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The SSQQ January 2005
Newsletter
Written and edited monthly by Rick Archer |
Headlines |
Previous 2004 Newsletters
Previous 2005 Newsletters |
Bottom of Page |
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INTRO |
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WHAT'S NEW AT SSQQ THIS
MONTH: THE NEW YEARS PARTY AND EZRA CHARLES IS COMING IN
FEBRUARY! |
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ONE |
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A CLOSER LOOK AT THE UPCOMING JANUARY
DANCE CLASSES |
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TWO
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PRACTICE NIGHT IN 2005 SUNDAY
THROUGH THURSDAY WILL BE FREE.
AND THE STUDIO WILL OPEN AT 6 PM ON WEEKNIGHTS IN JANUARY FOR
PRE-CLASS DANCING! |
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THREE |
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JUDY ARCHER WILL BE MISSED |
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FOUR |
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2005 CRUISE NEWS - THE ALASKA TRIP IN JULY
AND THE SAME TIME NEXT YEAR OCTOBER RHAPSODY TRIP |
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FIVE |
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A REVIEW OF THE BEST 2004 HALLOWEEN PARTY COSTUMES |
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SIX |
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AND SO WHAT ABOUT THE SSQQ NEWSLETTER ON THE SSQQ WEB SITE? |
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SEVEN |
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INTRODUCING VIOLET STEPLIGHTLY
AND HER FRIEND MR. SHILLY-SHALLY. |
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EIGHT |
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: CAN
HUSBANDS EVER LEARN TO DANCE?? |
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NINE |
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WHIP DANCING IN THE NEWS!! SWING WITH ZING: DANCING THE WHIP
IS CONTAGIOUS |
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TEN |
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BRYAN SPIVEY AND LISA PALMER WIN THE TEXAS STATE WHIP
CHAMPIONSHIP!! |
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ELEVEN |
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WOULD YOU LIKE TO ENTER A DANCE CONTEST?
DANCE COMPETITION TRAINING AT SSQQ
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TWELVE |
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THE STRANGE SAGA OF THE MYSTERIOUS
SAMBA LADY |
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THIRTEEN |
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DEATH IN THE FAMILY: MY FRIEND DONNA RUTH AND MAX FAGET, THE
FATHER OF MY FRIEND ANN FAGET |
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FOURTEEN |
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STAFF TRANSITIONS: SSQQ SAYS GOODBYE TO CAROL ARMAND, AMANDA
KAISER, MICHELLE YEITER, DARIUS JOHNSON |
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FIFTEEN |
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MARA
RIVAS MAKES THE MISTAKE OF INVITING RICK TO HER CHRISTMAS
PARTY!! |
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SPECIAL FEATURES |
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FEATURE ONE |
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STORY
IN THE NEWS:
Nude Beach
(Austin's Hippie Hollow!) leads to
Capsized Boat
(Rick Archer) |
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FEATURE TWO |
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STORY IN
THE NEWS: DAVE BERRY ON GIFT WRAPPING
TIPS FOR MEN (contributed by Pat Roberts) |
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FEATURE THREE |
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STORY IN THE NEWS: Mukhtaran Bibi: The
Rape survivor who transformed tragedy into hope
(Bett Sundermeyer) |
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FEATURE FOUR |
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STORY IN
THE NEWS: CHRISTMAS
DANCE STORY (This is a marvelous tale! Rick Archer) |
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FEATURE FIVE |
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STORY IN THE NEWS:
Bomb training exercise leaves police
red-faced (Rick Archer) |
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FEATURE
SIX |
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STORY IN THE NEWS: JUST LEAVE CHRISTMAS
ALONE!! (Charles Krauthammer) |
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START OF THE HEADLINE STORIES SECTION |
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WHAT'S NEW |
RETURN TO HEADLINES |
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WHAT'S
NEW AT SSQQ THIS MONTH |
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WHAT'S NEW AT SSQQ IN JANUARY 2005!!
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT SSQQ Dance Studio PLUS THE YEAR
2004 IN REVIEW
2004 was a wildly uneven year here at SSQQ. There were many
highs and several lows.
On the bright side, the August Beach Ball Extravaganza was a
huge success. We already have people bugging me to do it again
sooner than later in 2005.
The September Cruise was also a huge success. The energy created
by all the mischief aboard that trip is still buzzing at the
studio two months later. Already our two cruises scheduled for
2005 give every indication of being tremendous successes.
