Club Member Corner
Editor's Note: I want to give a special thanks to Tonja for putting together these member profiles. She produces them much faster than I get them posted, and I really appreciate her diligence. Keep up the great work, Tonja, because this club is full of fascinating members and their stories. Hats off to Tonja!
Every so often we're going to feature a club member. So if Tonja asks you for an interview, be sure to say yes, because we all want to get to know you better.
Meet Nick
With an admitted fondness for toes, Nick is presently the DC Lambda Squares club treasurer (and a fine thing it is, too).
Nick's beginning involvement with the club stemmed from a great sadness. As the caretaker of a loved one dying from HIV, he sought some kind of respite among people who would be unawares of the daily problems and issues he faced. He wanted a place or activity that would be separate from the other life of constant cares, a small space of freedom and relief.
He discovered DC Lambda Squares at a Gay Pride event and found the balance he had been seeking in a safe, wholesome atmosphere where for a brief while, he could slip away from the nightmare. Taking lessons up through Plus from Doug Barnett, DC Lambda Squares long-time instructor, Nick considers himself now to be "stuck" at Plus. This is inaccurate as he will jump into an Advanced Square (he completed Gary Felton's Advanced class) where he injects, always, lightness and laughter, an infectiousness that even travels to adjoining squares.
It is this spirit of joy, of fellowship and camaraderie that Nick cherishes about the club. Lambda members really do care about one another. He has seen them laugh together and cry together; he has witnessed warmth and support in times of sorrow, and shared pleasure in happier times.
Nick's first convention was in 1990 (either Seattle or Vancouver). He was awestruck. From the initial excitement of the Trail Inn, to the leather tip, the moonshine tip, to the dressing up, the costumes, the constant color and theatre of it all, he was, and remains, hooked. A thousand, twelve hundred gay men and women dancing together….where else can you find that?
We don't know where else. But we are getting a pedicure.
Meet Katherine
Katherine has come a long ways from Nebraska, but maybe the Midwest and corn fanned a spark for square dancing.... Katherine is another reluctant convert to the joys of square dancing. Two short years ago she accompanied her grandparents to a square dance class in Missouri. She nixed the notion of her own participation. No, no. She’d just sit and watch. Thanks, but no thanks. But then she was sorry as she saw how much fun it was. She knew immediately that she wanted to join in.
Coming to the DC area, Katherine tried for a whole year to find a place to square dance. It wasn’t very promising. The straight clubs she found had two glaring negatives. One was the average age of the members (her grandparents’ age); and two was that "have-to-be-coupled-up" factor that bedevils singles, especially single women, in straight clubs.
Noodling around on the internet, Katherine nearly missed a tiny link to gay square dancing. She went back and clicked on it and TA DA! DC Lambda Squares. She signed up instantly.
Katherine hasn’t been square dancing long enough to have racked up a huge number of square dance moments. However, she does mention the time a woman joined her square wearing a baby in a sling. How was this woman going to be able to...? Katherine surprised herself as she found during the tip that she didn’t even notice the baby. Hey, start 'em young!
Her first encounter with DCLS gave Katherine the slightest moment of pause. Alone and knowing not a soul in the group, she entered the Baptist church basement and found a group of older men standing around... who turned and looked at her. (She did stand out, after all.) And made her wonder. Um, was she in the right place? Had she made a terrible, terrible mistake?
That feeling of uncertainty was quickly transformed by the warmth and welcoming atmosphere that Lambda Dancers shower on newcomers. And now she’s a terrific booster for the club. Katherine dances Plus, having learned it all here with DC Lambda Squares.
Meet Ed
Originally from far off Cumberland, Maryland, Ed has been square dancing for an indeterminate number of years. One of two things: either it's a secret number, or he's quite forgotten (it's been THAT long).
Ed did not come willingly to square dancing; he was more or less forced into it. Totally uninterested, even actively disinclined towards the activity, he couldn't be bothered. Square dancing? Puhleeze. Besides, Ed was really busy.
