The body

published: 2008-10-17

During my flamenco class this week, I learned yet another lesson. But to avoid becoming some lessons-in-life idiot, I'll tell you about my more irrational activities during class.
I couldn't help but stare at everyone's bodies in the mirror. We are all approximately the same age, happened to all be wearing black. The flamenco skirts one uses for practice are of the simple kind, therefore clingy.
Here's what I saw when looking at myself: the post-pregnancy body, the forward tilt of the pelvis, hips turned slightly inward. Of the eight (including our teacher) other women I studied, only one other woman's body had that same tilt. The other women's bodies were somewhat straighter, the focus of attention therefore drawn more to the bosom than to the hips.
I had a really hard time stopping myself from asking "which one of you has had a child?" to test my theory.