The Halloween Party was a good one. The pictures were great, the
Haunted House was ever-popular, and the costumes routinely
spectacular (is it legal to use the words "routinely
spectacular" together?)
SSQQ was a big media favorite this year.
Did you know that the Houston Chronicle named SSQQ as the Best
Dance Studio in Houston?? In their August "Best of" issue known
as "Ultimate Houston", SSQQ was cited for being the top studio
in the city.
"DANCE FEVER: SSQQ
Even the name tells you how to two-step: SSQQ stands for "slow,
slow, quick, quick." Houston's largest social dance studio also
is the most romantic, spawning as many as 25 marriages and
engagements each year. Western, salsa, swing, ballroom and
whip/Western swing are the big draws, but you also can find
classes here with names like Three Left Feet and Martian Xtra.
Men pay $46 for eight hours of classes, while women slide by for
$38. (The reasoning being that it takes longer to teach men how
to lead.) Practice nights and themed dance parties are part of
the fun. Owner Rick Archer enforces a few rules: no smoking, no
kids, no wallflowers - and switching partners in class is
mandatory.
4803 Bissonnet (SW4); 713-861-1906; www.ssqq.com "
SSQQ was also the subject of an in-depth article in the
Chronicle back in January. And this summer SSQQ was the subject
of a very flattering documentary done by Channel 13.
2004 saw the birth of a Competition Dance program here at the
studio. Anita Williams saw her two protégés - Victor Marquez and
Joel McClesky - win one major competition after another against
very stiff competition. The three of them are shooting for a
World UCWDC Championship this coming New Year. I wish them all
good luck.
And who can forget the incredible rise to prominence of Bryan
Spivey? Bryan and his lovely girlfriend Lisa Palmer are now both
Texas State Swing Champions as well as City Swing Champions!!
The sky is the limit for these two gifted dancers.
The studio has two other dance champions as well. In September
Randy Winfrey won a major western dance championship in
Nashville recently out of 8 competitors. Back in July Cher
Longoria won her western and swing competition in New Orleans.
And I am sure I am leaving someone out!!
Another reason dance competition may be even bigger here at SSQQ
is the addition of Scott Ladell to our program. Scott has given
the upper level Western classes a huge shot in the arm. Now I
have a hunch he is going to create the same kind of success on
the UCWDC circuit as a Male Professional in the Pro-Am
competitions that Anita has had as the Female Professional. Keep
an eye on Scott in 2005!
The Salsa classes continue to be a phenomenal success story. In
the two months since Judy left, we have seen no drop off which
is a very good sign. I thank Steve Gekas, Danielle Lam, Maureen
Brunetti and Darius Johnson, David Schroeder, and Linda Cook for
their hard work at plugging the huge hole left by Judy Archer's
absence.
This year marked the start of Susan Schroeder's Q-Stop Store. I
have a hunch this store is going to play an increasingly large
role in SSQQ fortunes in 2005. I will be explaining some of our
plans to you later on.
By the way, several of you have commented on how nice the studio
has begun to look since Susan and David Schroeder took over
Studio Maintenance. The difference has been quite noticeable. As
usual, I get the compliments - thank you all so much for giving
me so much credit! - but let's give the credit where it is due.
Susan and David have done a phenomenal job of getting the vents
cleaned, toilets fixed, odors removed, the office fixed up, the
TV set dust removed, the Room 4 AC fixed, and many other small
but significant improvements as well. Susan has taken it upon
herself to directly supervise my cleaning crews and tell them
EXACTLY what needs to done. This alone has made a huge
difference. Soon Susan and David will even get an electrician to
attack the light fixtures and try to get this place brighter
again!
However not everything here at the studio was wonderful. The
final five months of 2004 was the hardest 5-month stretch of my
entire 29-year career in the dance business. August brought the
pressure of the huge All-Day Extravaganza, September was filled
with the dual pressure of getting married and preparing for the
big dance cruise, October was the Halloween Party, and just when
I was on the point of exhaustion November brought the abrupt
resignation of Judy Archer, SSQQ's second in command.
Judy's departure was less than graceful - "effective
immediately". Consequently I have spent the past two months
reorganizing my entire program. Now you understand why there was
no "December Newsletter". However I am pleased to say that
everything is under control again and I am starting to catch my
breath. Rest assured that Things will be Hopping in the New
Year!!
