The Dancing Boy

There are many people in my life whose name I don't know. There is the man, whose dog is named Georgia, who is always chasing after her as I walk Bode. There is the man in the booth where I pay to park at the University. There is the postman that I see filling students' mailboxes when I walk to and from class.

There are other people in my life whose name I know from their nametags. There is Raquel at the grocery store who almost always is at the express checkout. I asked her why once. She answered that she likes the constant flow and doesn't get stressed by the busy-ness.

Most of the people in my life recognize me whether or not we know each other's names. There is one person who is a regular in my life who would not recognize me. This person likes to be known as "The Dancing Boy". "The Dancing Boy" is a young man now, but he was a boy when he first entered my life and the lives of many others who reside in Edmonton's West End. There is a very busy corner, intersecting an east-west highway with a north-south artery. Traffic invariably backs up and drivers fume as they sit still in their cars.

In about 2000 or 2001, I first noticed a boy about 14 or 15 years, bundled up against the cold in winter, with headphones on, grooving to the music. When light signals changed, that would be his stimulus to move to the next corner, still bopping as he crossed the street. I worried why he wasn't in school, but I worried more if he wasn't there. Seasons and years went by and still, "The Dancing Boy" was out in all weather dressed appropriately and dancing. Drivers stopped fuming and watched and traffic seemed to move all the better itself when "The Dancing Boy" traversed the corners.

In the earlier years, his dance was completely oriented to the beat of the music. I often mused that the thundering drum of traffic contributed to his patterns. I could tell the type of music he was listening to by the cadence of his beautiful but somewhat uncoordinated moves. Then, there was a period, where I didn't see him. I wondered whether his parents had moved and whether he was on another street corner, this time in the south of Edmonton. Last fall, I spotted him again several blocks north of his original intersection. His moves have changed. He lip synchs now and his dancing now has more elements of guitar playing and stage showmanship. He is adding his perspective to the stories told by music resonating in his ears.

I saw "The Dancing Boy" today and was inspired by him as I often am. I don't know much about him. I know that he likes music,likes to dance, and likes hoodies and hats. What inspires me is that he is obviously doing something that he loves, regardless of what other people think. The fact that he loves dancing on street corners in traffic shows, and as I am stopped in traffic watching him, I look at the people inside the other cars. We are almost all smiling. Seeing someone do what they love has that effect. Smiles and joy are contagious and the world is a lighter, better place. Keep on dancing, whatever your forum - street corners, bathrooms, kitchens, studios, gyms, stages, snow, ice or bicycle. Just keep on dancing and smiling.