But he had three friends who were eager to square dance. More than eager. And thinking it was necessary to show up with a partner, Ed (the driver) was coerced into making the fourth. Only if he absolutely HAD to, he said. Then they arrived at CUMC (early location for DC Lambda Squares) and discovered that no, you don't need your own personal partner.
Apparently the reality of square dancing differed from Ed's preconception of it; he's been dancing ever since, learning from Doug (the original article), Warren, and then Ett. His first impression that long ago night? A whole room full of gay people and the lights were on.
After the first lesson was over, Ed and his gang of four topped off the evening with a visit to Mr. Henry's. This was a huge success. They had such a good time that Mr. Henry's became a tradition carried through to the completion of Mainstream classes.
One of Ed's brightest square dance memories occurred at the Baltimore convention. The Edo 8s, a Tokyo club, introduced the Miss Honky Tonk Queen contest with a dance number Ed insists has yet to be equaled. It involved fireworks. (Well anyway, sparklers.)
Among other things, Ed appreciates that being part of the DC Lambda Squares means participating in a gay activity that doesn't require going to bars.
Let's hear it for Mr. Henry's.
Meet Cindy ------->>>>>>>
Everyone, absolutely everyone, who comes to the DC Lambda Squares makes mention of how friendly and open and warm everyone was to them from their first visit. Cindy is one of the people they are talking about. Cindy makes a new person feel that she couldn't be happier than to see you there. She immediately puts you at ease. She wants to dance with you. YOU.
Cindy knew nothing about square dancing until a friend who was a DC Lambda Squares member introduced her to the club. Cindy had been looking around for things to do, things to get her out into the community, ways to meet people, get exercise. She came to an open house and, shazaam! There it all was.
<<<<<<<---------- Also there! Olivia, Cindy is her special angel!
Cindy dances full Advanced level, having learned Mainstream and Plus DC Lambda Squares, and Advanced with Baltimore's Chesapeake Squares.
During her ten years of square dancing, one of Cindy's favorite experiences was seeing Happy in his Wonder Woman costume at the IAGSDC Wish Upon Thar's masquerade ball in Anaheim. And right up there with that event: the convention's Honky Tonk Queen contest where people in drag compete to win a title in a lame beauty contest, the rules of which continually change to accommodate unexpected trends. (The escort had morphed from one person to an entourage which at one point included a whole chorus of Rockettes.) Some past contestants: Cow Patti. Leona Davenport. Sharon Husbands. Ima Cornholder. Tammy Whynot. Are we having enough fun?
A tough day at work and Cindy looks forward to club night where she can count on getting happy and relaxed. Along with the friendly, smiling faces Cindy encountered when she joined DCLS, there has been another, and unexpected, boon. Before DCLS, she had few male friends. Now she has more friends of both sexes than she ever dreamed would come out of square dancing.
See? Join 16. Go home with friends!
Meet Ronnie
New Mainstream dancer and newest member of our board.
Ronnie began square dancing during his tender years in Jacksonville, Florida. His mother took up square dancing and needed a partner. Ronnie was a willing draftee. Eventually the dad, realizing what he was missing, joined his family on the dance floor (where young Ronnie was also clogging). The family participated in dance events and conventions.
So Ronnie is not really so much learning square dancing as relearning it. There is this difference: elimination of the gender factor. You can’t just look for the girl. You have to KNOW who that girl is.
When Ronnie and his partner moved to the DC area (Maryland) over a year ago, he already knew about square dancing. The internet introduced him to gay square dancing and the DC Lambda Squares. His neighbor, Bill Marvin, also helped steer him towards the DCLS. Bill even accompanied Ronnie as an angel to the classes.
Neither Bill’s partner nor Ronnie’s is interested in square dancing. So the four of them make an ideal group for fly-ins. The dancers dance; the partners hang out. They meet up later. Is everybody happy?
Ronnie has been delighted with the warm atmosphere at DCLS ever since he first showed up. Everyone extended friendship. You never felt out of place. No surprise there, hey?
Ronnie then:
Meet Larry
The Man in Black. Handsome dude. This is how he looked at the recent WASCA convention where he danced the nights away and wowed the ladies with his snappy steps and glib conversation. Larry received an award for being a Special Arch Angel (Super Seraph) and has been an Arch Angel for the DC Lambda Squares.
