Enchantment Ballroom, Albuquerque, NM

Well, it's official. I am entering the golden years. Why is this suddenly apparent? What happened to make me just randomly come to that conclusion?

Two words: dance lessons. And the kicker: BALLROOM dance lessons. Yes, it's true. I have started ballroom dance lessons. Stranger things have happened, but not many.

Tonight I spent an hour with about 15 other folks at the Enchantment Ballroom - looking into mirrors on all sides and trying not to step on my partner's toes or trip and take us both down.

It was mind-boggling. Quick, quick, slow, quick quick, slow....that part's fairly easy, but in what direction? To the side, forward, backward? And with which foot? Lead with the right, or the left. Step forward first, or back? Toe or heel? And what does she mean that I am not supposed to lead, sheesh, isn't this the 21st century?

Obviously, I have some work to do before next week's class. :)

Now, having spent the first four paragraphs on my ineptness on the dance floor, I will talk a bit about what happened tonight.

The Enchantment Ballroom is an independently owned dance studio on San Pedro in Albuquerque, basically located across from the fairgrounds. The dance floor is large (and I already mentioned the 'eternity' mirrors) and everyone looked happy (and serious) about being there. The studio specializes in Ballroom, Latin and Country Western dancing. Tonight we learned the box step, the promenade, and how to mix those up a bit. We "danced" (and I use that word very loosely) the rumba and the fox trot. It was a lot of fun. And to be fair, my fellow dancers were a wide span of ages which made it quite fun.

Our instructor, Sharon, is one of the several professional dance instructors at the studio (with over 100 years combined experience) and she was very good. We all traded partners throughout the one hour class, rotating counter clockwise through the room, each having a turn with Sharon (the women outnumbered the men by one, of course).

And wow, what a difference when you were dancing with Sharon. She is not only a wonderful dancer, but she knows the men's steps too and leads better than any of the men. Of course, she has been dancing for decades and they are in a beginner's ballroom class, not sure what I expected EXCEPT that she would be the best!

I love to dance and have always wanted to take lessons so that I will know the basics. I am just like their typical customer (as described on their website) who wants to learn to dance for one of a variety of typical reasons: to dance at a wedding, going on a cruise, something new to do, hobby, an activity you can do with your partner, special party soon, exercise, and want to dance with the stars.

Obviously the last reason is mine. Now I need some sexy dance shoes, but the skimpy dance costume is not happenin. Not yet, anyway. I'm saving that for the cruise.

Come out and do the cha-cha with us! We promise not to step on your toes.

Graham Central Station, Albuquerque, NM

I love train stations, they remind me of the summers of my youth when Mom, my sis and I would travel by rail from California (through Albuquerque!) to Illinois for our two week vacation with my grandparents. And as an adult I had a similar love affair with trains when I stood in the middle of New York's Grand Central Station for the first time and felt as if the world was literally rushing by me on all sides, going every which way in a hurry....but I digress.

Graham Central Station in Albuquerque is not a train station. It's a dance hall, and more. Self-promoted as "America's finest nightclub facility featuring multiple club and music formats!", GCS lives up to the marketing tagline. Karaoke in one corner, rock in another, a bachelorette party moving through all genres and rooms, and country western/swing in yet another corner.

I had never heard of Graham Central Station until last night, yet this is a chain of several "finest nightclubs", spread through Texas, New Mexico (Albuquerque and Las Cruces), Louisiana, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Arizona, with sister clubs in several other states as well.

I am a country western girl at heart, so my night at Graham Central Station was spent in the country western music/dance hall portion of the finest nightclub facility in America and it was knee slapping, toe tapping fun.

The music was nonstop and the dance floor was never empty. The crowd was a mix of young and old bootwearing folks who love to two-step. We were a sweaty but energized bunch. The swamp cooler was working overtime, but it was barely keeping up. But no matter how damp our cotton shirts were, nothing could dampen our spirits and it was a great night.

Now that I have danced, I want to take a train ride - maybe a ride on the Cumbres and Toltrec in Farmington. I think it would be good for my soul. I love the way a train feels, the cadence of its movement over steel tracks, the soothing sway of the railcars as they pull and tug against each other, the cool air that flows in through windows that slide down or vents that push air upward.

We had a two-stepping good time last night. Graham Central Station may not be a train station, but it was definitely good for my soul (and my calves).

I am in the Land of Enchantment and I am enchanted still.