More fizzle than sizzle

One of my favourite scenes from Dirty Dancing is Jennifer Grey's introduction to the employee after-hours party. Dressed somewhat conservatively, "Baby" takes in the grinding, the drinking, the laughing with a slack jaw of wonderment. When asked by the hunky Patrick Swayze why she's there, she says: I carried a watermelon.

That scene sums up Baby's awkwardness, her sudden plunge into the unknown. She's frightened, but excited. (And hey, who wouldn't be after watching Patrick's sexy dance moves!)

Of course, before long, Baby's learning the Meringue.

I can totally relate.

I learned the Meringue last night, too! Kind of.

It was Salsa Burn evening at J'Adore Dance and in addition to the salsa sway, my sassy instructor Mel guided our class through a couple of Meringue steps. And some Cha Cha moves. My brain went into latin dance overload.

I assumed Fit Hop would provide the most challenging "choreography" in this dance challenge, but I've never felt less coordinated than while trying to learn the footwork for the Meringue. Or maybe it was the Cha Cha. It's all a bit of a blur this morning.

And once I kind of figured out each basic step, Mel added arms - I might as well have been carrying a watermelon. Shakira I am not.

But this is not your typical dance studio, and while Jessica's hope is that people will be inspired by movement, her philosophy also encourages a commitment to total body wellness. So, amidst the slightly confusing dance steps, Mel infused typical workout moves - like a song's worth of squats and lunges, and some abdominal exercises that have me groaning today.

If Fit Hop is a series of exaggerated pops, latin dance is more focused on smooth, sexy motion. It's hard to say whether my hips simply won't move like that, or whether the giant mirror is simply mocking me. In my opinion, I look kind of ridiculous.

It isn't Mel's fault. Like Jessica in Fit Hope, Mel did break down the steps into what should have been digestible bites. Perhaps I just ate too much before going to class.

Tonight would have been my first Naughty Hotties session - truthfully, the class I am fearing most. But the day job calls and I'm heading out of town. Although I'm excited to spend time with the young writers at WordsWorth, I'm a little sad to miss Naughty Hotties. I have a feeling I'm going to need every second of class time.

I'm hopeful my boss won't mind me taking up some space in our shared dorm tonight to practice the Meringue. Cha cha cha!

The Book In My Bag Today: Haunted, Kelley Armstrong