Some of the above statements are not true.
Larry came to the DC area in 1974 from Arkansas by way of Maryland. His introduction to square dancing was major. Some square dancing friends (of the no-longer-existing Montgomery County Squares) invited him to join them for Pass The Ocean, Hon, at Rehoboth in 1995. Walking into the city’s convention center, he was confronted with (stunned by, really) over 250 people laughing, dancing, having fun, enjoying fellowship. He knew he wanted to be part of it.
That weekend he learned about the DC Lambda Squares; the following September he began the DCLS classes with Doug Barnett. He’s been dancing ever since.
In 1996 Larry attended his first national convention, Stars, Thars, and Cable Cars, in San Francisco with 1,200 dancers. He had recently graduated from his Mainstream class. AND…he had just completed a boot camp weekend of Plus. So he tried dancing in a Plus square. But his nerves gave out on him; he perspired. He joined the Mainstream dancers where he could relax; where he could be one of the laughing dancers he had first seen at PTOH.
Larry now dances at the C1 level having learned Plus and C1 from Et McAtee, Advanced from Dayle Hodge. He attends all the east coast fly-ins: the Pocono’s, Peel the Pumpkin, Harper’s Ferry Hoedown, ACDC; and always the national convention. He finds DCLS provides a comfy environment, a warm group of friends, intelligent, easy going. A good group of people to be around.
Meet Dale
Now it can be told....
Anyone watching Dale on the dance floor is instantly aware of this one thing: Dale is a Dancer. As far as dancing is concerned, she’s done it all: ballroom, swing, country and western, contra, international folk dancing. Even, before she came to Lambdas, a little square dancing. At Glen Echo. So in June of 1989, when friend Char Ank (also a Lambda) told her about this gay square dancing group and invited her to come along to a club night, Dale accepted. With confidence. And never mind about classes.
Her introduction to square dancing was a ".Humbling Experience." Indeed. Dale found herself in a Plus Square. It broke down within two seconds. Not her usual dance experience. Dale says that it was SO humbling she was determined to learn.
Now she dances Mainstream and Plus as both follow and lead. She learned Beginning and Mainstream with Doug Barnett and Plus with Warren. She’s currently taking Advanced from Gary Felton (in Maryland) with Olivia and Steve.
Dale's favorite square dance moments happen at the fly-ins she's been attending for several years: Rehoboth's Pass the Ocean and the Harpers Ferry Hoedown. She loves the overall spirit, the joyousness, the food, the energy. Absolutely intoxicating. She feels like she's floating the whole time.
She has found DC Lambda Squares to be welcoming, as nearly everyone mentions. More than that, she emphasizes the encouragement given to her as a new square dancer, that same warm encouragement given to everyone who comes to dance. And stays. To enjoy the friendship. And to dance.
Meet Kathy and Mitch...
Although, frankly, we can’t believe they need an introduction. Here they are auctioning off their security blanket to the highest bidder (Mitch MADE the blanket, if you please). There they are on Thursday evenings, dancing to the Lambdas’ tunes, supplying quantities of food and beverages so the Lambda people can keep body and soul together. There they are, again, at the fly-ins. At the community dances. And... why... look.... Isn’t that them in Don’s picture?
They’re everywhere. They’re everywhere.
It all started seven years ago when Mitch had a friend in Lambdas who brought Mitch to a first nighter, which Mitch liked and so he continued through the classes. Kathy was busy bowling. Two years later she came to Lambdas and began her assent up the ladder to Plus where they both now hang out. Mitch learned as a lead but is now practicing the follow position; Kathy joined as a follow and is now doing lead. They learned everything they know (about square dancing) through DC Lambda Squares.
Sometimes they combine bowling and square dancing as they did last summer when they traveled to Corpus Christi for a bowling tournament. From there they stopped by San Antonio for a straight national convention.
They have found visiting straight conventions something of an eye-opener. For one thing, there’re those skirts. A person could actually become tangled up in all that skirt and crinoline material. And then there’s the question: to flourish or not to flourish? And if so, how much? How little? Do we use vocal accompaniments?
