Strictly Mary: Baby’s Been Put In The Corner

Posted by

CH Opticians Update

 

rsz_strictly-11

Mary with dance partner, Richard Walsh.

Our Beauty Columnist, Mary O’Donnell, is taking part in this year’s Austin Stacks Strictly Come Dancing, which takes place in the Dome on August 23. Here she keeps us informed on her progress…

A STRANGE thing happened since I started dancing.

Over the last few weeks I have noticed it has changed me. My posture has improved and I have started to point my toes as I come out of the shower, like I am precious.

The dance is coming together and I look forward to practice, not dreading it anymore. As I put out the washing I practice my turns; peg, turn, peg.

Ciara O’Donnell, the very talented photographer, had to take a few shots for me and she said; “Mary, less strictly, more natural.”

Alas, it did not last long.

In the movie Dirty Dancing, Baby struggled with the lift but in the end she did it, that will not be happening in this case.

After my first fall, I was nervous so we decided to change it. The first part of the practice was the best ever, so we decided to change our lift.

I do not know what happened but it was all going well when I started to slip and then I started moving faster and faster.

In my mind I was a rocket and landed on earth with an almighty bang. As I lay on the ground all I could see were stars.

As my dance partner, Richard, approached he said; “Mary you have broken your heel.”

At this point, I decided to gather myself and look to see where my foot had disconnected from my body.

Richard is a nurse so he would know a broken heel if he saw one, so I sat up. still seeing stars, to find it was the heel on my shoe that was broken.

My mind turned to the fact my foot and bum were in bad way. In Richard’s world I had a little tumble, in my world it was major fall.

So he told me you will be fine and get up and dance. Next day I could not walk; swollen foot, black and blue and also knowing I will never fly again.

I must say a part of me was sad that what we practised would have to be left out as I would be terrified of falling again. So no training for a few days until the swelling goes down.

The group dance continues, but with me in the corner. You see if I was Baby they would not have put me there.

Part of the routine is the ladies shimmy; a shimmy is when the body is held still, except for the shoulders which are alternated back and forth.

I cannot do it. I know I am a disaster when it comes to this dancing business, all the ladies could do it naturally, but not me, so a few lads decided to help me.

I think it was the single funniest thing I have ever witnessed. A group of grown men showing me to shimmy was wrong on so many levels.

All I am sorry about is that I did not tape it, as ‘the Tralee lads do the shimmy’ would have gone viral.

Until next week.

Comments are closed.

image