So, my little sister's birthday is tomorrow. (Happy Birthday, Shae!!) She's turning 18 so this is a big one! It's also the year she graduates from high school!
When we were growing up, we were very close. We were best friends and we did everything together. We played with barbies together, made up games together, went on adventures together, and even got in trouble together. Okay, we got in trouble a lot. XD And it was usually my fault, because I always wanted to do things that were against the rules, haha! Things like, going down to the creek in our back yard when our mom said it was dangerous, or climbing too high in a tree, going into the 'out of bounds' area of the McDonald's playground, etc.
We also argued a lot-and we still do! We're actually very different from each other so we have a lot of conflicting opinions and ideas. Our parents would separate us when this happened. We had to go into our own rooms and weren't allowed to speak to each other the rest of the night. But of course, we would sneak out and play games in the hallway between our rooms anyway and the argument was forgotten. We would be laughing again in a matter of minutes.
We didn't like being separated, even when we disagreed or got angry at each other. Our friendship meant more than that so it was easy to let it go so we could play and laugh again. My mom has always said that having a sister is like having a built-in friend. I know, that even through our differences, we will always be friends.
Shae had her interests, and I had mine, they have changed throughout the years, but we still remain friends and I will always cherish those memories no matter how far we grow apart with our differences. I know we went through a hard time as sisters when going through our awkward teenage phases, but I think now that we are both young adults, we will be able to grow even closer than we ever were before, with time. :)
Last night I, along with over two hundred other swing dancers, shared my last dance with the first person I danced with at The Handlebar. It was a bittersweet moment, knowing that this is the last time I will ever dance on that floor. As I walked in, I felt the familiar rush of butterflies in my stomach, the same feeling I've felt every day I have danced since the first day I set foot in The Handlebar three years ago. This time, another feeling washed over me, nostalgia. I looked around seeing all of the people I have come to know
and love over the years. There are so many memories within those walls, not only for me, but for so many others! Paul Hoke has been an inspiration for countless people and events. I only wish I had known about swing dancing at The Handlebar sooner! When I was a kid I used to watch people swing dance on tv and I fell in love with it instantly never knowing that just fifteen minutes down the road it would be going on for fifteen years!
Before I started dancing at The Handlebar, I was going through a very very rough time that I don't like to talk about. I had lost a lot of people and I felt very alone and heart broken. I had been betrayed by people I thought loved me, who I thought were my friends. So when I heard a group of some old friends discussing swing dancing three years ago, I was immediately interested. They invited me to come along and I went every Tuesday that I possibly could, even when they stopped going. I have always been a very shy and quiet, introverted person, but I have also always had a love and passion for dance. Swing dancing allowed me to get the nerve up to come out of my shell and make new friends. In the past, I would have never been able to accomplish all that I have without swing! It gave me courage, happiness, and a sense of belonging that I had never felt before.
Before long I had learned the basic steps and dips and spins and I wanted to learn more! I wanted to get thrown around and flipped and lifted into the air like I had seen the dancers in old movies do. I met more and more talented aspiring dancers that I ended up rounding up into a group of friends who all shared our passion and love of learning and dancing together. Not only did we dance on Tuesdays, but we started dancing wherever we went! Downtown, in coffee shops, even in Waffle House! I don't know if he knows it, but Paul had given us all something that we could take with us wherever we went. Something that we could share with others and teach and learn from! He also taught us that we don't have to be amazing dancers, we don't have to be perfect, and we don't have to compete, we just have to have fun and spread that joy to others. He gave us a place we could all fit in and belong and create friendships and long lasting relationships and bonds.
All of this has inspired me to get together and dance for fun, for photos, for videos, to make friends, meet new people, get people together, teach and learn and so much more! Since I have been going to The Handlebar for Upstate Swing I have had several of my own smaller dance events, whether it was for someone's birthday, a photography or video project, for a holiday, or just for fun! One of my favorites was a HUGE swing flash mob that was so successful and amazing that I will never ever forget it! Check out this video, if you haven't seen it already!
Swing dancing at The Handlebar changed my life, and the lives of many others. It's sad to see it go, but we all know that swing is not dead, it never was, and it never will be! Upstate swing on Tuesday nights is not over, because they have moved to a new venue and will still continue hosting dances on Tuesday nights in Greenville! The memories at The Handlebar will stay with us all. And Paul, I hope you are reading this, even though my story is small. I want to thank you, and the entire Upstate Swing team for all that you have done for me, and for all of us, and all that you continue to do. It has been an honor to dance with you, and to work alongside you, and I hope there will be many more years to do so!
Also, be sure to check out Paul and Greg on this interview with Carolina Now: http://www.carolinascw.com/story/25250707/upstate-swing-celebrates-15-year-run-at-the-handlebar-with-final-event
When we were growing up, we were very close. We were best friends and we did everything together. We played with barbies together, made up games together, went on adventures together, and even got in trouble together. Okay, we got in trouble a lot. XD And it was usually my fault, because I always wanted to do things that were against the rules, haha! Things like, going down to the creek in our back yard when our mom said it was dangerous, or climbing too high in a tree, going into the 'out of bounds' area of the McDonald's playground, etc.
