Told with precision, grace, and painstaking honesty, Quick, Before the Music Stops is the tale of one woman’s midlife renewal through dance, and how her newfound empowerment transcends the dance floor and becomes immediate and relevant in every aspect of her life. It shows us how to recognize and celebrate both our strengths and our flaws, reignite passion for the everyday, and how to step from the periphery into the light and surrender to the music.

1. Janet theorizes that new couples base their attraction on what amounts to a sketch of each other’s real characters, based on limited facts and filled in by assumptions and fantasy. What do you think of this theory? Is it true of other kinds of relationships? In your own life, what assumptions do you make upon encountering a new person at work, socially, or in passing?
2. Janet describes herself as having “a cerebral appreciation of dance.” How would you describe her emotional relationship with dance? Is it more important to her than her physical connection? Do you think this balance changes during the course of the book?

(more…)