Of course much of the roller coaster ride started with the
amazing studio cruise trip that saw 120 SSQQ dancers take the
ship by storm in early October. As most of you know, Marla and I
got married aboard the Rhapsody Cruise Trip down in Galveston.
This special event set the tone for the most spirited group we
have ever seen. I cannot begin to explain all the trouble these
characters got into. There was SO MUCH MISCHIEF it took me
nearly two months to write about all the crazy things that
happened. I completed the write-up on the Rhapsody Cruise just
recently. Including stories about the infamous "Elevator Ride",
Tales of the Hot Tub, Da Jammer, the Attack of the Zombies,
Champagne Night, Wedding Fiascos, the Great Gabino, and of
course the Legend of Mr. Handsome, the trip write-up makes for
scintillating writing. Read for yourself!
http://ssqq.com/information/rhapsody2004home.htm
After reading the stories about the Rhapsody Cruise, many people
have come up to me to express their amazement at just how much
trouble our group got into!! On the one hand they shake their
heads in disbelief and deliver their "tsk tsks", but on the
other hand I could see in their eyes they couldn't wait to
experience the same mischief themselves when we repeat the trip
same time next year. Amazingly, we already have 25 people signed
up for a trip that is ten months away! I can tell they can't
wait to try to get into as much trouble (as if that's possible)
as the notorious 2004 group and the Usual Suspects.
My hat goes off the Mr. Handsome/Dorothy/George. Rarely has
there been an individual who had such an incredible nose for
mischief as George Sargent. First despite incredible competition
from the Great Gabino, George won his second consecutive Chief
Mischief Maker award (he previously won this award on the Feb
2004 Mardi Gras trip) with his incredible walk on the wild side
in the women's clothing. You will simply have to read about it
to understand.
http://ssqq.com/information/rhapsody2004story08.htm
If George wins this award on the next cruise, I think we will
simply have to name the award for him.
George had barely gotten off the ship when he turned around and
won the Best Costume Award at the 27th Annual Halloween Party.
Despite many beautiful and clever costumes, George was
unbelievable as "Dorothy" from the "Wizard of Oz". For a
straight guy, George probably has more talent for dressing as a
woman than we would care to admit. And anyone who saw him
parading about on board the ship half-naked while wearing a bra
would notice how gracefully he moves as well.
I had suspected it for a long time, but the moment I "knew"
George was a Natural occurred at the recent Halloween Party.
That's when I noticed how one woman after another stopped by to
compliment George on what a nice job he had done decorating his
red "Dorothy" shoes. You see, store-bought Dorothy shoes are not
made large enough to fit a man for some reason. George was
forced to decorate his own shoes. He did a magnificent job. Now
when women start sincerely complimenting a man on what I
consider to be "girl skills", you know you have arrived. Such a
talent!
Let's hear it for the boy! He achieved a rare Trifecta in SSQQ
Legend. Most Mischief Mardi Gras, Most Mischief Rhapsody
September, Best Costume Halloween. All in one year!
Can anyone ever top an achievement of this magnitude?? I doubt
it. This is an accomplishment that will probably never be
equaled. After all, where in the world we will ever find anyone
else as weird as Mr. Handsome to even try?
STORY THREE: THE SSQQ NEW YEARS EVE PARTY
Friday, December 31, 9 pm - 1 am $20
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/party25.htm
-----Original Message-----*
From: Gary Thomas Richardson
Sent: Friday, January 02, 2004 9:33 AM
To: mickey
Subject: Happy New Year!
Hey, the SSQQ Party really was beautiful and festive. Maybe not
enough whip for some people, but there was plenty for me. Rick
really did play a lot of whip mixed with western. For me, I
don't want to do all whip anyway...though some Friday nights I
do. But, what really made it fun for me was the fact the dancing
was in the main ballroom and off to the side in the "whip room".
There is just something about being able to whip in "Room 1".
They had just completed refinishing the floors and the room was
gorgeous.
The food (though I wasn't hungry, darn it!), was fabulous, too.
Rick had out everything from cakes, cookies to sandwiches and
fixings for sandwiches, dips, etc. The newly refinished floors
could have used a light dusting of dance wax, but they were
gorgeous. Maybe next year all of you can make it SSQQ.
Oh, by the way, how was Melody Club...maybe you all had a
fabulous time, too? What was it like?
