Reference

I was pretty darn nervous this morning. I was teaching my first Basic Step class at our new (to Mr. Penney and I) gym. There were two things that were causing the nervous:

1. Unlike cycling, I hadn’t taught a step class in two years, since we moved to Ellicott City. It got to the point when I used to teach that I could throw a selection of step combinations together a few minutes before class and have a Basic Step class all ready. Now? I am rusty. I kept running through things in my mind about steps I could do, trying to assure myself that everything would flow smoothly from one move to the next, and that I would be able to break down the steps so that everyone could understand and follow along.
2. Basic Step is a new class for the gym, so I had no idea what to expect as far as turn out or what the participants would expect. Would my routines be too hard or too easy? Were they going to be able to hear me ok? Would I wind up offending someone with something I would say?

It’s a 8:15 am class, so Mr. Penney and I get to the gym around 7:30 so that I can prep and check out the stereo and mic equipment. Stereo sounds fine, but the mic is getting some awful feedback. I twiddle around with a few knobs (my degree in electrical engineering coming into use now) and get the feedback to die down. I sound like I am talking in an echo chamber, but at least the people in the class won’t go deaf.

Five minutes before class: There are three people in the room, a nice lady, Mr. Penney, and myself. Not looking good on the attendance front. Luckily, the nice lady tells me that there are some people in the cycling class that is about to let out that want to take my class. Bless their hearts!

Cycling class lets out, and now I have a total of ten, which is decent for a new class at a neighborhood gym. I turn on the mic to speak and “SCREEEEEECH!!!!” So, it doesn’t look like I will be using the mic this morning. Fortunately, I have a loud enough voice (when I want it to be) that I could go without the mic and be heard by everyone.

After that, things went pretty well. There were a few gaffs, but it is almost inevitable that I get tongue tied at some point and am not able to call out the next move properly. Also? Never ask an aerobics instructor which way is right and which way is left and expect to get the correct answer all of the time. We have to do part of the class facing everyone, mirroring their movements, so in time, left and right become rather vague to us.

In any case, I am now sitting here hoarse, but relieved, in my socks that I finished on Saturday.