Wave

It was nearly 11:30pm on Thursday night as we hauled eight spinning bikes from the mirror-walled dance room into the humid pool area. There would have been nine bikes, if one of the team members hadn't been unable to attend the daily practice. I carefully pushed my bike and tiptoed across the soggy tiled floor. Paula's words echoed in my mind. "You'll break your neck," she said to me one night as I playfully glided across the wet floor from the dance room to the locker area. One by one we each pushed our bike onto the indoor pool deck.

It was too late for anyone to be swimming. The gym was about to close for the night. There was a blue colored hose dripping chlorine into the vacant pool. Sung Jin took one end of the cumbersome bike and lifted it over the hose. "Jump," he said. I giggled. His tall and muscular physique were easy on my eyes and he had one of those smiles that belonged in a Colgate commercial. He's my spinning teacher. Spinning is a sport that I never heard of before I came to Korea. I had seen the stationary bikes at the gym before, but had no idea that there was actual technique to riding the things and it requires using most of the muscles in your body including shoulders, chest, arms, thighs, and calves. It's a total body workout. In Korea it's combined with loud, fast dance music. Hand motions and head flicking under colorful blinking lights makes it a rather enjoyable form of exercise.

I pushed the bike into its position, which was the third bike on the left from the middle of the V formation. Sung Jin was setting up the tripod across the other end of the pool and attaching a video camera. There's no mirrors, so I couldn't glance up and copy the synchronized moves of the dance team. I had to know it. Sung Jin asked me, "Do you know it?" He said we must memorize the dance moves. I checked the handlebars and adjusted the seat level to its lowest position. I placed my feet on the pedals and tightened the foot straps. Standing with my left foot forward and straightening my arms, I braced myself on the bike. The music started and filled the room with an infectious echo.

Ba... ba.. ba.. bum ba ba.. ba.. ba.. bum. Here we go. The first minute of the routine was flawless and I felt confident. I remembered his advice, "Make your head like a U shape." There's one bit in the song when we turn our head from side to side. I remembered his advice and swung my head in a pendulum motion. Ba... ba.. ba.. bum ba ba.. ba.. ba.. bum. Up dool set net. Down dool set net. It's all I could hear in my mind as I danced on the bike. All I could hear was Sung Jin's commands, counting in Korean and using few English words like "up, down." And the voices of the Korean ladies at practice chanting, "Ba... ba.. ba.. bum ba ba.. ba.. ba.. bum."

Up dool set net. Down dool set net.
Ba... ba.. ba.. bum ba ba.. ba.. ba.. bum.
Up dool set net. Down dool set net.
Ba... ba.. ba.. bum ba ba.. ba.. ba.. bum.
Up dool set net. Down dool set net.
Ba... ba.. ba.. bum ba ba.. ba.. ba.. bum.
Up dool set net. Down dool set net.
Ba... ba.. ba.. bum ba ba.. ba.. ba.. bum.

I was still feeling pretty confident when the routine hit the second song. I threw my arm to the side on the beat and wiggled my spirit fingers. It was time to wave. It's difficult to describe and I wish I could show you, except I haven't been able to do it yet. If you trace a loop the loop shape in the air with your finger, that is what we have to do. Trace a loop the loop with in the air with your finger and imagine your head making the same shape to the left and then to the right. There's some bit with the shoulders too. Still working on that one.

Up dool set net. Down dool set net.
Ba... ba.. ba.. bum ba.. ba.. ba.. bum.

Oh dear God, I prayed. I had to do it. Ok. Ready? Ok. It's coming. Ok. Now.To... the... left... to... the... right. There's something about having a camera on you that raises the pressure and makes the body do funny things. It was just a practice video, but for the first time I was able to wave.