-------Original Message-------
From: Mickey
Date: Friday, January 02, 2004 09:03:30
To: Gary Thomas Richardson
Subject: Re: Happy New Year!
Gary, Sounds like SSQQ was THE place to be. We got a glass of
champagne at midnight.
From: Julie Newton Holeman
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 3:18 PM
To: dance@ssqq.com
Subject: New Year's Eve Dance
"Hi! I am writing from Oxford, MS. My husband and I are going to
be in Houston, TX for New Year's Eve and we are looking for a
place to go ballroom dancing. I found your website on the
Internet. Can anyone come to your dance or do you have to be
members? Any info you can give me will be helpful. Thanks so
much! Julie Holeman"
RICK'S REPLY:
"What a nice letter, Julie.
You are more than welcome to join us. The party is very relaxed.
Party favors, champagne at midnight, food, and wine/beer are
gratis. The cover charge is $15 a person. As you might gather
from the price, we are not attempting to "gouge". The studio
features dancing on two different floors simultaneously. The
room you would enjoy will be playing Sinatra foxtrot, big band
swing, a few tangos, a few salsas, and Irish Waltz music.
The main dance floor is over 1000 square feet. Medium age range
will be people in their 40s and 50s with all ages represented.
Dress is semi-formal; 95% of our guests respect our wishes.
Expect attendance to be around 100-150 or so people.
The studio is smoke free and the drinking has never been a
problem. Despite access to unlimited free wine and beer, no one
ever drinks to excess at our parties - they are all here to
dance! However we all enjoy our glasses of champagne at Midnight
as we toot our horns and count down the seconds with "Auld Lang
Syne" playing in the background.
In all a very pleasant party that anyone who loves to ballroom
dance would enjoy thoroughly.
Rick Archer"
As stated in the reply above, the Annual SSQQ New Year's Eve
Party is all about dancing. The party is safe, friendly, relaxed
and fun. You have a smoke-free environment, plenty of room to
dance, and although there is drinking, it is much less than at
other venues. We have never had a problem to date.
The attitude for the evening is 'Upscale'. We expect you to
dress up! Coat and Ties for men, dresses for ladies (or anything
else formal you can think of). No jeans, please. You can dress
as sharp as you want, but please don't come casual. Think of it
as a special kind of Halloween Party where you fool people by
coming dressed in disguise as a wealthy person.
This is a perfect evening to visit with friends. Many people
come together and many people come without dates. Although I
won't name names, I remember in particular one excellent
three-year romance between two people who came alone to our New
Year's Party.
The music in our main room will consist of a great deal of Big
Band Swing music. There will be plenty of Glen Miller, Benny
Goodman, and the other 30s and 40s Classic to Swing to. In
addition we will play all of Frank Sinatra's best Foxtrot songs
such as 'Witchcraft' and 'New York New York'. Another special
feature are the popular Irish Waltzes with their haunting
sweetness. In addition there will be a healthy dose of Ballroom
music in Room 1 including Cha Cha, Tango, and Salsa music.
Western Dancing is big too at this party. We open up Room 5 and
combine it with Room 4 to make a very large dance floor. In
addition to the Western music, there will be a healthy dose of
Whip/West Coast Swing music as well. Let us add the floors will
be very nice since we will be refinishing them over the
Holidays.
Special Note: At last year's party we had more Western and Whip
dancers than Swing and Ballroom dancers, so we "flipped" the
rooms and put the Swing Dancing in the Room 4. Get to the Party
early and cast your ballot!
Room 6 will be reserved for Salsa Dancing. This means there will
be three kinds of music playing in three rooms simultaneously.
Rick Archer will be on duty as your DJ. He will take requests
for all three rooms.
At 11:40 we put our on crazy hats, grab our noisemakers, pour
out the champagne and begin the celebration. After the countdown
to Midnight we kiss, we hug, we shake hands, and appreciate the
joy of being surrounded by so many people that we care about!
EZRA CHARLES AND THE WORKS ARE COMING TO SSQQ ON FEBRUARY 19TH!
Shortly after Santa Claus finishes his visits, SSQQ will be
delighted to boogie the night away to the delicious Swing and
Blues music of Houston's homegrown band Ezra Charles and the
Works!
Ezra Charles is the closest thing to a local band there is - he
lives just a few blocks from SSQQ and is a next-door neighbor of
Maureen Brunetti!
