The other day one of my students told me he was at a party dancing with his wife and someone complimented him and asked him if he took lessons. He said “yes” and then they said “isn’t it really expensive?” His answer was amazing.
He said “Actually it really isn’t but I don’t pay for dance. Personally, I never cared all that much about dance. Before starting at Monarch Ballroom, I knew absolutely nothing about dancing. Up until the day that my wife convinced me to join her at the Monarch Ballroom in Jacksonville, if you had asked me to salsa, I would have asked, mild or spicy? Just a year ago, I though hustle was something I had to do when I was running late for work.
So if I am not paying for dance, what am I paying for?
I pay for the moments when I get to hold my wife and watch her smiling uncontrollably back at me. I pay for the moments that make me forget about all of the stress caused by my hectic work schedule.
I pay for the time with friends that I look forward to seeing each week who have become an integral part of my life. I pay for my fun active lifestyle that makes me feel less guilty about foregoing that gym membership… again.
I pay for the moments that remind me that anything worth having requires countless hours of hard work and dedication. I pay for the times when I’m pushed out of my comfort zone to make me a stronger person. I pay for the sense of accomplishment that comes with every performance and checkout. I pay for the moments of frustration and disappointment that drive me to work harder.
I pay for the reminders that success does not take place overnight. I pay for the moments when I feel confident in my own skin. I pay for the moments when I can take the dance floor with my daughter at her wedding and make her proud.
I pay for the times when I don’t turn down party invitations because I’m no longer scared of being asked to dance. I pay for the memories I have made and will continue to make with my wife, my friends, and the people I have come to know as my Monarch Ballroom family.
I could go on, but to keep it short, I don’t pay for dance. I pay for all the benefits that I receive simply as a result of dancing. I am happier, stronger, confident, more determined, less stressed, healthier and have developed lifelong friends because of dancing. From what I have seen so far, I think it’s a great investment!”
-written by Christian Marcantonio
