一個認真的教育家-陳碧華

 想著自己在舞蹈上只是個永遠追不到夢想的逐夢人，對自己真是失望，覺得自己對舞蹈的狂熱真是無可救藥。

 好朋友寄了幾則笑話給我，其中一則寫著：青春就像衛生紙，看著挺多的，用著用著就不夠了。

 熱情浪漫的恰恰舞曲震天價響，俄羅斯老師聲嘶力竭，錫東和我賣力的手舞足蹈。才十幾分鐘課程早已揮汗如雨，手忙腳亂的踩著拍子，好不容易跟上音樂，奧林匹亞訓練選手出身的Radu老師在一旁大吼大叫，「表情！表情！」，趕緊擠出一絲微笑，「不對，不對，不是這樣」，換個情緒，再擠出另一絲笑容，「不對，不對」。重重複複，可以想到的表情全用上了，老師還是不滿意，大吼，「我不要看到面具，給我真正的妳！靈魂，靈魂！沒有靈魂，不是舞蹈！」

 I was at the High-Speed Rail Station trying to catch the train back to Taichung, when a man who appeared to be in his thirties approached me and asked:  “Are you an English teacher?”  I looked back puzzled and thought to myself:  “Yes, to some degree, I am, but does it say so on my face?”  He continued:  “The magazine you are reading is very difficult, but it seems that you are very interested in it and you are reading it with ease, what is the article all about?”  No wonder he asked me whether or not I am an English teacher.  I told him it was about the death of a far right political leader in Austria and how interesting it was.  I answered him as a teacher should do when she was asked any questions.  To my surprise, he asked:  “Are you married?” I replied without any thinking:  “Sure I am!” then I felt funny, thinking to myself:  “What on the earth are you doing here?”  Before I could figure it out, he continued:  “You are so beautiful….” I felt choked and wondered whether I was in a dream.  While I was waiting for my train, I could not wait to tell Shyi-Dong who was attending a conference in Spain about this interesting encounter.   I sent a text message to him and he replied:  “Wow!  Congratulations!  You do look the same as when you were in your twenties, but did he ask you about your age?”

 I was quite surprised to receive a letter from Professor Sung yesterday.  I Opened the letter and two photos dropped out.  They were the photos of her daughter, Jean, practicing ballet.  Looking at the girl’s attentive face, beautiful hand gesture and the straight body line, my thoughts brought me back to the studio. Radu’s words:  ‘Watch your axis! Keep your balance!’ started to ring in my ears.  Jean looked like only six or seven years old, but she was so beautiful and natural with her pose in the photos.  The photos reminded me of the ancient pillars I saw in Greek Temples this past summer.  They were so straight and elegant.   On the contrary, I felt I was like those broken pillars lying on the ground.

 Dear R and L:

 Dear R and L:

 Dear R and L:

 The air is filled with Jilio’s lovely song, Feelings, my thought is drifting to my fantasy world where Shyi-Dong and I are holding each other whirling on the dance floor gracefully.

 Hi, R and L:

 Dear R:

 Dear R and L:

 Dear R and L:

Hi, R and L:

 After reading the news which appears on the front page of today’s newspaper, I had an urge to write.  It has been a long time since I have had such a feeling.

每年我與錫東都會歡歡喜喜的辦一場晚宴，除了慰勞自己，也更希望藉此機會把快樂散佈出去，與好朋友一起分享難得忙裡偷閒的時光。

 Tonight I went to the studio to take our dance lesson as usual.  After seeing the video my teacher took at our performance, I realized that there were so many things I need to improve because I looked awkward with my movement.   Besides, I was so stiff. Yes, I could keep my body pretty straight, but I looked more like a walking stick on the dancing floor. I told my teacher what I thought and he pinpointed the problems along with some suggestions. 

年過四十，望著鏡中因工作壓力疲憊浮腫的雙目，因缺乏運動，目益臃腫變形的身材，心中自忖，人生已過山頭，再過來的下坡路，越行越快。該做些什麼事，可以留得住青春？可以使人生不再留白？

 清晨起來，看到先生玉樹臨風般站立在鏡前整裝準備上班，心中無限溫暖與感謝。雖然隨著歲月流逝，我們都已不再年輕，但在歲月的洗禮下我們依舊背幹挺直，神采飛揚。朋友們常好奇我們是怎麼做到的，我想「人生有夢，築夢踏實」應該就是我們一點小秘密。

 幾年前抱著好奇的心情進入國際標準舞的領域，先生常自嘲我們是老大學吹鼓，或是笨鳥學飛不自量力。但幾年風雨無阻的學習，從完全外行也逐漸練就一番功夫。雖然一開始完全懵懂無知，但因長時間的鑽研與探討，發現原本以為雕蟲小技的活動，事實上還真是一門高深學問。由於社會對跳舞一直帶著神秘色彩，一般民眾因為不了解也對其持保留態度。但事實上跳舞除了是一項藝術之外，也是最好的健身方法。除了可以純欣賞外也是可以融入生活中身體力行的一項活動。為了揭開跳舞的神祕面紗，讓一般民眾認識它、享受它，僅就個人所知與大家分享。