Getting Some Class
Sep. 13th, 2007 09:13 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rickpsI haven't posted in a while about Finest City Squares, the local LGBT square dance club here in San Diego. All those who are totally sick of square dance babble are advised to page down.
Being the only LGBT club in the area is a far cry from San Francisco where you can't throw a hooped skirt without hitting another gay club. Here in the hinterlands, the line between gay and straight clubs tends to disappear. There's quite a lot of crossover as classes at the higher levels in particular are harder to find. Which all leads to a not-so-subtly different square dance universe. I was reminded of all of this at last night's Mainstream introductory class.
Finest City is struggling as are most clubs it seems to find people interested in giving square dancing a try. Traditionally, existing club members who bring in friends (often kicking and screaming) is the largest resource. Such seemed to be the case with last night's crowd. The second most common draw seemed to be folks (oftendragging bringing their partners) who had stopped square dancing years ago (one told me last night that it'd been 20 years for him). In all, I believe that there were 16 prospective new students last night, a rather big crowd for sure.
If Finest City's membership has a strength, it is their zeal in welcoming new folk. Club members pounce on new students ("fresh meat, fresh meat!!!") to the point that I thought some new students would flinch every time a club member came near. A "Yes, I know this is fun!" glazed expression rapidly seems to descend.
The mix of newbies last night was fairly typical of the FCS catch, some singles, quite a few couples, younger, older, male, female, gay, and I think a few straight. Andy, our new (and straight) caller, was in fine form. He tends to push the new class folk more quickly through calls than seems reasonable but then he has a rabid horde of existing club members to back him up. I'll never tire of the elation that newbies feel when they dance a bunch of calls for the first time - "Look at me, I'm dancing! I'm not sure what the heck I just did but I'm dancing!!".
Isn't that what this is all about? Dancing? Who cares if they're gay? Who cares if they're male or female? Young, old doesn't matter. It's the dancing that's important. Maybe it really is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.
Looks like Finest City is going to have a nice big class this year. Way to go!
Being the only LGBT club in the area is a far cry from San Francisco where you can't throw a hooped skirt without hitting another gay club. Here in the hinterlands, the line between gay and straight clubs tends to disappear. There's quite a lot of crossover as classes at the higher levels in particular are harder to find. Which all leads to a not-so-subtly different square dance universe. I was reminded of all of this at last night's Mainstream introductory class.
Finest City is struggling as are most clubs it seems to find people interested in giving square dancing a try. Traditionally, existing club members who bring in friends (often kicking and screaming) is the largest resource. Such seemed to be the case with last night's crowd. The second most common draw seemed to be folks (often
If Finest City's membership has a strength, it is their zeal in welcoming new folk. Club members pounce on new students ("fresh meat, fresh meat!!!") to the point that I thought some new students would flinch every time a club member came near. A "Yes, I know this is fun!" glazed expression rapidly seems to descend.
The mix of newbies last night was fairly typical of the FCS catch, some singles, quite a few couples, younger, older, male, female, gay, and I think a few straight. Andy, our new (and straight) caller, was in fine form. He tends to push the new class folk more quickly through calls than seems reasonable but then he has a rabid horde of existing club members to back him up. I'll never tire of the elation that newbies feel when they dance a bunch of calls for the first time - "Look at me, I'm dancing! I'm not sure what the heck I just did but I'm dancing!!".
Isn't that what this is all about? Dancing? Who cares if they're gay? Who cares if they're male or female? Young, old doesn't matter. It's the dancing that's important. Maybe it really is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.
Looks like Finest City is going to have a nice big class this year. Way to go!
