used to dance all the time. I studied dance in elementary school. I danced on the high school dance team. I performed with a singing/dancing group in high school and college and the four years I was in college, my sorority always won the talent contest during Greek week. (Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a videotape of the ADPi version of Le Jazz Hot from Victor/Victoria starring…me. Yes, I could hit that note back then. Amazing.) My wedding is still talked about fifteen years after the fact by people who can’t believe how we all danced all night.
At some point in my life, I stopped dancing. I can’t really tell you when it was, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it coincided with the two most life-changing events in my life–both of which happened within a month of each other. I sold my book a month before I found out I was pregnant. And frankly, seems to me, I forgot how to dance.
Now don’t get me wrong, I dance with my daughter pretty regularly. The music will get into my soul every once in a while and frankly, whenever Kool & the Gang’s “Celebration” comes on, I can still do at least fourteen counts of the combination my high school dance team did back in 1982. But it’s not the same. It’s not invading my life. It’s not creeping up on me when I least expect it.
I want to be like Ellen. You know, Ellen Degeneres? I love her. I will go to EPCOT and go through the Land of Energy for the four thousandth time because then I get to see Ellen playing Jeopardy! against Jamie Lee Curtis and exploring the dinosaurs with Bill Nye the Science Guy. But I particularly love her talk show, which I don’t get to see as much as I’d like because I’m working. However, I do like to tune in at the beginning just to see her dance if that’s all I the time I can spare.
I’m going to start trying to dance like her every day. I think it’ll be good for me. I’m sure I’m not as hip or rhythmic as I used to be, but who cares? It’s the music and the movement that matter. And the feeling. The inability to keep still when the music hits–but mostly, the ability to forget all the responsibilities and obligations and contracts, etc, even if just for a two minute song.
Oh, dear. I feel a little George Michael coming on. Anybody else want to join me while he sings about how you gotta have Faith?
By all reports, Julie Leto was a sweet child once, somewhat shy, preferring to play quietly in her room making up stories. However, being raised with three brothers in a loud, primarily Italian household did have its influences and Julie discovered her inner tough girl. That’s probably why most of her heroines kick serious butt. Writing sassy heroines has worked out, as she’s sold over forty books to four publishers featuring strong, confident women. Julie lives in Florida with her daughter, a spoiled dachshund, a haughty lynx-point Siamese and a wide range of relatives all within driving distance.
Destiny
Dirty Little Secrets
Once Upon A Valentine
Through The Night
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I wish dancing were in my soul, but alas, every time I dance, I’m self conscious. Sad but true. GOOD FOR YOU, Julie! Keep dancing. (Oh and I love Ellen too!)
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE :d
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Oh Julie, I’m so glad you got your groove back! :d
As the least coordinated person on the planet, I have never been a big dancer and now with a bum ankle, it’s even less likely that I’ll get out and shake it (else I might be shaking it flat on my back!) So I really am happy you have found that inner dancing girl and are letting her loose.
Leslie
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Good for you Julie – sounds like fun. I sometimes dance, when I am completely by myself and not in danger of having someone see me trip over my own feet. Or when I’ve consumed massive amounts of alcohol, which I don’t do all that often LOL.
I know what you mean about music. I always have the radio on, and I am sometimes “dancing” in the car, but more like tapping my fingers on the steering wheel or tapping the foot that’s not supposed to be on the gas pedal (or brake). The music just takes over. Definitely one of my ways of relaxing (note)
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Good morning, Julie! Bravo for you. I actually do dance around all the time. As much as I used to, if not more. My kids love to dance and my eleven year old has got some major rhythmn. My husband and I do go out dancing at least three times per year. But it’s the around-the-house stuff and in-the-car that really keeps me going. I’m not much for oldies (I feel old enough without re-living my high school days), but I’m totally into Top 40, rap and hip/hop and country. I can dance to anything. I haven’t felt much like dancing since me dad passed on a few months ago, but luckily I’m starting to get my own groove back. The kids and I cut loose to American Idol every Tuesday night. Rock on, Chris!! We’re rooting for you. My husband thinks I’m an idiot, but I don’t care. Life is too short.