Aside from the smiling, friendly, openness at DC Lambda Squares remarked on by all, Mitch names two more elements of the Lambda Dance experience. One is our callers: they are such fun and keep up the liveliest of paces; they continue to make the calls interesting, challenging, surprising. And two, the wide assortment and cross section of people from many social and economic strata. Mixing and dancing together.
Oh, and order your blankets early.
Meet Don...
Don, all the way from Bowie, Maryland, found square dancing and Lambda Squares because of a friend who invited Don to attend one of the DCLS’s first nighter evenings. He liked it and kept coming back to mingle and dance. He’s been mingling and dancing at DCLS for six years, guided through mainstream and plus classes by Doug Barnett.
Previous to square dancing, Don had tried line dancing but found it too taxing to remember all those steps. But, Don! What about square dancing? At the Plus level there are 100 some calls to know off the top of your head. Oh that! In square dancing, he points out, you have somebody telling you what to do all the time. You have to remember; you just don’t have to remember what comes next.
Don goes to two or three flyins a year, his favorites being Pass the Ocean, Hon, and our own Harper’s Ferry Hoedown. But his very first fly-in experience started out on shaky ground. Once he stepped onto the floor in his first square, he experienced a mild panic as he felt he’d forgotten everything he ever learned about square dancing. Circle left? What? And Where IS my home?
But of course he made it through that first tip; he got his confidence back; and experienced a Realization: people are there to have fun; not to be perfect.
His next Realization occurred more slowly as he eventually found he needn’t be thinking about every step. The steps began coming naturally; it was flowing; he was dancing. Now he finds angeling an ideal way to reinforce what he knows as well as to spread the fun.
Like all who come to DCLS, Don was quite taken with the friendliness and openness he found. He felt comfortable immediately. And then he felt even more comfortable when he realized people were there to have fun. Really. And really, no one cares if you’re not perfect.
Meet Charles - A.K.A. Chazz...
Charles is one of the very newest members of DC Lambda Squares having joined us just a few months ago when he came for the accelerated program held on Saturdays in late winter. After that he kept coming regularly to firm up what he’d learned. He enjoyed it (who wouldn’t?) and was able to attend and participate at Pass-the-Ocean, Hon in Rehoboth. That’s accelerated.
He came to the DC area in 2000 from Norfolk and Portsmouth. Had some small experience with square dancing in high school and then, after a little bit of tap and ballet in college, danced into the disco scene until smoky bars lost their appeal.
Charles (and partner Jim, a.k.a. Jimbo) knew of DCLS through friends George (Oliver) and Lorenzo. George invited them to attend the open house last winter. Like everyone who comes to a Lambda Squares event, Charles was drawn to the open friendliness he encountered on his first visit and during his fast track classes. He saw that DCLS people like to have fun; they like to laugh; they like to make others laugh. And they succeed. And now he’s dancing again. He loves dancing.
Besides the dance part of square dancing, Charles likes the puzzle part: it engages the mind, keeps it limber. The part of Pass-the-Ocean that Charles liked best? Progressive squares. Your whole row, as wide as the hall, travels together across the room. Laughing.
Meet Larry...
Your President. Before that he was Vice President. Before that he was on the Board. And he’s only been with Lambda Squares for five years.
Recently in one week alone, Larry presided over a repayment to the club from a former treasurer, a recognition of the DCLS tax-exempt status, receipt of a check from the Peterson fund in response to our grant application. AND, he just celebrated the birth of his first grandchild. A busy fellow is our Larry.
He became acquainted with square dancing through his partner, Barry, when they were in northern California (Diablo Dave was teaching). Barry had been square dancing for a while and encouraged Larry to learn; then patiently encouraged Larry to stick with it. That was 13 years ago and stick with it he did, all the way up to Advanced.
From going to national conventions (about eleven of them) Larry and Barry had learned of the DC Lambda Squares. So when they moved to Washington they simply looked up DCLS and showed up. New friends and community: no waiting.
