“Never dance in a puddle when there's a hole in your shoe (it's always best to take your shoes off first).” ― John D. Rhodes

 Notting Hill Carnival: 2 days and 20 miles of the most amazing fun, music and of course DANCING! :)

Notting Hill Carnival is the dancing adventure this August Bank Holiday weekend and I had the honour of taking part this year as a Volunteer Children's Steward!  How to describe this one, when the only word that springs to mind is just WOW.  An incredible atmosphere, so many people and one big party!  Definitely nothing like it!  Quite liberating really, everyone was welcomed and even little old me soon forgot about being shy and embraced the carnival spirit! 


I was so impresesd with the colours and detail in the costumes.  The work they must have taken!  Glittery hat off to all, they just kept on dancing hour after hour, especially given the heat and the incredible weight some of them must have been!  The weather couldn't have been better.  All week the reports had been threatening a washout and instead we had the most glorious heatwave.  In just a t-shirt, not one hour in I could feel the sweat dripping off me!

No sooner back than I am already online googling pics and reliving the whole thing!  Wanted to share some of my favourite images below.  Love how real fun and energy is captured in these, as well as the colour and some of the epic costumes on show! 

Photos shared on thenottinghillcarnival.com facebook page

Photos from the Daily Mail online website

“Dance for yourself. If someone understands, good. If not, no matter. Go right on doing what interests you, and do it until it stops interesting you.” ― Louis Horst

First week dancing in London has been an emotional rollercoaster, or maybe more accurately a yoyo between alternate moments of exhilaration and frustration.  Exhilarating is that I am here in the big smoke pretty much living my dream of dancing full time.  Little old me learning alongside West End stars past, present and quite likely future!  Amazing to be spending all day every day surrounded by such immense talent.  Very much hoping that it might be catching!  Ha! Wouldn’t that be wonderful if you only had to stand in the vicinity of talent in order to have it.  Then again of course, where would the joy be in learning if you didn’t have to try?  So despite my frustration, mainly being a product to my distinct lack of talent, it is a pleasant surprise to find myself now thinking that I am glad I struggled.  I am glad I haven’t found this week easy because it is a pretty fantastic feeling to sit here and know I gave my al - oh, and to

know that I get to do it all again next week!

Action shots in the studio!

A real highlight was learning the actual choreography from the West End and a free ticket to see the professionals show us how its done!

Who knew? West End stars are much bigger in real life ;-)

Only in London - drinking chocolate from a mug as big as my head! ;)

“I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself.”--- Mikhail Baryshnikov

One of things I like most about volunteering with the Special Olympics is the smiling.  My smile, their smile; we are all smiling!  Cheesy?  Very much so, but we are loving it and isn't that all that matters?  I don't think I laugh nearly as much any where else as I do on a Thursday and Saturday with these guys.  They are truly an inspiration.  They have taught me so much, not least of which is to stop taking myself and life so seriously. 



Essentially I guess I am finally realising what a lot of people have been trying to tell me for a long time and that is to stop worrying about what other people think!  Probably more accurately, I need to stop worrying about what I think other people are thinking.  Can't dance and far too old to be trying is what I tend assume is being thought.  True to be fair, BUT I know I will never be a professional dancer, but as an enthusiastic amateur I have never had more fun!  I have finally stopped apologising for wanting to dance and in doing so I have met so many wonderful people and had so many amazing new experiences.  It is so lovely to be dancing again and even more lovely to still be learning.  My latest bit of news is that I CAN and did apply to dance in London with people who I know will be so much better than me.  The result, an offer to learn from some great people and hopefully leave dancing just that little bit better than I do now oh AND dancing in the West End and for one night only!  Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah I can hardly believe it! Very definitely a dream come true!!!!!

For now however, it is feet back on the ground and in Special Olympic land and we have a new toy - New Age Curling.  It is fun fun FUN! The most fun part arguably being to watch people trying to figure out how the equipment works.  So simple, yet so perplexing.....  We also have our second heat of the Devon Inspire Trials.  An important occasion I am sure you will agree, and accordingly I felt the uniform needed a little something and more specifically, the stripey leg warmers were it.  Apparently the uniform on the day will be red t-shirts, red face paint and red ribbons in our hair.  I swear it is like they had me in mind when they were coming up with it.  I almost feel I should apologise to the other competitors and volunteers....almost.