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I LOVE MUSIC.. EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT MUCH OF A DANCER. I JUST LIVE OUT MY LIFE WITHOUT THE JOYS OF DANCING, I DO LITTLE MORE THAN TAP MY FEET TO THE MUSIC I LOVE. LIVING AND DANCING.. ARE THEY REALLY THAT DIFFERENT? I MEAN WHAT IS LIVING, BUT ONE BIG BALL; WHERE YOU GET TO DRESS UP HOWEVER YOU WANT AND DANCE AS IF NO ONE'S WATCHING, COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS OF THINGS LIKE OPINION AND PREJUDICE. WHERE YOU GET TO MINGLE WITH THE LIKES OF PRINCES AND PAUPERS ALIKE. WHERE YOU MEET NEW FRIENDS AND SOCIALIZE. WHERE YOU ARE EITHER THE LIFE OF THE PARTY, OR THE QUIET TYPE THAT FAILS TO MINGLE, AND CAN NEVER GET THE DANCE MOVES RIGHT. BUT AT THIS PARTY, EVERYONE HAS ONE THING IN COMMON; EVERYONE IS A DANCER, NO ONE STANDS STILL, NOT FOR ONE SECOND. ONE BIG ORCHESTRA CONDUCTING THE SONGS OF OUR LIVES. THIS BALLROOM ACTS AS THE BIRTHPLACE OF CLASSIC TRACKS, TRENDS AND FADS, FASHION AND ART. WE PAY HOMAGE TO GREAT DANCERS AND WE WELCOME NEW ONES WITH APPLAUSE AND FANFARE. ON THE DANCE FLOOR SOMETIMES YOU DANCE FAST, WHERE NO ONE CAN KEEP UP. SOMETIMES SLOW, AND EVERYONE FOLLOWS YOUR LEAD. SOMETIMES CRAZY, KICKING YOUR FEET, AND THROWING YOUR HIPS, SOME PEOPLE SHY AWAY FROM THAT, WHILE OTHERS MOVE TO YOUR GROOVE. SOMETIMES YOU DANCE ALONE, DOING YOUR THING, THE EVER ELUSIVE LONE WOLF. SOMETIMES WITH A PARTNER, SOMETIMES THEY'RE GOOD DANCERS, OTHERS , YOUR TOES WILL LET YOU KNOW OTHERWISE. SOMETIMES YOU TRIP, AND LOSE YOUR BALANCE. AT TIMES YOU MIGHT EVEN FALL, BUT THEN AGAIN YOU ALWAYS GET UP, WITHOUT MISSING A STEP. SOMETIMES THE SPOTLIGHT DOESN'T SHINE SO BRIGHT AS IT USUALLY DOES ON YOUR PERSONA. BUT YOU NEVER, EVER, STOP DANCING. STOPPING ONLY TO SMILE AT ENVIOUS FACES, THE NOT SO PROUD OWNERS OF TWO LEFT FEET, OBLIVIOUS TO THE FACT OF COURSE, THAT, THEY TOO SHALL HAVE THEIR MOMENT TO SHINE. IT'S A GREAT PARTY, AND EVERYONE IS ATTENDING. THE KIND OF PARTY YOU ALWAYS HOPE YOU WOULD ATTEND IN YOUR LIFETIME, BUT NEVER STOP TO REALIZE THAT YOU MADE YOUR GRAND ENTRANCE KICKING AND SCREAMING, AND YOU NEVER REALLY BROKE THE HABIT. YOU ARE BOTH ALIVE AND ALWAYS THE LIFE OF THE PARTY. BUT WHO'S GOING TO CAPTURE THESE MOMENTS? WHO'S GOING TO BE AN ALIBI TO THIS WONDROUS OCCASION, WHERE ALL EYES ARE ON YOU, AND YOU NEVER LOOKED BETTER. I GUESS IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO ME AGAIN; I DO. I STEAL THESE PRECIOUS MOMENTS AND STORE THEM AWAY, IF ONLY AS EVIDENCE THAT ONCE, YOU WERE A STAR, THAT YOU ATTENDED THIS PARTY, AND THAT IF ONLY FOR ONE DANCE, YOU WERE THE LIFE OF THE PARTY. YOU WERE UNDER THAT SPOTLIGHT AND ALL EYES WERE ON YOU. YOU HAD THAT GLOW ABOUT YOU, THAT RADIANCE, ONE DESERVING OF A STANDING OVATION. ONE THAT WE CAN NOT ALLOW OURSELVES TO FORGET. LIFE, MUCH LIKE THIS BALL, IS CONSTANTLY FLEETING IT WAITS FOR NO ONE. IT'S EASY TO MISS THESE SPECIAL MOMENTS IN THIS GRAND OCCASION, ON THIS VAST ARENA. AND WE ARE BUT PEOPLE, ABSENT MINDED AND QUICK TO FORGET. THIEVES LIKE ME, GUILTY OF STEALING THESE MOMENTS; WE KEEP THE EVIDENCE, WE ARE THE CURATOR OF MEMORIES, WE HOLD THEM FOR SAFE KEEPING, EXPOSING THEM WHEN NEEDED. SOMETIMES TO THE WORLD, OTHERS, ONLY TO THE RIGHT PAIR OF EYES. I'M ROBERT VOLKERTS, AND I'M A PHOTOGRAPHER. "MAY I HAVE THIS DANCE?"
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