May I Have This Dance

[caption id="attachment_1748" align="alignleft" width="300"] Oil on Canvas[/caption]

"Let's dance, you and I." That's one of my favorite lines from the movie "A Knight's Tale" with Heath Ledger. Of course, he wasn't asking a beautiful actress to dance. He was actually inviting the villain to a jousting match. One of my fave movies. Anyway, as I was beginning to blog on dances that line came to my mind and I thought I would throw that in for free. Let's dance. Do you remember your first dance? I do. I was in junior high, and it was a homecoming dance. Honestly, I don't remember much about the dance, but I do remember that I wore a hideous off white sweater with a red and blue stripe around the middle of it. I had a corsage on my left shoulder as big as my head. I had a mouth full of braces, big hair, and I was taller than my date. I don't remember the type of music being played, but I do remember being in the multipurpose room and dancing arms length apart with every light on in the room. I don't think I ever made eye contact with my date. However, I do remember dancing next to my best friend, who was also taller than her date, and we talked the entire time we danced as though the boys did not even exist. Can you believe that's what I remember? Isn't that crazy?

There are so many fabulous movies with dance scenes that literally take your breath away. The scene in "The American President" ....ahhhh.  Michael Douglas, the president ,asks Annette Benning, "Sydney" to dance. With all eyes on the couple, he escorts her onto the dance floor and puts his arm around her waist, looks into her eyes and waltzes her into the center of the room. (their conversation)  Sydney,"I don't know how you do it." The president, "Arthur Murray. Six lessons." Sydney, "That's not what I mean. Two hundred pairs of eyes are focused on you with two questions on their minds- Who's this girl and why is the president dancing with her?" The president, "First of all, the two hundred pairs of eyes aren't focused on me. They're focused on you. And the answers are Sydney Ellen Wade and because she said yes."  DREAMY! Another favorite is "The Sound of Music." Is there nothing more romantic than the dance scene with Maria and the Captain outside on the terrace. His eyes fixed on her and she literally looses her breath and backs away and pretends she doesn't remember the rest of the dance. When the young boy Kurt interrupts the moment and asks why her face is all red. Without taking their eyes off each other, Maria puts her hands to her face and exclaims she must not be use to dancing. However, we know otherwise. They are both hopelessly in love with one another. I melt every time I see that scene. Even the cartoon movie, "Cinderella" makes dancing look so romantic and fabulous. The way her dress movies as they glide across the floor makes it look as if they are floating on air. Ahhhhhh.

Needless to say, the last high school dance I chaperoned did not resemble any of those movies. Captain Von Trapp was nowhere to be found and the orchestra wasn't there either. It's a little different now. When Abby, with Potential Magazine, called and asked me for a few tips for parents of teens going to dances I really had a difficult time coming up with just a few. When I blogged this topic the other day, I loved hearing from y'all. I so wish you would leave your comments on my blog rather than messaging me because y'all have incredible thoughts and Ideas that I wish everyone could read. So be brave and leave me your thoughts. I have many thoughts on dances, but I narrowed it down for Abby and picked some of my favorites.  One of my favorite tips for you and your sons, is to have coffee or a coke with him once a week. Nurture your relationship and conversation outside the home. So many women say they have no idea what their sons think because "they're boys" they never talk. If that's the case and you want to be a part of his life and know what he thinks, then be intentional about spending time with him and talking to him. When you are intentional about time with him and conversation with him then you get to be a part of his thought process as he chooses his dates. Believe it or not, though it may seem a long way off, those treasured conversations about dates and dating will influence who he chooses to marry one day. Very cool thinking that you could be a vital part of that decision.  My other favorite tip for parents and their boys is I think it is important that the boy call the father of his date in order to let him know the details of the night. I believe it holds the young man accountable to the father of his date to take care of his date and to have her safely home at the time he said he would have her there. My favorite tip for parents of girls is that they know they are your treasure and that there is no dress that can make them any more beautiful than they already are. They are enough. Your daughters are precious and by helping them choose an appropriate party dress reminds them that they are loved. Modest is always hottest. I must give credit where credit is due for my next favorite tip for parents. It comes from one of my grown daughters. I love it! She said always be the kind of date that you would like to have. I think that's great advice.  My last tip is also a favorite and applies to both girls and boys. I believe it's huge to teach them nice manners. Boys need to be taught to compliment their date, to open doors, order dinner for their dates, have table manners, check their date's coat, thank their host, the list goes on. Girls need to receive a compliment, allow their dates to open doors, order their food, check their coats, and always say thank you. I think nice manners go a long way.

I know you could add a hundred tips to my few. I would love to hear them all. Leave me a comment and share your thoughts with all my readers. I would love it!!! Thank you for stopping by!                                                      love love love Ruthie