Dance with your dog
Lydia Francescutti, 53
High school teacher, Surrey, B.C.
I’m sure some of my friends and co-workers think I’m a bit crazy for dancing with my dog, but I just love freestyle. Perfecting a routine requires work — up to a year of practice — but it also provides play, and before I started dancing, there wasn’t enough play in my life. I was far too focused on work.
My dog, Ali, is an Australian kelpie, a herding dog about the size of a border collie. When we’re working on a new move, I can just see the excitement in her eyes — she loves to learn! And I’ve discovered I’m a ham: Put me in a wig, and I’ll do things I’d never do as my normal self.
I love the camaraderie with the other dancers in our demonstration freestyle group, Paws 2 Dance — we perform at fundraisers for humane societies and other animal charities, and at seniors’ centres. Making spectators laugh and cheer feels great.
Ali and I also compete at Paws 2 Dance and World Canine Freestyle events. But most of all, I love the connection with my dog. The best part is when we’re in the middle of a routine and she has her eyes on me, watching for my signal, having so much fun herself.
It’s great exercise. And since my husband is a reluctant dancer, this is probably the only way I’m going to get out on the dance floor!
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This article originally appeared in the November 2008 issue of More
