successful birthday bash

Robert and I had our big birthday bash yesterday and I couldn't have been happier. We cheated a bit on the planning by piggy-backing on two regularly-scheduled contra dances. Our dance group has a "sponsorship" program where an individual or group pays for a portion of an entire dance (the expenses include hiring a caller, a band, and the hall). So to celebrate our double-header birthday, Robert and I sponsored two dances, not just one.

I started working on the idea with our "Queen Mum" and dance group founder in May, and we've been talking intermittently ever since. The QM handled all the scheduling and arranged for the callers and performers. I also worked with some of the other board members to write an announcement for yesterday's dances.

Yesterday morning, the doorbell rang, and there was my hairdresser standing on the front stoop. She said "You're having a party tonight, aren't you?" and handed over an enormous bouquet full of peonies and roses -- blues, pinks, whites -- just stunning. Off she dashed to get to work on time.

And then the cake lady came and delivered a huge and beautifully decorated cake -- far fancier than I had dreamed it would be. We chatted very briefly before she dashed off too.


The afternoon dance, which was for advanced dancers (really, intermediate to advanced) was called by one of my all-time favorite callers, Lisa Greenleaf. She has a wacky sense of humor and puts together fun, energetic, and mind-bending dances. I'm guaranteed to get so turned around at some point when she's calling that I start walking 180 degrees away from where I'm supposed to go. Fortunately, the experience, while disorienting, is usually so amusing that I start laughing (often harder than I'm laughing already).

Often advanced dances start with just a handful of people and don't build up to much of a quorum. Yesterday was different. Many people were there at the beginning, and we had a rather large crowd toward the end. The level of dancing was great, with lots of laughter and good spirit.

The potluck was lovely. The food was yummy (including one incredible mushroom stroganoff made by a friend who knows I love his mushroom dishes). And when people seemed to have finished eating, we had CAKE!!!! We sang two birthday songs (the traditional one and a beautiful round that many in the community know) and also celebrated another friend whose birthday was yesterday.

And of course the cake was outstanding -- four levels of dark chocolate layer cake with hazelnut butter cream between the layers and milk chocolate frosting. The baker had created a criss-cross lattice of darker chocolate on top with piping around the edges. This time there was so much cake that we were able to take some home for freezing and future enjoyment.

The cake and flowers were widely admired and praised, which was nice, and we received many thank yous, also nice.


The evening dance was called by one of my other all-time favorite callers, Linda Leslie. Linda has the wonderful skill of helping brand-new dancers feel successful quickly while also managing to engage experienced dancers who need something of a challenge. I don't know how she does it, but she weaves community and puts a smile on people's faces. The new people (who at some dances feel confused and frustrated) danced through much of the evening and were smiling and happy at the end. I hope we made a few converts last night.

Early on, Linda called a dance written for Robert and me a few years ago on one of our anniversaries. It's a mixer, where instead of taking a partner and dancing with one new couple each round through the dance, you dance with just one other person and get a new partner each round. At the end, Linda called Robert and me into the middle of the dance circle and invited us to swing until the end of the music. It felt so good to have our community (Our People!) gathered around. Very loving.


Oh, and the band. My, my. Two people played throughout the two dances. They were joined by half of another band for the evening dance. The musicians are all extremely good and have many different sounds. (Some bands, also very good, have just one sound. But when a band plays in different styles, there are more surprises to mix into the blend.) I heard them throw in silly references to known songs in the middle of other tunes (including, at one point, Somewhere Over the Rainbow).

And fortunately, my wonky ankle, the one I've been struggling with for years, was on its best behavior yesterday. I danced all but one of the afternoon dances and nearly all of the evening dances. I even had a lovely waltz sometime after dark.

I got to dance with a huge variety of people, some new, some more experienced than me, some dear old friends, some complete strangers, but friends in dance. It was a joyous, energetic, and loving event. Yesterday was a wonderful sendoff into my sixth decade. From the smile on Robert's face, I think the same goes for him.