Enchanted

Apparently it's a movie I'm supposed to go see. It also describes all things magical, spellbinding, or otherwise captivating in some beautiful way. Today I was enchanted...

I was on campus rather late for a top secret meeting that I can't talk about, let alone blog about. dumb campaign rules. As I walked outside, frigid air filled my lungs and invigorated my library intoxicated mind. Anyone so privileged to be on campus that late might know of the magical lights that come out like fireflies in the evening. The seemingly formidable buildings of scholastic torture fade to black, and all that is left to see are the playful spots of light illuminating beautiful trees, walkways, and architecture. It was magical, but I hadn't been enchanted, yet.

I made my way down to home sweet home. I should have stayed in the library to read, but the sound of squeaky gym shoes compliments my study habits so much better. The Richards building, home to athletes, dancers and scholars alike, called to me.

There's a definite smell... and while others may argue with my opinion, I don't find it displeasing in the slightest. I grew up in a basketball gym, watching my dad coach his team every Saturday morning. The Richards building, with all of its sounds and smells feels like home.

I walked down the top floor and stopped at every window. Like some patron of a three dimensional, moving museum of Kinesiology, I analyzed every scene, and searched for words to describe the compositions...


Window 1
"flailing insecurity finds home in a life preserver"

This was the water polo window. And not just any water polo mind you, it was BYU intramural INNERTUBE water polo. I always wanted to play. I wanted to be the goalie who gets a navy blue innertube to set him/her apart from the rest of the team. It adds some decency and respect to a player who has just agreed to wear a swimming suit and sit awkwardly in a tube of air while flailing their limbs in an attempt to maneuver enough to benefit their team in some way.


Window 2
"man vs man .... vs ball, hoop, refs, spectators, girlfriend and shoelace"

Oh basketball. What can I say. Its a step up from church ball here at good old brigham young, but not by much. I watched for a second, groaning at the defense, and lack of jump shot skill on the whole. I laughed out loud when I spotted the all too typical 'high-school-glory-days-guy" Sporting his sweat bands and top of the line kicks, this is the guy that fights the ref more than anyone and believes if the coaches had just looked at him he would be playing on the marriott center floor Saturday night. Oh contraire.

And the there are the girlfriends. Some dressed in fur, and I'm thinking.... its a gym darling, leave it at home with your purse by Prada. Some scream incessantly at the refs, who, let us all remember, are just students dressed in black and white, tired from a day full of class and just trying to make a little money by blowing a whistle a few times a night. I don't understand yelling at the refs. They're part of the game, the rules are different with each ref, you just get used to it and keep playing.

Finally the shoelaces.... ok, these are not always such an antagonist, but tonight they were. I can't begin to describe the elegant dismount, the leap and tumble, the wrenched face and the blood that rushed in to his rosy, embarrassed face. All I can say is touche shoelace, touche.

Window 3
"one plus one is one"

Ok, so this wasn't actually a window. I walked into 278 to grab my clogs, and fell upon the ballroomers. Like always they were fighting for every last square inch of hardwood. We like to joke about the rivalry between dance teams, but honestly I have a lot of respect for the ballroom genre. Tonight I took a second and just took in the scene.

In one corner the recently graduated, and married ballroom king was passing off his skill to the ballroom/math girl. I know her from both area of my life, and I was totally captivated by her and her partners movement across the floor. They make it look so effortless, they're bodies flow like liquid, seamless... until one takes a wrong step and the balance is lost, the flow is cut. But they were there to practice after all.

I watched other couples, and I still laugh at the drama of it all. The head that's held in the most unnatural horizontal positions, the snooty air of elegance, and the ridiculous hand flailing, but even with all of that nonsense, there is something fundamentally captivating and completely beautiful. Two separate bodies coming together in such total unity fascinates me. Dance is such an incredible expression of emotion and thought, and I'll hand it to the ballroomers tonight.


I was enchanted.