Life is like Step Aerobics (I'm serious!)

Yesterday I went to step aerobics, at my gym: the ostentatious Megatlon. I’ve been attending this class since about January. On my first day I stood there helplessly watching whirling Argentines dance around me. Background: I’ve been doing step aerobics for about 13 years now. I generally don’t claim to be good a physical activities (especially not sports-related activities) however I’m good at step aerobics. In the US I can walk into a class and generally follow it. I managed to accomplish step classes in Spain. I was expecting Argentina to be similar… but it’s not.

Step aerobics here involves hip movement, rhythm, coordination and multiple dizzying turns and twists. Also, no one calls out the movements for you. Sorry, honey, but you’ve got to just remember them all. You get combo numbers: an “Uno!” or a “Dos!” or a “Tres!” screamed and you better know what to do.

The best thing about the step classes, though, is the comradery. Although I might not be the best stepper, I’m part of a group that doesn’t require me to speak. For that little moment, I’m equal with all the other tripping, twirling, gyrating Argentines. Another lovely thing about step class is that Argentines also cheer for their step instructor (Claudio) when he does something interesting. It’s phenomenal. Little twist, new, cool step and you’ve got clapping and “eehhh!!”

I started out pretty awful at Argentine step aerobics. But I’m getting better. Each class I manage to turn just a few more times (in the right direction) and I am able to bumble my way to the end now (more or less).

So why am I blogging about step aerobics, anyhoo? Because in order to get a combination right, you have to just keep trying. You get it wrong the first time. You try again. You miss a step, skip it and try to jump back in where you can. Maybe I missed the entire combo “Uno!” but I recognized the first few steps of “Dos!” and I’m back in the game again. And each time I stumble my way through a combo, I do something just a little more right. Maybe I forget a few steps, but I’ll catch up if I just keep going. The important part is to not give up; don’t stop trying; don’t stop moving. Because as soon as you stand still: that’s it. You’ll never get it right.

Life is like that. My entire Argentine experience is like that. You just keep trying. You make so many mistakes, but the only way to move forward is to keep moving, keep trying and not get stuck on the error. If you stand still, that’s it: You’ll never get it right. Who knows? You might actually start enjoying it. Eeehh!