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Oh, and by the way, I LOVED That Thing You Do! I’ve seen it oodles of times and I never get tired of it. It’s got energy.
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I love the blog, thanks for sharing! Glad you are back to dancing, life is too short not to! Hey, I dance while I cook all the time! I miss dancing salsa with the husband, we’ve been so busy we haven’t gone out dancing in awhile.
80s music rules!
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Julie: Awww, the 80′s, those were the times! Weren’t we cool?
;) Congrats on the new blog, this is a great blog! (y) Tks for sharing it with us Sucia’s … U just reminded me how I used to dance all the time and then all of the sudden it stopped. I gotta get back on track and let my feet get back to LIFE … Keep Dancing Mujer! :)
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Julie, glad to hear that you’ve got your groove back. I love to dance, but it takes a considerable amount of alcohol for me to do it in public. :) At home though, me and the kids usually plug in Gloria Gaynor and go wild on I WILL SURVIVE. Hubby has a negative measure of rhythm and doesn’t participate, though, for which we’re all thankful. :d
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Julie,
Thanks for sharing. Dancing used to be my passion… you’ve inspired me to re-discover it! Keep on groovin! LOVE the blog! (y)
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HI Julie,
Sounds to me like you found a little bit of yourself that you might had stuck on the back shelf for a while. I understand completly. I always wanted to learn how to do the ballroom dances, but alas I live in a town that hadn’t heard of those kinds of lessons. I took ballet and tap lessons eons ago, but I love dancing. I think it is a wonderful exercise for the body and soul.
I used to dance with my girls when they were very little to the final dance in the movie Dirty Dancing. I had watched that scene so many times I knew the dance by heart. The kids loved it when they were young. Now if I’m caught dancing I see them shudder and roll their eyes and tell me to grow up.
I tell them I grew up and I didn’t like it. :)
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Great blog, Julie! It made me smile, but it also reminded me to appreciate the SIMPLE things in life. To enjoy OURSELVES and not let everything else consume our lives to the point that that we forget about these kinds of simple pleasures. Dance on, Julie! (note)
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love that song
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Hey gals!
LOVE your blog!
Julie, I’m just like you, always bopping to a tune. When music is playing, it’s impossible for me to keep still. At the very least my toes are tapping. My son burned me a CD that includes 20 of my favorite 80′s songs and I love to put on my headphones and go for a power walk, which, given my passion for chocoate-covered marshmallows is a very good thing! It doesn’t feel like exercising, it feels like dancing!
Jacquie D
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Julie,
I’m glad you got your groove back! I love That Thing You Do and Dirty Dancing. Unfortunately like Leslie I’m very uncoordinated, the best I can do is bob my head. :)
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Get into the groooooove boy you’ve got to prooooove your love to meeeeee . . . .
I love it! I dance around the house all the time. Sometimes I even bust out some old ballet moves that always prove to be a bad idea but fun at the time. When I was prego I danced a lot. All types of music because I wanted my little on have rythm (experiment on mypart) And now that he is one regardless of what he is doing or where he is when he hears a song he likes he starts jamming. He does this twist thing with his arms flapping infront of him or he gets on his knees and bops his head and body like a rocker. He doesn’t care who is watching or how hard I am laughing, he just puts up his little arms and rocks on. There’s no better way to relieve stress!
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Loved the blog topic, Julie. I agree with whoever said you found a part of yourself you shelved for a while. We all get so caught up in the day to day, rush rush rush, you forget to relax and do something simple and fun.
I dance with my kids – they love it and they’re still young enough they don’t judge me for it (except my 12 yr old – he rolls his eyes at me and moans, “oh MOM!” :p
Have fun dancing!
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LOVE IT! Glad you’re dancing, Julie!
True confession time. Sometimes, in the middle of writing, if one of my “gotta dance” songs comes on, I hop up, turn it up and take myself a little dancing break.
