Square Dance Convention: LJ tip

[cjsmith]

I have never seen a convention so blogged about.

One interesting bit was the LiveJournal specialty tip. (A "tip", to explain for the non-square-dancers, is a unit of square dance activity about fifteen minutes long -- the thing any other dance activity would call "a dance". In between "tips", usually, are breaks wherein people can gossip or get a snack or visit the restroom.) Here caller Andy Shore is spreading the word about it; here is a group photo; here is the sign-in list. (The photo was done at the beginning and the sign-in at the end, so some people don't show up in both.) More photos here.

It's wonderful to me how strongly I feel at home at a gay square dance convention. Sure, there are ways I'm invisible in that world, but they're not the same ways I'm invisible in the straight male computergeek world, so it's more comfortable if only because there's no spot rubbed raw by the poking of it. This feeling of at-home-ness -- of being among my people -- was magnified immensely in the LiveJournal tip. If there was anything I wanted photos of, from the whole convention, it'd be that group. I still haven't quite figured out why it felt so right. Two subcultures colliding? Perhaps. In any case, I really enjoyed being there.

[Oh, and the other specialty tip people tend to ask about? The no-clothing one? I didn't do that this year. The organizers were thoughtful enough to remind me that the "no watchers" rule simply meant everyone shucks down, not that you absolutely had to dance, so I could go. I was grateful for their thoughtfulness, but as it turned out I was simply too tired to stay awake that late. No nekkid square dancing for me this year.]

Comments

[ericainohio.livejournal.com]

Aw, CJ - that sounds like so much fun! Makes me want to dump my children on some babysitter and start dancing again! ;-)

I was thinking, gee, wouldn't it be fun to dance with these folks? Not a single blue-haired lady among them! What fun to dance with young, energetic, enthusiastic types! And then I was like, oops, I'm a straight female. Guess it's back to the blue-hairs for me. (Don't think I've ever danced with anyone - not one single person - my age or younger. Geeshk.)

[kateyule.livejournal.com]

Oh, there are a few blue-haired ladies (of both genders) and they generally put us young'uns to shame with their energy. I'm thinking of Scottish Mae, who came by train from British Columbia. She's torn because the Canadian Nationals are in Montreal next year and the gay Convention in Anaheim, and she can't do both.

Alas, I don't think there's an IAGSDC club in Cincinnati. But you have until Fourth of July weekend 2008 to get some floor time somewhere, and then come join us in Cleveland! Seriously!

[ericainohio.livejournal.com]

I would be pretty surprised if there was an IAGSDC in Cincy! Square dancing is definitely JUST for the sweet little old ladies and their tottering husbands here! OK, OK - I exaggerate. There are middle-aged couples on their way to becoming the aforementioned 'type' too. Heh.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Straight females are perfectly welcome at this convention! No worries, mate! And we have our share of older folk as well -- it's just not EVERYone, that's all. I think it'd be awesome if you came to one of these. It's in Cleveland in 2008, does that help? :-) :-)

[ericainohio.livejournal.com]

Really? So if hubby and I came (because of course I'd want to bring my dance partner), would we spend the whole convention explaining ourselves? LOL!

Cleveland is definitely well within driving distance. :-) You gonna be there? :-)

[kateyule.livejournal.com]

If you bring hubby and consistently partner with him, especially if you wear anything resembling matching outfits or straight square dance drag, it will be assumed that you are a straight couple here for the dancing, which is fine. Happens frequently.

If you do any of the above and wear a gay club badge, or "One in a minyan" T-shirts, or flirt heavily with the same sex, you will confuse the natives mightily. (Which is also fine, mwah hah.)

Note, however: gay sd culture is not couples-based. It assumes 8 people per square. Solo dancers are not the liability they are in straight sd culture.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

You wouldn't have to explain a thing. Plenty of straight couples show up. (A woman and man partnered together are assumed to be straight and monogamous.) You might have some explaining to do if you start to flirt with the ladies, of course. ;-)

I don't know yet about Cleveland. I have relatives in the area (Lorain), so that'd be an extra draw.