Friday, September 17, 2010

The Importance of a Good Booty Shake

The other day my daughter's teacher came to me with a smile and said, "Your daughter woke up from her nap today and said, 'I had a dream my mama was shaking her booty.'" It made me laugh because just that morning we had been shaking our booties to War's Low Rider while we got ready for school. I am a big believer in booty shaking.

It's not that I am an expert booty shaker, my moves are simple and not full of grace, but sometimes it is good to drop it all, turn up the tunes, and shake it. My wasband used to tell me not to dance, though before him I had been a woman who would go out on the floor and try to dance like no one was watching. I let him ruin it, I knew I was being watched when we were together, and I knew he thought I looked stupid, so I stopped. Like Stella, after he left, I was determined to get my groove back.

Once I was free of those chains I began slowly. I set up a dance circle with my students and we took turns going into the middle and shaking it, Getting Jiggy With It blaring in the background. These days other classes come down and join us sometimes. The dance circle is a big hit. At home I put a CD player in the kitchen and I turn it up so me and my two beasties could twirl and shake and laugh and sing.

These days booty shaking is a must, especially when things get stressed. Stop, turn on the music, Queenpin and dance. The morning we were shaking it to Low Rider, it was one of those mornings. You know, the yelling mornings, the sweating over what to cook for breakfast, pack for lunch, and kids NOT PUTTING THEIR SHOES ON mornings. I stopped in my frantic state, picked out the perfect song, and turned it up.

This is what I want the beasties to remember about me, booty shaking in the kitchen, singing the GoGo's or Koko Taylor. Taking a moment to readjust her groove.

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