Leah I just . . . go to the loo.

Tara Is that what you did tonight?

Leah Yeah! I needed to go.

Tara How could you?

Leah But also, it was good timing. I either go to the loo or I just sit it out.

Tara Leah. You can’t sit out the electric slide!

Leah Yeah, but I can’t exactly get up and do it badly either. It’s embarrassing! I’m scared they’ll revoke my black card or something –

Tara We should revoke your black card! At your big age? You’ve never learnt it?

Leah I’ve tried picking it up a few times but I just get lost and I go backwards when I should go forwards or I step the wrong way and then I step on someone’s toe and then everyone’s so annoyed at me because I’m messing up the flow.

Tara But it’s so simple.

Leah Tara. You know I’m dyspraxic.

Tara It’s just a jazzed-up two step.

Leah You’re actually being really ableist right now!

Tara Come on.

Leah What?

Tara Let’s go. I’m teaching you. No wife of mine is sitting out ‘Candy’. Not on my wedding day. Impossible.

‘Candy’ by Cameo starts playing.

Leah Are we really doing this now? It’s like . . . 2am!

Tara It doesn’t matter.

Leah Turn it down a bit.

Beat.

You have to promise not to laugh.

Tara I cannot promise you that.

Leah I want to go to bed!

Tara I’m mirroring you. OK?

Leah nods.

Tara Now step to the right, step to the right. Then to the left, then to the left! EHE! And back and back and forward and back. I think I could do this before I could walk.

Leah How is that possible?

Tara I was probably bopping along to it in my pram. At every wedding, the birthday, family barbecue. I bet I was doing it in the womb. When my mum was stepping to it, with my dad sliding to it beside her, then behind her and then beside her again. It’s that deep muscle memory. Like generational trauma. What’s the opposite of trauma?

Leah Shut up! I’m trying to concentrate.

Tara It’s in your sinews, babe, your bones. Your blood. It’s electric. No need to concentrate! You just surrender to it.

Nothing like it. Stepping and sliding in unison, everyone putting their little spin on it. Their little twist. Styling it out! It’s magic. That synchronicity with everyone in the room. All of your friends, your family. Til the sax solo takes over and fades out above your heads, into the sweaty air.

Leah stops. Watching her enjoy the dance. Tara notices, switches the script and takes her by the hand. They dance together for a bit. Then Leah breaks away.

Tara What’s wrong?

Leah Nothing.

Tara You were starting to get it before. It was good!