The Dance Of Changes - Part 11 (Patreon)

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'As I said, my new partner and I seemed to dance quite well together, and there were no problems. Afterward, the committee discussed the question of Sarah's replacement, and there were no volunteers or obvious candidates except for the two of us, so we've been asked to perform the next four demonstrations.'

'With you dancing the woman's part for them all?'

'Alan is more than six feet tall and quite well built; I don't think he would look very good wearing a dress.'

'But you do,' she responded, as if were a truth, universally acknowledged.

'So it would seem,' I admitted.

'So, how does your mother feel about you spending all this time as a young woman?' she asked.

'Mum seems to welcome the idea of having a daughter for a while, especially if it means that I'm going to be dancing once again.'

'I suppose, more to the point, how do you feel about the idea?' she asked.

I thought for a moment before answering, trying to work out my own feelings. I decided the best idea would be to focus on the dancing, as that was the reason for the existence of Michelle.

'The idea came as a bit of a shock at first, but everyone in the Ballroom Dancing Society has been so encouraging to me. Also, it is going to provide me with the chance to partner a really good dancer.'

Helen smiled as if this wasn't the full answer, and she was expecting me to enlarge upon my comments.

'I assumed that I knew all about ballroom dancing, but I'm beginning to discover that I only ever saw things from a male perspective and that there is a lot more for me to learn.'

This answer didn't satisfy her, though.

'But it isn't just about the dancing, is it?' 'How do you feel about having to live and work as Michelle, as well?'

The conversation was back to discussing my future once again. She would only be satisfied once I'd come clean about how I felt.

'Now that I'm getting used to the idea and wearing the clothes and makeup, I must admit that I've been rather enjoying myself as a girl, both at home and at work.'

'There's a lot more to being female than just wearing nice clothes and makeup.'

'I realize that, but following my makeover yesterday, I feel more confident, and I'm no longer worried that I might give myself away if I go out or have to talk to someone new.'

'Would it matter that much if you did give yourself away?'

'Yes, it would matter to me. If I'm going to be Michelle for the next few weeks, then I want to do it properly, both as a dancer and also at other times. '

'You seem to have slotted into the new role quite easily so far, and we both agree that you are more confident than you were either as Mike or as Michelle last week.'

'I've been doing my best to look at the way girls walk, talk and gesture with their hands and to copy them, but without going too far.'

'I noticed as we were walking here that you were beginning to move more like a girl.'

'I'm gradually getting used to wearing high heels, which encourage me to take shorter steps and gently swing my hips as I walk.'

'You're also using your hands in a more feminine way.'

'Am I? I suppose I'm more conscious of them since having these nail extensions.

' I think you are doing fine. I don't believe anyone coming into the shop would realize that you were really a guy.'

'I hope not, but I do wonder where it is going leave me when I come to change back in mid-November.'

'We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?'

I didn't reply, and fortunately, Helen decided to change the subject.

'What dances will you be demonstrating the Saturday after next?' she asked.

'The Viennese Waltz and the Quickstep.'

'I thought that you'd already demonstrated the waltz.'

'The Viennese waltz is the original form of the waltz, which is danced to about 180 beats per minute, compared to the slower, more popular 'English waltz' that we demonstrated last week.'

'Is it difficult to dance?'

'Yes and no. It's a rotary dance where the dancers are turning toward the leading couple's right and then to the left, with change steps to switch the direction of rotation,' I said, trying to demonstrate with my hands and noticing how nice my nails now looked, as I did so.

'That looks complicated to me.'

'It can be danced at a basic level, but as with other ballroom dances, it takes some time and effort to learn to dance really well. The true Viennese Waltz consists only of turns and changes steps, whereas the 'American-style' is a little more elaborate with flickers and side sway turns, which are modern inventions.'

'Fleckerls? Aren't they a type of pasta?' asked Helen.

I smiled

'No, a flicker is a dance step, a turn which doesn't move forwards along the dance floor but instead rotates on the spot. However, on this occasion, we will be demonstrating the earlier, more formal version, where the couples do not pass one another but turn continuously left and right while traveling anti-clockwise around the floor, following each other.'

'It sounds very complicated.'

'Not really. The dance requires the woman to be fairly light on her feet but is relatively easy to learn, and there's not a lot to go wrong. The other couples involved have all danced to it many times before. We will just have to ensure that they are capable of following our lead. Alan and I will be trying it out tonight, and we will have a full rehearsal with the others on Saturday morning.'

'How about the Quickstep?' Helen asked.

'That is a little more difficult. It's a less regulated and more light-hearted type of dance, but one that requires equally fast footwork. In some ways, it is a faster version of the Foxtrot, consisting of quickstepping and syncopated feet rhythms in time to the music. The routine that I have designed is quite difficult to perform, but on this occasion, only Alan and I will be dancing, and so we will have to practice tonight. There will be no opportunity to hide any slips between us.'

'Well, good luck! I hope to be able to come and see you dance on Saturday week. Richard is going to show me how to operate a second video camera and wants me to film you as well, so he will be able to edit the shots together to make a better video clip than last time.'

'In that case, I'll have to make sure we get it right.'

'I do envy you, Michelle, being able to dance so well. Ballroom dancing seems so glamorous when I see it on television.'

