Most men refuse to dance in public, and for good reason. At almost every formal event that I attend, the women hit the dance floor and have a great time while their men line up along the bar and pretend not to notice that their wives are dancing with the strange men who have overcome their inflated egos. I divorced my self-consciousness in this regard several years ago; or more accurately stated, my wife wore me down. But, little did I know that this would not be the end of the humiliation.
Dancing HR Guy
On August 13, 2011, I will be a participant in the 3rd Annual Dancing With Winona Stars competition. What you need to know is that I have no training, no skills, little grace, and will be doing a technically complicated number with an amazing professional dancer. While I have some experience and no fear of speaking or competing athletically in front of large audiences, the thought of dancing soberly before an audience of more than 1,000 people (with all eyes upon me) will be a new experience (gulp!).
Why would anyone ask a HR guy to do this? Because there is ample entertainment value in having a stiff, suit-wearing, bald-headed healthcare HR guy in front of his community to D-A-N-C-E. I would pay to see it.
Supporting What Matters
The event is really not about me. It is a fundraiser (that is using me) to benefit multiple groups in our community. Half of the proceeds will benefit area youth at Gotta Dance in participating in regional dance events, and the other half will go to the charities of the participants’ choosing. My charity is the Ben & Adith Miller Patient Care Fund, which provides financial resources to those who are unable to pay their healthcare expenses.
Live, public humiliation through dance presents a rare opportunity to support what matters to me as a person, and as a healthcare HR guy. The whole experience is taking me well beyond my comfort zone. While the act of having to dance is beginning to cause moderate anxiety, it hasn’t yet presented in the form of physiological symptoms.
I Need Your Help
In addition to having to learn how to dance in a short period of time, I am also beginning a fund raising journey to support a couple of causes in which I ardently believe. Fundraising is about as comfortable as dancing in public. You can help!
Go to the Dancing With Winona Stars page on HR Soot for more information about the event, and your ability to take action. The more support I get, the more I will reveal through videos, posts, pictures and any other discomfort that I can imagine. Here is your chance to make me squirm. In the process, you will be supporting area youth and those who cannot affort healthcare. Everybody wins!
HR Soot: Dance like there really aren’t 1,200 people watching you make a spectacle of yourself.
[UPDATE: The Dancing Page on HR Soot has been disabled. If you want to see the practice videos, or the dress rehearsal of the event, check out my YouTube page by clicking on the icon in the "Connect with Me" Section on the sidebar.]