Gym, after lunch and before 6th period

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

Given that neither Walter nor Pippi have much dance experience, they've decided to share what they know with each other.

"The jitterbug takes some space to do properly, so let's try it in here."

[ooc: if anybody wants to show the boy from the 40s and the world's strongest girl how to dance, feel free. the gym's open for other uses, of course. Unless we're dancing on top of the decorating committee, of course.]

Comments

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

Pippi nods and picks up on the beat even if the tune is a little off.

"Okay, how do we start?

In the back of her mind she's thinking to herself, "Let him lead let him lead let him lead let him lead."

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

Walter having recently found an online dance lesson (http://home.comcast.net/~n.goldshlag/mamou_jitterbug_dance.html), holds his left hand out to take Pippi's right and begins leading her through the basics.

Pippi could have feet the size of trashcan lids and still wouldn't manage to step on his feet.

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

Pippi's feet are actually rather small, she shoes on the other hand are another matter. She takes Walter's left hand in her right and finds it easy to let Walter lead. Particularly because she doesn't quite know the dance.

Walter finds Pippi an agile and sporting dance partner. Not quite as agile as he perhaps, but she keeps up with the dancing very well. She's also not adverse to any lifts or throws he may suggest.

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

Jitterbug is easy to learn the basics and Walter and Pippi can get moving in a very short time. Walter will quite happily show Pippi what he knows, but he never had time to learn anything particularly advanced, so it won't take long until he's exhausted his limited repetoire.

"Your turn. Polka or Schottische?"

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"They're actually very similar, let's start with the Schottische."

Pippi thinks it's to bad Walter won't be wearing his kilt (http://www.abdn.ac.uk/scottskinner/videoclip.php?ID=vc34).

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

"What sort of music? And is it a slow or a fast dance?"

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"Hmmm," she mused, "It rather depends on how fast the band can play it. But tends to be rather jaunty. Medium to fast."

She sings a few bars to get the beat down...

"Do dodo do do dodo do do dah do do. Do dodo do do dodo do dah do do..."

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

"Lead on, Miss Pippi." Walter tapped his foot to get the beat and smiled.

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

Pippi took Walter's left hand in her right and carefully explained the steps to the dance and how it traveled and turned.

In no time at all she was whirling around the gym with Walter, dead serious and dancing as if her life depended on it.

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

Walter, on the other hand, was still grinning like a loon, following Pippi's lead with gleeful abandon. It might have been the complete lack of audience, but probably not.

When they had gotten the steps down to Pippi's satisfaction, he applauded their performance. "That's fun. We have to do that tonight."

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"Even if it doesn't match the song." Pippi grins back. "Okay, so Waltz?"

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

"Waltz is very easy. You just sort of make a square." Walter took Pippi's hand and led her into the steps before showing her the variations he knew.

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

"One two three one two three..."

Pippi supposed Professor Eppes was right, numbers were in all things. Or at lead in dance. She really liked how simple the steps were but yet the dance could be so complex. Like math.

"I like this one. I hope they play something that can be waltzed to..." Said Pippi completely oblivious to what kind of band "The Dusted Bunnies" were and how unlikely that was.

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

"I hope so. Maybe we can bribe the band to play something good." Walter drew them to a stop and gave her a formal bow. "Polka?"

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

Pippi threw up her arms.

"POLKA!"

Pippi teaches Walter the steps, which are very much like the Scottish Dance that I don't feel like looking up how to spell again right now.

When they start to practice it, she sings along with their dancing...


There's a garden, what a garden
Only happy faces bloom there
And there's never any room
For a worry or a gloom
There's music, and there's dancing
And a lot of sweet romancing
When they play the polka
They all get in the swing
Everytime you hear that Oom-pah-pah
Everbody feels so tra-la-la-la
They only want to come back for one thing
They crowd around and sing trolly-olly-ay
And you hear that rumble on the floor
It's a big (HA HA HA HA) surprise you're waiting for
Then all at once everybody, everybody, forms a ring
(Spoken: Come on everybody get up and form a ring. That's
the way, everybody get up and form a big ring. That's the way.
Then all at once you form a ring. Everybody get up and form a
ring. Here's a tenth of everybody....)
For miles around, you'll hear them sing

Roll out the barrel, We'll have a barrel of fun
Roll out the barrel, we've got the blues on the run
Zing Boom Terrara
Join in a glass of good cheer
Now it's time to roll the barrel
For the gang's all here

(Spoken: Take it away boys!)

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

Somehow it really doesn't surprise Walter that Pippi knows two boisterous and bouncy dances. Instead, he boisters and bounces along, enjoying himself immensely.

No doubt it's a good thing that he's temporally separated by more than half a century from Fandom time. He missed rock and roll entirely and the polka's just his speed for some fun.

As Pippi's singing winds up, he whistles and applauds once more. "We'll knock 'em dead tonight."

[strongestgirl.livejournal.com]

Pippi curtsies. "Thank you." she says with mock demure.

She notices the time. "Oh. They're probably going to arrive shortly to set up in here. I should go put on my new skirt. Michael at the Emporium helped me pick it (http://www.livejournal.com/community/fandomtownies/528834.html?thread=20790466#t20790466).

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

"Victor and I will be here around six. I'll see you then."

Walter's got it easy. He's always dressed formally and has little to do to get ready, although for some reason, he has a feeling he may spend more than half an hour trying to ensure that his hair is the right kind of messy.

"Thanks for the lessons."

With that, he runs out. He has posters (http://www.livejournal.com/community/fandomhighdorms/395181.html) to put up.