Of all the national conventions he’s attended, perhaps Larry’s favorite was the one in Santa Cruz; he got reacquainted with old friends. As for fly-ins, he warms to the Harper’s Ferry Hoedown. The location is beautiful; the views spectacular. The town is quaint and provides a nice side attraction. The Inn itself is old, a little down-at-the-heels, but its unique blend of warmth and intimacy is pleasant and inviting and feels just right.
Larry has always been impressed with the friendliness of the DCLS members. He is especially pleased to see how active the club is: hosting fly-ins, annual conventions, the annual ACDC, community dances throughout the year; attending the rodeo and ballgames; participating in Gay Pride activities; tubing down the river.
There’s always something happening with the DC Lambda Squares.
Meet Abe...
Abe moved here from Pittsburgh fifteen years ago. Once here, he occasionally read about the DC Lambda Squares in issues of The Blade. He had been introduced to gay square dancing from a friend in Philadelphia. He'd also done some international folk dancing, and country two-step. He kept reading The Blade.
Then in 1994 The Blade featured the IAGSDC convention which that year was hosted by DC Lambda Squares here in Washington. It sounded so very inviting. Abe came to investigate on one of the introductory open house evenings. He's been with the Lambdas ever since. Twelve years now.
Having gone through all the classes offered by Lambda up through C1, Abe then taught himself C2. He studied the moves; he memorized them. (Abe's mind works in squares; and puzzles. He sees it all and how it fits together.) Then he tried out his new skills at a few Lambda C nights. He went to a fly-in and let himself be pulled through the patterns. And by the time of the next convention, he confidently took his place among the other C2 dancers.
He is continually impressed with the quality of the people who have become members of the Lambda Squares. And is heartened to see how committed people are to making the club a success.
A caution: Abe didn't realize square dancing could be dangerous. During one memorable (especially for him) convention, one of the whirling dancers whirled in Abe’s direction, clipping Abe in the eye with an elbow.
Dancing is a contact sport.
Meet Elwin...
Originally from Nebraska, Elwin has been dancing and socializing with Lambdas since 1992. Elwin knew about square dancing before coming to the Lambda Squares.
He began square dancing at camp. Adult camp. Adult male camp (A.M.C.). Ask Elwin about his camping experiences. Friends from A.M.C. introduced Elwin to DC Lambda Squares and then drifted away, disappearing into the non-dance world.
Elwin dances up to the C1 level, having learned most of it from Dayle and Ett. He has always been impressed by the friendliness, the open welcome, exhibited at all DC Lambda Squares functions. This very attractive quality makes coming there for the first time feel natural and easy.
Dance conventions are one of Elwin's favorite parts of the square dance experience, and specifically, the grand march. To see hundreds of your fellows marching together, line after line after line, joyous in the very fact of all being together, is thrilling. Then forming squares for the first tip of the evening. You’re with friends from your own club; you have hundreds of friends spread out across the floor. They’re all dancing.
Another stand-out square dance experience for Elwin would have to be the Moonshine Tip at convention.
Ask Elwin about his camping experiences.
Meet Juanita...
Juanita (from Jersey) came to square dancing through a circuitous route. Having moved to Puerto Rico for work she found that Puerto Rico had little to offer in the way of extracurricular activities. But there was a single square dance club. They danced only Mainstream. Juanita was in Puerto Rico for seven years and danced for three of them. She became well grounded in Mainstream.
When Juanita came to our area, she discovered two things: one, that most clubs dance at Plus level so she found the Boomerangs (a local teaching council that arranges ongoing, year-round classes in Mainstream and Plus); and two, that the clubs the Boomerangs fed into are arranged so that people are partnered up the whole evening, even the singles club. So she found DC Lambda Squares. Where everyone dances with everyone.
Juanita now dances Mainstream and Plus as both a follow and a lead; she dances A1 and A2 as a follow but is looking to learn A as a lead. She learned Plus and Advanced from Butch Adams who is associated with clubs, and the Boomerangs, in Virginia.
Easily the most impressive aspect of DC Lambda Squares is how welcoming they are to everyone. Everyone. Smiles and warmth all around. AND... you don’t have to come with a partner and you still get to dance... because everyone dances with everyone.
Tonja Ducrest, Ace Reporter, Thanks Tonja!