The Sisterhood of the Traveling Corset

Some of the Monday morning yoga gang

​From time to time over the past couple of years, I have written about the remarkable group of women with whom I spend nearly every Monday morning. We start with yoga—either a class with Behnje Masson, who drives up from Grand Rapids every other week—or a group practice session. Then it's on to breakfast at Hit the Road Joe Coffee Café, where we appropriate the biggest table (and pull up extra chairs and tables when our group is at full capacity).

---

​I've mentioned how our breakfast conversations ramble, touching on books, movies, politics and passions. But have I mentioned that these stalwart women can also get mighty silly when the mood strikes?

​As it did on the morning of the corset. Kathy had discovered the article of clothing—a stretchy, satiny creation from an era when women wore "foundation garments"—among the belongings of her mother-in-law, who had recently passed away at the age of 98. She brought it to breakfast for show-and-tell, but this group couldn't be content to just pass the thing around.

Valerie set the corset hilarity in motion (Photo: Sue Schneider)

​​After waiting until the table of men from the nearby church camp had left the premises, Valerie hopped up, undid the corset's side zipper, and began tugging it up over her yoga clothes. The more she wriggled, the more we giggled. 

---

Sally takes a turn (Photo: Sue Schneider)

​​Camera phones came out. Then, like Cinderella's stepsisters, we all wanted to try squeezing ourselves into the magical undergarment. 

---

My glamour shot (not) (Photo: Sue Schneider)

​I don't know about the other yoginis, but I fully expected that slipping it on, I'd be transformed into a svelte, glamorous, Hollywood-worthy creature. Seeing the cellphone picture Sue took of me quickly shattered that illusion. 

​​No matter. The real transformation was that moment of lightness, of letting go of whatever concerns were constricting me and sharing a laugh with friends I've grown to love in the five years since we moved to this community.

---

​Another opportunity to let loose together came up a few weeks ago at Camp Newaygo's annual Christmas & Cocktails event. For the past several years, our group has reserved a couple of tables at this annual women-only shindig. If C&C sounds like a wild and boozy girls' night out, it really isn't—not for the yoginis, at least. We might sip a cocktail or a glass of wine, but it's dancing, not drinking, that's the draw.

​In past years, we've rocked out to the tunes of piano woman Alesha Nicole. This year, Camp Newaygo changed up the entertainment with BellyDance Grand Rapids. No corsets here! In fact, in reading up on belly dancing, I learned that when this style of expressive dance first became popular in the U.S., in the 1890s, Victorian sensibilities were affronted by the dancers' uncorseted gyrations. Imagine!

Belly dancers entertained at this year's Christmas & Cocktails (Photo: Kathy Misak)

A dramatic solo (Photo: Kathy Misak)

​We, however, delighted in the dance performance, especially the part where the male waiters—who had served us so capably and even recited poems composed specifically  for each table--took to the floor to swivel and sway with the belly dancers. A few brave women from our group gave it a shot, too! 

Our good-natured waiters shake it up with a belly dancer (Photo: Kathy Misak)

Kathy and Sally join in (Photo: Sue Schneider)

Go Yoginis, go! (Photo: Sue Schneider)

​The rest of us held back until the rock 'n' roll came on. Then we were on our feet for the rest of the night, bopping and twirling against a backdrop of glittery lights. 

Bopping . . . (Photo: Sue Schneider)

. . . and twirling (Photo: Sue Schneider)

​When the music ended, and we headed out into the cold night, we all glowed a little brighter.

What's the most fun you've had with friends lately?