The third Tuesday of each month brings the Silver Starlight Orchestra to an Italian restaurant in Hopatcong. Last night was a special Tuesday, since the evening's playlist was largely Frank Sinatra tunes. A few years ago, I took private dance lessons to practice foxtrot, cha-cha and waltz. In all honesty, I just wanted to dance to Frank Sinatra's tune, "The Way You Look Tonight." I love it- the big band sound, his voice, the words, the way you can foxtrot across the entire dance floor.
The orchestra draws a mixed crowd of families, couples who eat dinner and sit through every song, and people who want to eat, drink and dance. I have very happily joined the latter group, made up of an accomplished group of dancers with an enviable reputation at the restaurant. The night is fun and lively, but also inspirational. Always there are couples who are well into their 80's who spend most of the night on the dance floor.
Last night I watched an elderly couple make their way to the dance floor from the bar area. They were dressed for a night out: she in a black and white top, skirt, gold earrings; he in slacks, a sweater and blazer. He moved slowly, with a slight limp. Once on the dance floor, though, the limp seemed to vanish. Song after song, they danced- jitterbug, swing, waltz- with enviable rhythm, connection, and ease. While they were not fast, she could spin and he had cool moves of his own! Toward the end of the night when Ed, one of the fellows at our "dance table", extended his compliments, he learned that the couple had danced together for 40 years, but never taken any formal lessons. When I shared that information with Dave, he replied that it was because they lived through the "golden age of dance." While I didn't leave through the "golden age big band era", I want to be like that couple, dancing into my own golden age, Frank Sinatra playing as I foxtrot across the dance floor.
