Prince once listed dancing as one of his four yearnings: Dance Music Sex Romance. In talking to a friend, he pointed out that dancing is the next best thing to…well, another form of intimacy. In any case, dance is invigorating, uplifting, and empowering with no side effects or negative consequences(sore muscles are a sign that you’ve exercised.)

I’ve loved to dance for as long as I can remember. Whether it was carrying on to Supremes hits or doing the bump to Anita Ward’s “Ring My Bell”(still guaranteed to get me on the dance floor), I was dancing as a child. As a preteen, I took jazz and tap for four years, leaving formal classes behind when our dance teacher asked us to lose weight if we wanted to continue. At the time, I felt losing her 125 pounds was worth walking away. During high school, I was at every dance except the with-date-only Winter Ball. Once I turned 18, there was no keeping me out of the clubs. Studio 47, Club Mirage, The Trocadero, 650 Howard, The Palladium, The Edge, The Sound Factory, DV8, King Street Garage, Club Universe, The Endup, 550 Barneveld, Minna Street Gallery, 1015 Folsom. Each place conjures up memories of moments, moves, and music. I have been a slave to the rhythms of house, disco, 80s, new wave, old school, dancehall, and reggaeton. I know several DJs by name and I love the pulsation of the bass. Never mind the progressive hearing loss and lost hours of sleep. Dancing is still one of my passions.

Dancing is a safe passion. On the dance floor, I feel free to be as sexy and bold as I have always hoped to be elsewhere. True, the majority of my intense dancing has been in gay clubs, where I’ve battled with other dancers, catwalked with drag queens, and flirted with muscled strippers. But, once in a while, I let loose, lose myself to the groove.

I got my dance on last night. Dancehall and old school. There’s nothing like indulging in some nostalgia(they played Chaka Khan, Luther Vandross, Bell Biv Devoe)–and some much-needed renewal.