Up a Steep and Very Narrow Stairway

Some of you may recognize this line from a song in "A Chorus Line".   It is the song a young girl sings about her passion for the ballet and the chorus goes like this:

"Up a steep and very narrow stairway 
To the voice like a metronome
Up a steep and very narrow stairway 
It wasn't paradise, it wasn't paradise,
It wasn't paradise, but it was home."

I am not sure I have found my home, but I did enter that steep and narrow stairway to Steps on Broadway.  This is a dance studio in our neighborhood that is frequented by dancers of all abilities who are looking to hone their talent.  I was looking to find mine.  I have started in the absolute beginner's tap class.  Just putting on tap shoes is an amazing experience.  Paul gave mine to me for Christmas and the only place I could try them out was in the garbage room.  It was still a thrill.

Last week I attended a class and was the first to arrive.  Four young men arrived shortly thereafter and then halfway through class, another woman showed up.  She had to be 75 and could barely walk.  But she had on her tap shoes and just shuffled around the room.  She couldn't even begin to keep up but she was home.

We learned many beginning steps and then the instructor had us put them all together so we had about a 16 count routine.  Then the last ten minutes of class we got in a circle and just followed the instructor around the room doing whatever he did.  At one point it was so joyful, I just wanted to shout out, "I am tapping!"   I am still very clumsy and awkward so it doesn't feel like home, but it does feel like paradise.