Are You a Dancer? A Sequel

Every few months, someone comes along and, in passing, asks me if I'm a dancer.

Perhaps it's the grace and poise with which I naturally carry myself.

Or perhaps it's my long, limber body which I've retained since my prior dancing days (back when I was 6 years old…*cough*)

It also might be that I like to stand in 3rd position sometimes when I'm just hanging out because I think it's comfortable...

A camera crew was in our office today to interview my boss for a video montage, and as they were cleaning up, the woman conducting the interview was chatting casually with me. At one point, she asked me if I was a ballet dancer.

I said no, unfortunately I'm not, though I don't mind being mistaken for a member of the Washington Ballet Company, which she had referenced in her question. She smiled and said I should take a class - whether ballet or something else - because it is really fun. And I commented that I was once a dancer, and I should get back in prime shape.

This wasn't the first time I'd been asked that, and I'm crossing my fingers it's not the last…I like to pretend like I actually look like a dancer,  so I appreciate those who feed my delusions.

But this semi-common question actually spawned from the inexplicably-common comment that soon followed in explanation: "Oh, you just look a lot like someone who dances with the Washington Ballet Company."

People, I get this kind of comment ALL THE TIME. Apparently I look like about 1/5 of this entire planet's population. Seriously. I look and/or have the same mannerisms as just about 1 million other people. Random strangers are constantly reminding me that we met the other day at that party I didn't go to hosted by that person I don't know. Casual acquaintances are always telling me it's scary how much I remind them of their best friend from 6th grade or their 3rd cousin, twice-removed.

Seriously, I think this happens about once a week. Not exaggerating.

But at least the person I call to mind is always someone they like a whole lot and think is so so so great (so they say), so luckily I only look/act like really ridiculously cool people whom my acquaintances really like a lot.

Also Jessica Biel.

So there's that.

I once met one of those people someone thought I was exactly like, and I didn't see it at all - not in looks or speech or quirks. So I'm also losing my confidence in people I meet and their opinions.

But there was that one time when I was waiting in line for a ride at Lagoon with my sister and brother-in-law, and we saw my 14-year-old self standing about 20 people behind us…and that was legitimately eerie. Even I was confused when I saw her. So I guess there is something to this...