Two days ago, a female finally spoke the words that I had been waiting to hear for some time: "You're a good lead."

Wait. Let me explain. Her comments were not in the context of a parietals violation or a role-playing activity in a gender studies class.

You see, I am currently enrolled in Latin Dance as part of my physical education requirement, and in addition to performing the endless turns, twists and steps at a pace seemingly faster than the Concorde, I have the added responsibility of leading.

Leading a dance means that the man must know the move that he and his partner will perform about 10 steps ahead of time. For someone who has difficulty remembering the clothes he wore two hours ago, this kind of foresight proves problematic.

I'm really not equipped to deal with these kinds of decisions, and I often find that my brain is forced to work overtime, a risky proposition for any college student.

Compounding matters, dancing and I have never been best friends. Suffice to say that Soul Train has not really come calling for an audition, and I haven't exactly been holding my breath either. I'm not sure how well they would respond to a person with two left feet and an uncanny ability for stepping on toes, tripping and face planting. Sometimes these mishaps occur simultaneously and they certainly would not win any style points with Sinbad.

In spite of these adversities, I find myself really enjoying the class. The music is often energizing, my instructor is blessed with an inordinate amount of patience and I get the pleasure of meeting a different dance partner every class period. I'm now able to spice up SYR dances in ways that don't involve a large consumption of alcoholic beverages. As an added bonus, I get to use my hands in ways that would normally result in a prompt slap and a sexual harassment lawsuit.

I also had to consider the alternatives: Volleyball (if only the net were lower), First Aid (Pamela Anderson and her Babewatch babes would not be present — what's the point then?) and Handball (non-existent hand-eye coordination would prove problematic). Latin Dance really seemed the best option.

Besides, there is hope for me in sight; I'm taking Ballroom Dancing next rotation.

I figure I'll get the hang of this dancing thing eventually. Right?

• Dancing king