Get off the dance floor.

I worked for a boss who loved to dance. Every time we had a company meeting, and there was an opportunity to dance, he would dance — from the very first tune to the very last tune. When you needed to talk to him about something, you could forget it when he was dancing. He was simply not available. He was in a trance, in flow.

I am not much of a dancer. My movements are clumsy and do not always follow the rhythm of the beat. Apparently, I was not born with a talent for dancing.

Some people claim that everyone has a talent for artistic expression, such as dancing, singing, or playing an instrument.

Their claim is that we, human beings, limit ourselves very early on in our lives in the way we use our bodies and our voices. Add on the protective and often limiting feedback we get from our caretakers, and another talent is lost.

I grew up in a culture that was not very expressive. Act normal, that’s already wild enough, was one of the mantras in my culture. Moving to the Czech Republic did not help me grow my expressive side either. Those were the nineties. Lots has changed since.

There’s much to be grateful for due to my move, but encouraging my expressive side is not one of them. Communism encouraged sameness and discouraged differentiation. Those who were different, outspoken, and in the spotlight threatened the regime.

So, I spend most of my time in dance clubs and during music concerts on the balcony.

I admire and envy those with a talent for dancing. You can see that the dance floor is fun. Many people forget about their surroundings, forget about the past and the future, and are entirely in flow, enjoying every rhythmic beat of the moment.

A lot, but not all. You can easily spot the people who dance but are always aware of their surroundings. How do I look? How do I dance? What will people think? How are my moves?

Those people are mentally on the balcony while physically on the dance floor. They have split themselves in two. One half is observing; the other half is dancing. Neither half is doing a good job.