Changing Lives through Dancing by David Woodbury
Arthur Murray Santa Monica
-Arnold Toynbee (1889 – 1975). A British historian, a philosopher of history, an author of numerous books and a research professor of international history at the London School of Economics and King’s College in the University of London.
The practice of “Going the Extra Mile” is sometimes greeted with the question “What’s in it for me?” and “Will I get overtime?” In today’s world where an extra effort is usually followed with, “What am I getting from this?”
In my world of going up the ladder of ballroom dancing, I remember being a new teacher from 6 to 10 PM, Monday through Friday. That was followed by getting up a 5, driving across town for my 8 to 5 job that was supporting me with benefits. At 5 I rushed across town to get to my Arthur Murray teaching job.
It’s funny, I cannot remember ever being tired. I only remember how exciting my life was. I recall practicing my dancing during the weekends. Then, my boss told me that I had to certify in my dancing! On top of my schedule, I memorized my Bronze into my Gold Star Level. I remember driving 6 hours from Nashville to Montgomery, AL, to certify in my Gold level.
As I drove to my test, I did all my steps on the steering wheel as I sang the various dances. I had enough money to pay for the gas, the test (yes, we paid for our own tests), and a bit of food and the long drive home after the 6-hour exam.
I met Mr. Steve Hadley and his lovely wife at their school. He sat at a desk and I danced my freestyle Gold level with his wife with whom I had never danced. I did my figures test and my oral quiz. Then I just stood in the middle of the ballroom waiting as they sat at the table and talked.
Then I said to them, thank you for giving me my test. I would like to pay you for your day, and I will be driving back home now. They both stood up and said, “You passed with honors. We are not charging you for our time. You are not driving home tonight. You’re coming to our home for dinner and a good night’s rest before you drive back home tomorrow”. They both hugged me, and I remember having tears of joy and gratitude in my eyes.
That whole experience changed my life. I never thought about the pay raise that my Gold level would give me. I didn’t even know about my judge’s test that would happen to me in two more years. I just felt blessed, happy, and grateful for all the good that had come my way.
All this came from a burning desire to make something of my life and I loved Arthur Murray and I felt that there was a wonderful future ahead for me. Never did I ever question all the hours of unpaid time, all the personal professional lessons I took to help my dancing. All of my professional dancing also helped me perfect my dances. All I knew was that I felt that I was in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing.
As I train my staff now, I often think about the pandemic and what it did to their young formative young adult years. How truly hard, confusing, and frightening it must have been for them, and in some ways, still is.
Every day I try to share some of the enthusiasm for the great world of dance and the dance business, and the joy of teaching others every day. I try to share with others the excitement of performing in competitions, professional shows, and even learning the business end of things such as becoming a Dance Director, Guest Director, Counselor, Supervisor, Manager, and even a franchisee. Some even go on to being judges and organizers and national executives. It is a wonderful life for many who enter the ballroom dance world.
I do not want to even have the word apathy in my vocabulary. I want to know how to spell it. I want to know how to spell excitement, enthusiasm, hopes, dreams, vision, goals, a passion for life. “Surround yourself with people you want to become like”. Surround yourself with dreamers and visionaries with hopes and goals.
Thank you for reading and Keep on Dancing!
David Woodbury