'It is only a question of learning the steps and a little practice. We run classes for beginners if you are interested.'

'I would have to find a partner anxious to learn first. Most guys that I meet would only be interested in dancing to Electronic music at clubs or at raves: house music, garage, techno, that sort of thing.'

'I'm afraid that the clubbing and rave scenes have tended to pass me by,' I admitted. 'Most ballroom dancers go no further than rock' n roll or maybe disco. I understand that the movements are not predefined, and the dance is performed randomly, with dancers taking inspiration from the music or their mood. That is instead the opposite of what most ballroom dancers are seeking to achieve.'

'Maybe, but it can be fun all the same. You should try clubbing some time, Michelle; you might find that you enjoyed it.'

'I'd be frightened that if I danced with a guy, he might be expecting something else as well and then be in for a nasty shock,' I said, smiling.

I wasn't sure how I would feel about dancing with a guy in a social setting. The advantage of dancing with Alan was that he was clearly only interested in the dancing and nothing more.

'I don't think you would need to worry. If you dance with a guy and then want to dance with another, or with a girl, or just by yourself, that will be fine.' These days Guys don't treat club dancing as a cattle market as they used to.

'I'll think about it.'

The conversation ended inconclusively as Helen and I noticed the time and hurriedly made our way back to the office.

The rest of the afternoon was busy but otherwise relatively uneventful. Everyone in the office now treated me as Michelle, and there was no further reference to Mike; it was as if he had ceased to exist.

As soon as the office closed on Tuesday evening, I changed out of the blouse and skirt suit that I'd been wearing for work into a pink tracksuit that Louise had donated to me, to await the arrival of Alan to take me to our first rehearsal. I'd toyed with the idea of wearing a dress but decided that was not really necessary for a first run-through. I selected the outfit as there was a matching pair of high-heeled sneakers to dance in. Although I was now quite used to walking in heels, I was going to need as much practice dancing in them as possible.

I was waiting outside as Alan's car drew up.

'Hi Michelle, you're looking very smart again today,' said Alan as he arrived. 'It looks as if Joan has done a good job on your transformation.'

I smiled and thanked him. I never tired of receiving compliments; it made the trouble that I'd taken to ensure that my hair and makeup looked alright seem worthwhile.

'I'm still waiting for a new pair of breast forms to arrive, but they should be here in good time for our dress rehearsal.' I said as I got in his car.

One thing I liked about Alan was that having once danced with me, he now accepted me as I was.

'So what treats have you planned for us for our next demonstration?' he asked as we went on to the dance floor.

Although he was a better dancer than me, I was the more experienced choreographer, and so he was happy enough to leave it up to me to work out our routine and choose the appropriate music.

'I thought that for the Viennese Waltz, all four couples could dance to the Waltz from 'The Godfather 'with the two of us taking the lead.

'Fine, I'm sure you've designed an excellent routine,' he replied.

' Then, for the Quickstep, how would you feel if we were to have a go at 'Let's Face the Music and Dance.'

'Surely not the Astaire and Rogers sequence?'

'Do you think that it's a bit dated these days?' I asked.

'Not at all; it really is the high point for the Quickstep, but aren't we a little ambitious with all those spins?'

'I'm willing to have a go if you are,' I said, smiling. 'But it might be better if we use the recording by Nat King Cole.'

'O.K., you're the boss, at least when it comes to choosing what to dance.'

We had made some progress and had the opening sorted, but there was still a lot to do, so we decided to meet again for some more practice on Thursday evening. As expected, the Viennese Waltz would be unlikely to present us with too many problems, and we agreed that the other dancers were all sufficiently experienced to be able to cope with my plans. However, our Quickstep routine was going to be a challenge, although we still had ten days in which to get it right. We were both so engrossed in practicing that neither of us noticed the time go by, and before we knew it, it was 10.30pm and time to go.

'Alan, would you mind if I invited my mother to come along and give her opinion of our performance next time? She and my father won a medal for their Quickstep in the 1980s.'

'By all means, do so. I'll invite David to come along as well so that he doesn't think that I've abandoned him for my attractive new dance partner.'

By the time I got home, it was 11.30, and Mum had gone to bed.

Wednesday morning was the 1st of October, and I traveled in to work on the 31 bus service dressed as Michelle for the first time. Although I recognized several of the regular travelers waiting at the bus stop, nobody seemed to recognize me or look at me at all oddly. I, therefore, assumed that my long hair, makeup, and different clothing provided me with enough of a disguise. Getting on and off the bus wearing heels proved to be a little more problematic than usual, but I felt sure that I'd get used to it; after all, other girls managed. During the half-hour bus ride, I read a free magazine and, for the first time, began to take an interest in some of the fashion features.

It proved to be another busy day at work, with Helen, Richard, and Rob out for most of the time showing clients around houses or else measuring up and taking the details of new properties coming on to the market. Sarah was still suffering from her impaired mobility and found it awkward to get up from her desk, so I dealt with most of the customers who came through the door. Once again, I found that I enjoyed this aspect of the work, and those I dealt with tended to be friendlier towards me and more willing to chat. By the end of the day, I was pretty tired and was quite happy to spend the evening at home with Mum, who naturally wanted a detailed account of how Alan and I had gotten on with our practice the night before.