Based on the success of the terrific music of Hit 'n Run last
August, I have been besieged with requests to have another big
dance. I honestly don't have the strength for an "Extravaganza",
but I think a big night of dancing sounds like fun to me.
Ezra will be playing on February 19th at our Annual Red and
White Valentine's Dance. He and his band "The Works" are best
known for their Swing music. However Ezra told me he actually
prefers Blues music, i.e. Whip Music! That means that all of you
better sign up for Whip Classes in January if you intend to
dance every song at the party!
My friend George Grega was the matchmaker this time. He did the
lighting for a wedding where Ezra performed in 2004. George
liked the music so much that he approached Ezra about playing at
SSQQ. Ezra thought it was a great idea. Then George turned
around and tapped me on the shoulder with the same suggestion
back in October. It took a while for me to get a second wind,
but as I was preparing for the New Year, the thought popped back
in my head. And that's the story folks!
Since Maureen is a close friend of Ezra's, I am going to put her
in charge of telling us all about him in the next Newsletter.
We will keep you posted, but in the meantime start spreading the
word!
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THE JANUARY SCHEDULE OF CLASSES
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/schedule.htm |
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JANUARY DANCE CLASSES BEGIN THE WEEK OF SUNDAY, JANUARY 2.
http://www.ssqq.com/ssqq/schedule.htm
Gloria Sanchez will offer a course in ADVANCED LINDY HOP on
Sundays in January at 4:30. The last time Gloria taught Lindy
Hop, the class was so popular it continued for nearly half a
year! Come discover the magic of America's 1st Swing dance, the
Lindy!
BEGINNING HUSTLE (formerly known as "Latin Hustle" will be taught
on Sundays at 4:30 by Scott Ladell. Used to Disco music, Hustle
footwork & timing is very similar to West Coast Swing & its
patterns are very similar to East Coast Swing.
January features the start of a new BEGINNING WHIP/WEST COAST
SWING SUPERCLASS 4-month cycle. SSQQ has the only program in
Houston where you can take this difficult class on 2 different
nights (Sunday/Thursday) for the price of one. Plus SSQQ is the
only program that teaches the legendary Texas Whip side by side
w the popular WCS. By the way, when Ezra Charles and the Works
play at SSQQ on February 19th, they expect to play a ton of Whip
music. If you don't know how to Whip now, you better get
yourself into this class in January! Comprendez??
ADVANCED BALLROOM WALTZ will be taught by Rick Archer on Mondays
by request. It will cover the famous dance of Cinderella
complete with twirls, Twinkles & Promenades!
BEGINNING BALLROOM - TANGO, FOXTROT, WALTZ, RUMBA - will be
offered on Mondays with Charlene. This overview class covers all
the major Ballroom dances.
SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE is a special course that covers the lost
art of Romantic Slow Dancing. You never know when the ability to
dance gracefully to slow music will come in handy. You best be
ready when the time comes! Bethany Daniels will get you ready
for Weddings, Reunions, or an evening in a dark lounge to sultry
jazz music.
Scott Ladell begins a three month course with BEGINNING NIGHT
CLUB on Wednesdays. Night Club is an important competition
Western dance used to slow Western tunes. Night Club is very
graceful and quite popular to western slow tunes.
MARTIAN WHIP is taught by Rick Archer on Thursdays. Houston City
WCS champion Bryan Spivey and his partner Lisa Palmer teach the
Friday night sequel known as the MARTIAN XTRA class. There is no
overlap between the two nights, which means you pay one price
and get the second class for free.
By request, on Fridays Scott will be teaching SSQQ's first-ever
ADVANCED TRIPLE TWOSTEP class. Don't miss it!
BEGINNING WESTERN CHA CHA comes to Fridays with Rick and Cher.
This sexy, ultra cool dance is danced to Polka-rhythm Western
music like "Neon Moon" and "Tequila Town".
BACHATA returns on Saturdays w Linda Cook. Bachata is a slow
latin dance with 8-beat triple step footwork followed by a hip
or a kick. It is used to Salsa, Cumbia, Merengue, or Bachata
music.
Rachel Koenig, also known as "the Zephyr" will be teaching a
four-week BELLY DANCE class on Saturdays at 4:30 pm in January.
This course has a huge "buzz" at the studio. Every woman we talk
to says she plans to groove her moves and swerve her curves to
the erotic, sensual music. Rumor has it this class increases
their allure and makes them irresistible to men!
