Step to It

It is a dark, stormy afternoon, wind howling, rain driving, you know the rest. A is refusing to nap. Okay, maybe she can't sleep for the tremendous thunderclaps shaking the house. Whatever the case, mom needs a break, so I cover A with a raincoat and run to the car, where we brave the howling wind, driving rain, and tornado warnings and drive the quarter-mile to the gym. I drop A off in the nursery, which is snuggled safely in the basement of the gym and go to check the schedule for group exercise. Step Circuit. Mmmm, it might as well say advanced hip-hop for all my coordination and skill. Well, I'm here now, so since I've braved the weather, surely I can brave a little humiliation and damaged pride and give step a try.

Immediately, I realize I am in over my head. Within seconds of my warm-up, Katie, our instructor, shouts, "Around the world." Around the who? I wonder, while everyone else in the class steps and lifts their knees in perfect rhythm. I just jump around in circles trying to figure out how around-the-world should actually be performed. Step is a lot like dance, and love dancing I might, that doesn't mean I can do it.

Apparently, we are going on a trip because the next move is a "carry-on" (I think) with lunges. Ooh! Lunge, I know that one. Carry-on, no clue. Again, I jump around, looking more like a baboon than an athlete and finish with a few lunges in the opposite direction of everyone else. All these steps....arrrgh....I can't keep up. My favorite workout dance is running and it only has two steps.

As soon as I feel like I'm learning the routine, Katie adds about ten new steps. I spend half the class facing everyone else and trying not to laugh. Who does she think I am Janet Jackson? I assure you I dance more like Tom Jones, but when I look at the clock, I am amazed to find that the class is almost over. Trying desperately to keep up with step circuit sure makes the time fly. Finally class is over, and I manage to scrape my pride off the floor and head down to the nursery, where I'm told A has been slapping and shoving other children. Pride back on floor. This time I cover my head with the raincoat and run with A to the car. Maybe we'll try the gym again on Monday?!