Most people who take dance lessons will tell you the hardest thing to do is to is to walk into a dance studio. I did not laugh when my friend Jane told me it took her nine years. I simply said, wow, as I was truly impressed with her courage. Lots of people say they want to learn to dance, but only a small percent actually try.Like most first time students, Jane did not know anyone when she walked through the door and she had no idea what to expect. She struggled, but persevered. Today, Jane shows up at different studios, dances with both friends and strangers, and supports people who remind her of her past mindset.It took me eight months after my daughter decided to get married to visit a dance studio. Normally, I do not  procrastinate. I wanted to marry Eileen before we dated and officially asked her eight months later. Some men are afraid to commit to marriage;  others like me were afraid to commit to dance lessons. For months I asked myself: how would I learn to dance?  Who would I ask for advice? Where could I go? I had no male friends who took dance seriously. I visited studios online and read the reviews and testimonials but I was skeptical of website claims and social media..As I moved towards the studio door the first time, I had a budget in my head, told myself to focus on finding the right the instructor and and promised myself that after the wedding, I would be done with dancing. I saw a dance lesson as comparable to going to the dentist. I had vague recollections of the person Arthur Murray and the early days of television but assumed he must be dead. The website was not that informative. It provided no resumes or photos of the instructors. I was suspicious, but desperate.Her posture was the first thing I noticed as she approached me and introduced herself. After an exchange of pleasantries, Melissa asked me to dance. She was light on her feet. Dancing is unusual in that it almost instantly required physical intimacy with a total stranger, a person of the opposite sex. Questions raced through my mind. Could I communicate honestly about dance with this stranger? Was I willing to make a fool out of myself in front of her?  Did I really want to follow through with this? My answer to all three questions was yes. I had jumped into the water and after all that effort, I was determined to learn to dance.When I dance with beginner students, they ask me questions about the studio, the people on the dance floor or how long it took me to be comfortable. I remind them that the hard part is over, they are dancing. My advice to them is simply to focus on finding the right instructor, talk to other students first hand about their experiences, and remember that almost everyone dancing came through the door somewhere as a beginner. No one would be critical of them.If you’d like to hear more about my journey into dancing, you can pick up a copy of my book, The Dance Dragon, at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Google Books.