In 2010 when I began my dodgy dancing escapades I was master of my own destiny in many ways – single, renting in a small flat in central London, and pretty much self-employed running my own charity with an employee count of one.  Now twelve years later I’m a married, homeowning father with bills to pay and a particularly demanding day job responsible for a team of 60+.

How then can I reconcile this present-day reality with my nagging, itching, life-long dream of dancing my merry way around the world, when I can’t (and wouldn’t want to) just up and spend months at a time away from home? 

The answer I’ve stumbled upon is what I’m calling my life list: a bucket list of as many dancing adventures and challenges – big and small – that I can think of to complete over my entire remaining lifetime, including a dance around the world as the ultimate dream entry.  It’s a list that will grow and change – and it’s down to me to find the right challenge to match my circumstances at any given time, wherever I find myself.  If you have any ideas to add to the list, please add a comment below – it could be anything, from dancing along a famous road or route, to dancing to the top of the Shard or dancing in a shop window on Oxford street for a day.

And so I’ve begun to write this list, and it’s opened up so many possibilities.  I can’t dance across Europe right now, but I’ve realised there are so many exciting dancing exploits I can still make happen closer to home.  And when I’m able to and the time is right, then I’ll grab my dancing shoes (and Barbara, my long distance dancing buggy sidekick) and head out that door to dance every step across a continent or two.

Until then, I can’t wait to get started on the list, with something right on my doorstep, but no less meaningful and challenging for it.  More of that next time – I can’t wait.