The Bucket List Moment
It had been on my bucket list for years.
I wanted to dance to live music by Pink Martini, one of our favorite bands. We had a chance at a concert in 2018, when they invited people on the stage to dance. I chickened out. (Let the record show that my husband was ready to do it.) At a post-pandemic concert in 2022, there was no invitation to dance.
Last month we attended a concert in which Pink Martini played with members of the Indianapolis Symphony’s pops orchestra. They started with Ravel’s Bolero and went on to play some of our all-time Pink Martini favorites. It was exciting and often joyful music, exquisitely performed.
Given so many people playing, we knew there would be no invitation to join them on stage. But to our surprise, lead singer China Forbes announced a “dance competition” in the aisles. We looked at each other. We were seated on an aisle, five rows from the stage. Did we have the courage to get up in front of all those people? Believe me, I hesitated.
We did it! We danced a rumba to a great song called Donde Estes, Yolanda? An older couple behind us won the contest, but it wasn’t about winning for us. It was about seizing the day and having the courage to take a risk. (We would have kicked ourselves if we’d passed up another chance.)
What does this have to do with Spirit & Space?
After the dance, Pink Martini’s founder Thomas Lauderdale handed us a signed album entitled Je Dit Oui (“I Say Yes” in French). We don’t have a turntable to play the album. I thought about giving it away.
But this album represents a bucket list moment when we said YES! I placed it in a prominent place as a reminder to say yes, seize the day, and be bold in new things. Carpe Diem! 😊💕
Here’s a video of the traditional conga line on the last encore number.
We’ve never done it before…corny, right?…but we said YES this time and had a grand time.
I promise that the joy in the audience will put a smile on your face.
Still with me?
Check out this video of Pink Martini playing Donde Estas, Yolanda? in 2005, including a brief introduction with lead singer China Forbes and founder Thomas Lauderdale. The video will give you a great sense of how exciting their music is!