When I was a little girl, my uncle had a plastic daisy set atop his piano, which would mechanically jive as he played. Since then, I have likened myself to this dancing daisy because I cannot sit or stand still at all when music is played in my vicinity.
Thus, one of the many (metaphorical) hats I wear is that of The Dancing Queen, and this hat was audacious today. I recently watched the film version of the musical Mamma Mia, an excellent movie, by the way, and my husband was then inspired to download the original ABBA album containing the songs from the movie. I listened to the c.d. on my lengthy commutes to and from work today, and the result was as follows:
The pianist dribbles his fingers across the ivory keys, and the chorus of singers begins, "You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life..." and the motion begins in my fingers...snap, snap, snap, snap...then the crown of my head dashes side to side in an oceanic flow with rhythmic staccato. My shoulders pulse up and down and all of a sudden, my body is possessed by the song as it undulates through me. While driving, I tap my steering wheel, as it has transformed into my percussive instrument. Do I care what nearby drivers and passengers ponder as they pass? Not at all because I am "having the time of" my life!!! And what do I do when the beat has died? I press repeat in an instant, and the experience recycles itself time and again, my entertainment over the hour-ish drive. Here are some examples of what my dancing looks like:
1. Check out Hugh Grant in Love Actually:
2. Or Katie Holmes in Mad Money:
3. But Best of All, Meryl Streep as The Dancing Queen, in Momma Mia!:
Loved your post, J'eunit!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, your husband used to sit in his carseat and listen to ABBA on a cassette tape I played in the car while driving. His connection with the music of "Mama Mia" is probably deeply imprinted in his psyche.
Don't forget to dance ... also here's Jennifer Beals in Flashdance, way before your time though, in 1983:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_P5OWJImHo
Dancing Queen is by far my favorite ABBA song, I too could listen to it over and over... Your post made me want to watch Mamma Mia! It also reminded me I should dance more often...
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