Song and Dance by The Eric School.

I do not know a Song that is not a Song I kind of like. I know so many words together that are a song. Psalms are so cool they are radical songs. Can you really listen to songs without a dance. By four years old I could sing and dance to about five songs from memory. Shoot by 6 I could do a range for songs. I can do the Tennessee Waltz and a jitterbug dance. Watch me dance the Flamenco.

Now that might sound crazy but my family spent time dancing and doing songs together. TV? For sure I could cut a rug by five. My children can all dance great and we sing songs together. Nowadays you can turn on the TV and just put on dance music. So cool!

Now I understand the Bible saying “Whenever two or more of us are….” Well for sure! More fun to dance with someone else. But I sing and dance everyday by myself. I hope you do as the School of Eric demands it.

Sisters, Dena, Lauri and Andy. Doting elder sisters to be sure. I started Kindergarten by four. Can you imagine my sisters already had taught me numbers, letters and reading and writing? That school dance was set for life.

But that ain’t no damn thing compared to them teaching me to dance. A fancy pantsy doctorate has nothing better than dancing and singing. Sitting in my chair, of course the shower, gardening and before a great big business meeting and before Chemo. Is there a time not to dance? I like dancing when I cook. OK I do a little dancing driving in my car. I learned how to ski dance and ice skate dance.

Here is a fun one from our school. Dance without any music. Not even in your head. Now I would suggest that that will help stave off dementia. Try it, it is really hard. Singing without words is similarly difficult. Just tones and clearing your brain.

I did not come up with this. It is no accomplishment. I have no control or direction in song or dance. It just is as normal as breathing. I am too old for break dancing. But I threw some salt on the kitchen floor for soft shoe which I like to do in my cowboy boots. You can do socks or barefoot. The school of Eric just requires that you dance.

It is fun to stand still and just dance with your arms. It is fun to keep your arms quiet and just dance with your knees. Did you know you can dance with just your butt?

I learned this “new one to me” The shuffle. It is a brutal workout.

In basketball, boxing and soccer I teach my children to dance. Dip and duck and keep your eyes on your partner. In a good Flamenco the partner is the adversary. Ballet is tough on me because I am a bit big, so my toes take a beating. But sometimes dancing is pain. How alive!! Getting spins down sometimes is falling down. Ouch and I am getting old. My knee has some ice on it right now.

So the song. Sometimes songs need to be made up on the spot. Sometimes they need to be one a thousand years old. I like Elvis. But I also like Belafonte and that gal Blonde or something. I just love songs. I do deep gospel and folk best for me. But my elder son makes me accompany him on the piano with stuff I have to read. Those funny “notes” really work my full range from Alto Soprano to some kind of low bass. Heck those are probably wrong terms. I do not study music I just sing songs. You should have heard me do “Old Man River” on my stool in my garden last night.

I am a hard core Christian and I love gospel. I cannot think of a church song I do not know. (that is silly – how would I know)

It was a few years ago and my wife – ex told me to dance with that gal. She just as a matter of fact said “she has a full load, you take it”. First a swing and then a slow dance. My wife glowed as I returned to our table. Dance is love of a great sort. Now you dance today, and that is an order from the Eric school of Song and Dance.

Ha ha ha. You thought this was all about singing and dancing in the physical. You may not know me and so fine on you.

The dance and song of love is the key. All of the above is a parable. Poke and jab and bob and weave and dance like a butterfly and sting like a bee. Bring on the dance of life and sing the song of love.

Let me admit that today is not a fine day. Some chemo kind of has me down. Now that there be a situation and not a problem. Now I forgot to take my watch off a few days ago and dove down over ten feet. Now that is a problem. But my young son figured out how to fix it, some stuff about rice and sun.

He put on some music of “believer” and we hand easy boxed. Foot work and eye contact is everything. Bob and weave sister or go down hard. Get your rhythm on and your groove on or go down. The dance is in the head and heart. It does not come from the other guy. I am angry with some customer service and my wife just says “deal with it, nobody can be what you want”. Darn it.

It would be clear that I do not work well with others. I live in my gardens. But I can dang sure love to sing and dance. Alice is only about 91 and I see her outside and we dance. She likes my old time songs. She wears a house dress and sneakers. Heck I only wear Hawaiian shirts and shorts and sandals. Down here Mexico way we don’t put much cotton in high dress. My outside chairs were bequeathed to me by Dick (never Richard) a gunner on a ship. I still weep often at his passing but missy Mary pats my hand so I give her a twirl or two and sing “I Did It My Way” which was Dick’s favorite.

I may not dance well but I dance and so should you.

My mom said to always dance the last dance with whom you came with.

My dad told me that if it does not resonate count it hate.

You are here and reading so you dance with me. Love to you. And sing your heart out!

“When you dance with another be strong but loving and caring and sharing, when you dance by yourself be tough and throw caring out that darn window”

“When you sing with others sing in perfect harmony, but when you sing for yourself leave out all the delicacy”

Yesterday I fell down dancing. It hurt. But I cannot imagine the pain of not dancing, even if just in my chair.

“We are not ‘allowed’ to dance and sing the performance of our lives, we are required to do it”

Love ya.