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PRACTICE NIGHT IN 2005 SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WILL BE FREE.
AND THE STUDIO WILL OPEN AT 6 PM ON WEEKNIGHTS IN JANUARY FOR
PRE-CLASS DANCING! |
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Effective January 2nd which is the start of our January Dance
Semester, SSQQ will no charge for Practice Night Sunday Night
through Thursday Night.
Insiders (i.e. people taking classes at the studio each night)
will get in for free.
Insider/Outsiders (i.e. ssqq students with January Class
Receipts but who were not in class) who arrive after 8:45 pm
will be charged $2 to participate.
Outsiders (i.e. people not currently taking ssqq dance classes)
will be charged $3 to participate.
Our regular Friday Dance Night will stay the same as it has
always been as will the two Saturday Dances each month.
We will be installing a vending machine in the Drink Room so you
can purchase soft drinks from it at any time you wish (by the
way, this means that soft drinks will no longer be served from
the Drink Room cooler during Break).
The popcorn will still be served at no charge and of course the
water fountain will always be available. In addition the Q-Stop
will be open some of the Practice Nights to serve Refreshments.
So what is the reason for this dramatic change?? How do I put
this delicately? Part of our studio is growing older. Many of
our students say they have to get up and go to work the next
day. They don't see what the point is to spend $2 or $3 on a
Practice Night when they only have the time for a couple of
dances.
Believe it or not, our students voted for this change. For the
past six months of 2004 we established a new tradition called
"Graduation Night" where everyone got to stay for free.
Attendance at Graduation Night was phenomenal! Four times as
many people stayed when it was free versus when it wasn't free.
Mind you the regular cover charge was only a nominal $2!!
There was another phenomenon - half the people left after three
dances.
It became more and more obvious that lots of people wanted to
stay and dance for a couple songs since it was free, but they
still had to get up in the morning.
That's when it hit me - the majority of our students wanted to
Practice a little, but as long as it cost them money, it was
easier just to go home. Hence the change.
From now on Practice Night Sunday through Thursday will start
promptly at 9:10 pm - all classes will end simultaneously. We
expect the entire studio to come dance at least one song. Each
student will be expected to grab the hand of a fellow student
and use massive amounts of Peer Pressure to persuade 100%
compliance for One Dance.
After you have finished your "Duty Dance" you are free to go.
MORE ABOUT PRACTICE NIGHT: SSQQ PRACTICE NIGHT IS THE EQUIVALENT
OF DOING YOUR HOMEWORK.
SSQQ has a long-standing tradition known as "Practice Night".
This tradition dates all the way back to my (Rick Archer) first
year as a dance teacher in 1977.
Back in 1977 I took 30 weeks of Whip lessons, but not once did I
practice afterwards. First I signed up for a 10 week Whip class.
I was considered one of the best beginners, or so I was told.
With that encouragement I signed up for the next two levels as
well. Unfortunately after seven months, one day I realized I
knew lots of moves, but could not put two of them back-to-back
since I had no "muscle memory".
MUSCLE MEMORY
Muscle Memory is the process of transferring information from
your brain to your body. Moves that feel awkward and mechanical
in class have a way of becoming fluid with repetition. Just as a
golfer must practice his swing, a dancer must practice his lead.
I knew I should have practiced, but I didn't. Why not?
The reason was simple: I did not practice because I lacked the
confidence to ask any of the ladies taking the class to go
dancing with me so I could get better. In other words I needed
to practice to gain confidence, but I since I lacked confidence
I didn't practice. In disgust I quit.
The absurdity was not lost on me. Later when I became an
instructor I made a point to take my entire class out dancing.
Having a built-in opportunity to go dancing with the instructor
as a guide made all the difference in the world to my students.
I named these after-class adventures Practice Night.
PRACTICE NIGHT AMAZED ME!
In the beginning I could have predicted the rapid improvement I
saw in my student's dancing as the result of Practice Night.
Obviously people who practice get better. That I could have
predicted.
What I did not anticipate was the unbelievable number of
friendships that developed as a function of having these large
groups of people dancing together. Quickly Practice Night came
to mean more than a simple chance to improve dance skills; it
became an important opportunity to hang out with the gang.
DANCE AND ROMANCE
Over the years SSQQ has been given quiet credit for countless
romances and marriages too. We have been encouraged to enter the
"dating business" many times, but I am convinced such an
ill-conceived idea would jeopardize the "Magic".