Uh…my office is a sunroom with windows on three sides. I think most of my neighbors aren’t home during the day. I hope so, for their sake cause, ya know, I never said it was pretty. :d
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Hi Julie!!!
(o) The clock is ticking, soon you will be back in my cluthes.
Barb
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Hi Julie!
You go girl (y) !!
Oh the 80′s – what great dance music we had back then, when you could jump around and let it all hang out! (note)
I’ve got to confess too that sometimes when the mood hits me (and I don’t care who’s around to witness it) I turn up the radio/CD/whatever and dance like I was 18 again (although when I’m done I feel more like my actual 40) but it was so worth it. :)
Love the blog!! (l)
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I should dance more. You made me realize that.
i sometimes turn on the music and grab a baby and sing and dance our way across the room. Yeah, more of that would be especially good right now! (note) (*)
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I’m very excited to be introduced to this blog, and let me tell you, I agree 100%. Everyone should dance more. Doesn’t matter if you can dance like a broadway performer, or not. It’s a wonderful feeling to just be able to shake it like a poloroid picture once in a while. Keep up the dance Julie! Waive your arms in the air like you just don’t care! Wooohooo!
(note) (note) Suezette
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Thank you, Julie. You made me think about taking up dancing again. I used to dance a lot when I was growing up. I was just saying to my hubby the other day we should go dancing for our anniversary next week.
Love the blog, ladies!
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WOW! So great to see all of you here…a special shout-out to my sucias! To all of you who don’t dance because you think you’re awkward, that’s what closed doors and window shades are for…or you can be like Jen and just say screw it! (You know which one I prefer!) Les, yes, let’s keep you on two feet…but while she doesn’t dance, Leslie has been known to break into Broadway tunes on a whim, which is sort of the same thing.
Music can be so freeing. It speaks to the inner child. I had a really crappy day today (no real reason…just sort of bluesy) but I danced with Ellen anyway. And yeah, made me feel better.
Julie gets her groove back…I love it!
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Yea Julie! :) I love music & I love to dance–not sure I know how to dance anymore as it has been a long time, but I love to dance! Music is a part of my day, the same station is tuned in on my stereo & in my car–gotta have music in the car!! Some music just makes me put my book down & get up & move, it gets the blood moving. Thanks for reminding me to do it more.
The Plotmonkeys is great! However, I have to confess to almost forgetting to visit today because it is so new. That will change quickly & I won’t forget it will be part of my regular routine.
Have a great evening everyone & keep the music going & dance!! (note)
Donna M (note) :)
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Oh, Broadway songs? Darling, you are talking to the queen of “living in a musical in her mind.”
What’s so very fun is that I’m raising three little Broadway babies to be just like me, so we all just break into song at the strangest moments. Always appropriate ones, though.
I’m glad I can sing because seriously, I am so dance-challenged it’s not even funny.
Leslie
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Wow, I used to go out dancing all the time and I loved it! I would dance with anyone who wanted to dance with me or by myself. Now, I feel a Billy Idol song coming on. :d
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Julie,
You keep on dancing girl! I love to dance! Am I a good dancer? Not so much, but I have fun anyway. I mostly dance around my house these days. I wonder why my dog keeps shaking his head and covering his eyes with his paws. Hmm, that’s strange lol. I love Ellen too, by the way. She could just dance the entire show as far as I am concerned.
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Cute!! I love dancing too ! :)
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Julie,
Loved the post. My grandmother passed away two years ago next month and because she knew that she was more than likely not going to make it through her illness she planned a few things, One of them being the song “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack. Needless to say when it was played at her funeral there were lots of tears but also lots of smiles because she wanted to make sure that we remembered to dance.
The duties in our lives overtake us sometimes, like being a mom, writer, wife, friend and so on…but when we least expect it our dance comes back and it’s up to us to take it back…to find that person that we were and that we enjoyed being…I’m so glad that you found your dance.
As always you inspire me and so many others.
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Ij ust recently discovered Ellen’;s show. I love it. I never enjoyd her sitcom, but I do love hte talk show. She’s down to earth…and like you say.. she dances!! (y)