8-9am on Thursdays may or may not be my favorite hour of the week.
That is such a lie. It is absolutely my favorite hour of the week.
Dance! at Equinox rocked my socks off the first time I went about a month and a half ago. Since then, I have only missed one Thursday class. The day I missed, I was so bummed that I texted my friend Bridget constantly for updates on how much fun she was having. Because here’s the thing: sweating releases endorphins. Endorphins make people happy. So to combine some of my favorite people with some of my favorite new friends with rockin’ music and an instructor whose energy just won’t quit makes for an hour you just don’t want to miss. It’s been a blast getting to know “the regulars” in the class and becoming part of the group as well. There’s Charlotte, a 90 year old woman who lives in the neighborhood and who attends 5 group fitness classes at Equinox every week, including Dance! where she is front and center in her red tennis shoes. I don’t know who inspires you but for me, it’s Charlotte. The only way you get to that age still moving and shaking is to do it every day. Holy bananas. Then there’s Marsha, who is in love with Jake and the balance band he wears on his wrist. And Gary, who comes with his wife and has the moves memorized. I could go on and on but aside from jumping around and having a great time, I have met some really incredible members of my community that totally contribute to my love for Dance!.
Speaking of dance, a more professional, refined kind of dance is going on in Chicago this week. The Chicago Dancing Festival is happening all weekend. I had the privilege of going to the Opening Night Gala with my wildly talented dancer friend Becca, formerly of DanceWorks Chicago, at the Museum of Contemporary Art on Wednesday.
It was an hour made up of 5 acts from 5 different ballets. To see talent from all over the world on one stage in our city was such a gift. And that’s the idea behind the Chicago Dancing Festival– to give the gift of dance to Chicago this week. Tonight is a performance at the MCA called the Dancing Skyline and tomorrow is a Celebration of Dance at Millennium Park. And it’s free. Again, holy bananas. I think packing a picnic, grabbing a bottle of wine and watching insanely talented dancers take the stage as the sun sets behind the skyline that is their backdrop sounds like a perfect way to spend a Saturday night.