Instead we remain a nice, safe place where people come to dance,
see their friends, & have a good time. Practice Night
immediately follows every class starting at 9:10 pm. We turn
down the lights, pump up the volume, and start the Dance. With
our large dance floor, no smoking rule, and great music, the
conditions are perfect for dance and romance. There will be no
cover charge (except on Fridays) and the "Magic" is free as
well. Come find out for yourself!!"
-----Original Message-----
From: Patty
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2004 1:02 PM
To: dance@ssqq.com
Subject: Practice Night
"Hi Rick, I'm not an instructor so I'm not sure if my opinion
counts, but I think free practice night Sunday - Thursday is a
great idea.
When I first started coming to SSQQ I would stay after to
practice most of the time. But if I only had maybe 15 minutes to
spare I would opt to leave rather than pay 2 or 3 dollars for
just a couple of dances. And as you said, I'm sure there are
lots of other people who feel that way, and this will encourage
those people to at least get in a little practice. And then some
of those people will end up staying longer than the intended 15
minutes if they are actually getting to dance.
And people have a hesitancy to pay - even only $2.00 - until
they see what they are paying for. There's that "let's see who's
staying before we pay" thing going on. And if everybody is
waiting to see "who's in there" before committing to go in
themselves, then there's no one actually in Room 1, so everybody
leaves. This takes care of that fear of actually committing to
walking into Room 1.
I remember when I first started taking classes there were
several people from Woodlands, Katy and Columbus that had to
drive an hour to go home. I would encourage them to stay for
Practice, but they would tell me it doesn't make a lot of sense
to them that they have pay for a 5-minute stay. I think removing
the "Fee" will completely remove this excuse. Then if they stay
for one song, maybe they'll stay for two. And if they have fun,
maybe the next week they'll stay for three! The next thing you
know they'll turn into Practice Nights regulars! But this has no
chance of happening if you can't get them to stay at all!
And as far as not having alcohol... most of the people I know
who dance are there for the dancing, not the alcohol. I remember
when I used to go to Gilley's and Cowboy and the Rose etc. Back
in the 80's, there was a huge group of regulars, and we were
mostly "water drinkers". The bartenders weren't fond of us but
as long as we kept tipping they'd keep us in water all night
long. And when I started back dancing a few years ago at the
Longhorn that seemed to still be the case. Maybe I'm just not
aware of how much beer and wine you go through during the week,
but I don't see that as being a problem. And if I remember
correctly you'll still have it on Fridays...
The whole thing makes sense to me. I made a lot of friends by
staying for practice.
And if I can bore you with this story again, I've told you how
Jim C, my close friend since 1st grade, got me up to SSQQ in
December 1999 so he'd have someone he knew to practice CW with.
I had no intention of taking dance lessons - not that I didn't
need them! - It just wasn't on my agenda, plus I had 2 small
kids. But I went because he asked, and - besides having the
immense fun of learning to dance - the friendships I made in
class and practice night made me stay and eventually venture
into whip.
I think your ideas to improve Practice Night sound great."
6-7 PM AMBIANCE HOUR MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
SSQQ VOCABULARY WORD OF THE MONTH: AMBIANCE
"A positive Atmosphere; a feeling or mood associated with a
particular place, person, or thing. Good vibes."
Starting Monday, January 3rd, the doors at SSQQ will open at 6
pm Weeknights Monday through Friday. We will have dance music
playing in Room 1, the TV on in Room 2, the lights turned down
low, and the Q-Stop open for business. SSQQ would like to
cordially invite all of you to come early, mingle, dance,
schmooze, have some coffee, sit back and relax, watch some TV,
read a book, and just generally let it go. We will wake you up
when it is time for class to start.
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JUDY ARCHER WILL BE MISSED |
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JUDY ARCHER |
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2005 CRUISE NEWS |
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In 2005, Marla and I have two trips planned. In July we take a
dream trip on RCCL's Radiance to view the magnificent beauty of
Alaska. Then in late September we have our Same Time Next Year
Rhapsody Reunion Cruise.
THE JULY 2005 SSQQ CRUISE TO ALASKA (SATURDAY, JULY 16 -
SATURDAY, JULY 23)
(THIS TRIP ALREADY HAS 44 PEOPLE SIGNED UP!)
http://ssqq.com/information/alaska2005.htm
Usually Marla and I wait till about 2 months ahead of time to
form our next cruise, but maybe we've learned something. This
time we are giving people seven months preparation time! It's a
good thing too because we all need to save our money. It is no
secret that after you factor in airfare, this is an expensive
trip.
