I am not a good dancer because I am skilled.

I know many steps,
and can follow many more
(there the question:
         what defines a dance I know?
         if I can follow a lead
         or teach it to someone new?
         because those get very different answers.
         Perhaps I'll ask that of someone.)

There are skills
I have built into my body,
filed away like tools,
used and honed
with constant happy practice.

That alone
does not make me a Good dancer.

Dance is Joy,
or the expression thereof
          (and no glum-faced
          easy-A-er will convince me otherwise)
and that is why
dance is also Beautiful.
It grasps at the wonderful reasons
to manipulate the human body
          (and isn't it a little strange
          how we can somehow also
          find joy in sorrow?)
Communicating to the watchful eye

Without Joy,
without Life,
Without some little spark of the divine fire
why would anyone want
to participate in dance
or even merely spectate?

Young men spin me compliments
as they spin me on the dance floor;
I smile and save them for later
for Being Joyful
is not something I have the words to explain.