Swing Dancing at North Deering Grange Hall

I hadn't thought about my first school dance since...well, probably since the day after my first school dance.

That awkward sixth-grade memory of a nearly empty dance floor, some boy's sweaty palms and me - unable to stop cracking bad jokes because it was the only way I knew how to deal with the intense nervousness.

Granted, when a couple of friends and I walked into the North Deering Grange Hall recently, anxiety was low (though the bad jokes always keep coming). It wasn't until my friend Victoria joked, "It's like junior high all over again. Guys on one side, girls on the other," that a hint of that strobe-lit gymnasium panic came back to me.

We were there to swing. Or at least learn a few basic steps thanks to the one-hour beginners lesson. And we weren't alone. At least two dozen others milled around the large main room or took a seat in one of the many chairs that had been pushed up against the wall. There were a few older fellas (and by older I mean AARP older) and a few younger (high school age, if I had to guess) though most hovered somewhere in between.

A few minutes after 8:00 p.m. instructor Ashley Berry (who I hadn't realized was the instructor because she seemed so young - my bad), asked us to create two lines: ladies in one, gents in the other. With the two lines facing each other, it was clear that he women outnumbered the men - though not by much.

Ashley started with the basic steps: step, step, rock step, step (if I remember correctly) and after running through it a few times in lines, had us split into pairs.

I should note that it isn't necessary to bring a partner to the lesson (a perk for those single wannabe swing dancers). Unfortunately it also means that some swing dancing ladies must learn to share (for the record, no cat fights broke out on this night). A few women also opted to "be the man" to even out the pairs.

Ashley and her partner (who, we couldn't help but notice, bore a striking resemblance to Clark Kent) moved into the center of the room and called out the steps as the couples tried their luck. After a few minutes, partners were swapped (remember the sharing thing).

Though clumsy at first, everyone seemed to get it quickly. A few turns were tried and some more-complicated maneuvering. I found the steps to be simple, but never mastered the rhythm enough to not count out loud.

As 9:00 neared, the crowd in the room began to thicken. And as Ashley congratulated us on a class well done - and we applauded ourselves for the effort - the live band took to the stage.

It was nothing but live swing for the rest of the night. And wow - some of those folks can dance. Forget my stiff step, step, rock, step. These guys were flinging each other all over the place. With the lights low and the band loud, it didn't even look like the same room.

It seemed like there was a core group of folks that probably show up every month - but I didn't feel out of place as a new person.

My friend Victoria danced with one of the instructors and a guy we met a few months ago at a hip-hop class (essentially, you could show up alone after the lesson and not worry about finding someone to dance with). I, on the other hand, used the need to take photos as an excuse to not embarrass myself further.

Ashley did a first-rate job teaching, though she informed me that she's not the usual teacher.