The Kate & Alena Show

I am so tired.  I am so tired.  I can't believe how tired I am.  I did Zumba literally ALL day yesterday, starting with a 10am class, 1+ hours of Zumba rehearsal with Alena, non-stop Zumba rehearsal in my kitchen for hours, a 6pm class and then a wedding reception Zumba flashmob.  Well... not exactly a flashmob but I don't know what else to call it.  

My boss at one of my gyms, S, also teaches Zumba in the fitness program at a big corporate business here in Portland.  One of the people who works there had her wedding last night and had asked my boss if she would come to the reception and do Zumba there to get the guests dancing (also because she loves Zumba.)  My boss is out of town all this month, so she passed it on to Alena and me.  We work (dance) well together and are sometimes referred to as "The Kate & Alena Show."  (We're basically the same person, Alena and I.  We have so much in common it's eerie and are often able to read each others' minds and body language.  I would say we're almost more like sisters - at least soul sisters.)  

So after a day full of Zumba already (Alena taught in the evening and came to my 10am class) we jumped in my car and rushed off to Salem, Oregon where the wedding was being held - ironically at the same venue where my wedding will be in 3 weeks time.  The first funny thing that happened was that the plug from my hair dryer was hanging out the back door of the car and dragging along the street.  Alena and I heard it but couldn't identify the noise.  Finally she realized what it was and yanked the cord from the inside of the car, pulling up as far as she could so it wouldn't drag.  We cracked up, hoping it hadn't been sparking!

The next funny thing that happened is that, once we got onto I-5 south, it started pissing down rain.  And the wind was blowing.  And I was so confused because I was going almost 70mph but cars were racing around us as though we were standing still!  I said to Alena, "am I blind, or are they just crazy?"  I felt like I was in another dimension and these were phantom cars zooming by.  

The third funny thing was that once we got onto this country road headed to the vineyard, we literally could not see further than my headlights reached.  Then we saw this owl.  In the road.  Facing mostly away from us with his HEAD backward over his shoulder!  We both went "AAAH!" and the owl flew off.  Once we got out of the car at the vineyard, we were surrounded by black.  The night was SO dark.  There were no lights except the ones on the outside of the building and the parking lot was pitch black.

"It's kinda spooky out here, eh?" I said.  

The Zumba went pretty well.  We weren't sure where we were coming in or even how the music was going to go.  Like what order the songs were in.  We knew the first two but after that it was anybody's guess (except the DJ's because HE knew!)  The first song was Limbo by Daddy Yankee, which starts with lots of clapping.  Putting this song first was a very good move because clapping a) commands attention and b) creates energy, both of which we needed to make this work.  Our entrance was pretty epic, I have to say.  We came in, clapping and whooping in our nearly matching outfits, bracelets lining our arms halfway to our elbows.  Alena has this very distinct "scream" that she does to pump people up.  If ever I was teaching a giant class and I didn't know she was in it, I'd hear that and know instantly who it was.

We were well received!  People came right up to us and were dancing and whistling and taking pictures (oh god.)  The first song came and went, then the second one came on.  This one is called La Jonronera and it is FAST!  Earlier, while practicing, Alena said, "Limbo and then La Jonronera?? Oh god.  We're gonna die."  Not too far from the truth.  

The only issue we had was that we had been kind of expecting to be able to look at one another in case one of us should blank on the choreo, god forbid.  But the bride came and was dancing between us and her gown was so huge that we couldn't actually see each other.  Fortunately we are both pretty good at cueing, so that picked up the slack when we couldn't remember what to do (which happened a few times.)  

Overall it was a blast.  We danced (a ton), met some funny people (and some not so funny people), drank ice water, tried empenadas, laughed our asses off in the car, and I corrupted her into throwing an apple core out the window.  I would say it was a success!