Meet You at Around Midnight @ Syrups

I get asked a lot how long I've been dancing for, and what got me into it in the first place, and whilst I'm not sure how long I've been teaching for let alone dancing, I know exactly what started the ball rolling.

For a few years I was a shift worker at the local chocolate factory, It meant plenty of coins, but a pretty hard to juggle social planner, when I was awake, everyone was asleep, when everyone else wanted to party, I was at work. It got harder and harder to stay in contact with my collage mates, and for a while there I just gave up.

Enough was enough I said out loud one sat night - to no one but me and some "from the vault" 80's RAGE hit tune. I put on my jeans and singlet and decided, I was going out.

Twice I stopped to turn back, I was scared about going into town by myself, about not knowing anyone, about having to walk into the pub by myself. I made myself sick with nerves but suddenly I was there.. the Salamanca strip.

Pretty soon I either met new friends or stopped caring, no one knows you're dancing by yourself to an 80s cover band till the band is over and you have to buy yourself a lemonade and contemplate your next move.

My next major mile stone, would be to leave the comfort of the pub I had started to claim as my own, and take it up a notch to TackyLand.

I would walk past the line up every Friday and Saturday night, wanting to cut foot loose but too nervous to go in by myself - Plus the bouncers were a deathly duo, of a battle dwarf and a man who could stop you dead with one flash of his fantastic mustache!

Not usually a fan of the stash, I could not help but be in awe of this one, night after night it would haunt my dreams, I had to tell the face that owned this stash how I felt.

It was a busy Saturday night, even if I had gotten the courage up to actually line up to maybe get into this club, the chances of getting in within an hr were pretty slim. My awkward and unfaltering stare caught the bouncers attention, bold as I could be in my Jeans (with long socks underneath so I could tuck my id and phone into them so they would not bulk out my back pockets) and singlet, I walked up to the bouncer and I said to him "I just have to tell you, that is the most Porno mustache I have ever seen in my life".

That night was my first night up at Tackyland, turns out the bouncer in question, Mr T (Trev), did not mind a little bit of flattery, and so he encouraged me to walk on in, compliments of the house that night. I danced till my feet bled and then I danced some more, all the 80's hits I wanted, in one night. It was magical. All of my hard work paid off - being brave gets you good music!

Eventually we got to chatting on the quiet nights. Trev and I because good friends, I would smuggle him chocolate from work or the occasional home made baked cheese cake, and he would make sure I was looked after. He would check on me during the night if I was out solo, and split a cab with me if I danced all the way though ugly hour. It turns out that going out solo, had actually given me the opportunity to make a really good friend.

So how did I start dancing?? hmmm so far its a long post, read this one again, remember the names and places, and I will give you part two of Meet You at Around Midnight @ Syrups next time!!