Marla and I had assumed the high-end ticket would discourage
people, but instead we have been astonished at the preliminary
interest in this trip!! The positive Buzz around this trip is
phenomenal!
We have come to the conclusion that a lot of people have nursed
the dream to make this trip for a long time. Instead of acting
on their dream, instead like me they always put an Alaska Trip
into the "One of These Days" category. Now with the chance to go
with many of their friends from the studio, the time seems to be
right for a lot of people.
Some activities like the New Year's Party are fun to experience
as part of a group of friends. This trip has that exact feel to
it - a bunch of close-knit friends preparing to take a huge
once-in-a-lifetime adventure together.
One thing that makes an Alaskan Cruise so amazing is that the
ship literally cruises by some of the most spectacular terrain
imaginable. You don't even have to get off the ship to sightsee
on this trip! We will sail right past some of the most beautiful
sights you will ever see!
Just imagine the ridiculous picture of 30 SSQQ semi-naked
Cruisers stuffed into a Hot Tub with steam everywhere and the
magnificent Alaskan Mountains and Glaciers in the background!
As we traverse the famous Inside Passage, you can see glaciers
and mountains everywhere. The Inside Passage is in the southeast
region of Alaska. The seat of Alaska's government and timber
industry, the Passage is a 500-mile-long vacation paradise of
forests, wildlife, rock and water. Our itinerary will include
the Hubbard Glacier, the largest tidewater glacier in North
America. It is nearly six miles across and ninety miles long. It
is roughly the size of Rhode Island. Until you've seen and heard
the thunderous roar of ice sheets crashing into the sea, it is
safe to say you've never experienced anything like it.
You will be craning your head in every direction to see one
fascinating stretch of scenery after another!!
We have a chance to make this the most incredible trip in studio
history. One warning - don't expect a lot of Moonlight Dancing!
You may get some twilight dancing in, but up in Alaska it stays
light practically all day!
http://ssqq.com/information/alaska2005.htm
THE SEPTEMBER 2005 RHAPSODY REUNION CRUISE - SAME TIME NEXT
YEAR!
(THIS TRIP ALREADY HAS 15 PEOPLE SIGNED UP!)
http://ssqq.com/information/rhapsody2005.htm
A trip as magnificent as the one we just completed has the
makings of MANY SEQUELS. The easiest way to get an idea of
what's ahead is to read again what just happened.
As most of you know, Marla and I got married aboard the 2004
Rhapsody Trip. This special event set the tone for the most
spirited group we have ever seen. I cannot begin to explain all
the trouble these characters got into. There was SO MUCH
MISCHIEF it took me nearly two months to write about all the
crazy things that happened. I completed the write-up on the
Rhapsody Cruise just recently.
Including stories about the infamous "Elevator Ride", Da Jammer,
the Attack of the Zombies, Champagne Night, Wedding Fiascos,
Tales of the Captain, and of course the Legend of Mr. Handsome,
the trip write-up makes for scintillating bed-time reading. Just
pop that laptop onto your belly with a 20 foot Roadrunner Cable
and read deep into the night!
PLUS in addition to all the vicious RUMORS, we have PICTURES of
people like Mr. Handsome, Center of Attention, The Great Gabino,
Lollobridgida, Grapevine, the Goldmine, and all the Usual
Suspects. We have the Beatles Story, the Bloodbath Volleyball
Match at Cozumel, Bar Hopping, Zizzling Birds and Bees Gossip,
and best of all the Steamy Gatorade Hot Tub Tales. Do you want
to hear some juicy scandal?? Do you want to see pictures of Mr.
Handsome strutting in girl's? Do you want to see pictures of the
Great Gabino sucking the blood right out of… well if I write
more this email won't get past any of the spam censors, now will
it??
Read for yourself! Then decide if you want to be part of the
lunacy on the next trip!
Last year:
http://ssqq.com/information/rhapsody2004home.htm
Same Time Next Year.
http://ssqq.com/information/rhapsody2005.htm
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A REVIEW OF THE BEST 2004 HALLOWEEN PARTY COSTUMES |
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Best Costume 2004:
http://ssqq.com/information/halloweenbest2004.htm
Honorable Mention:
http://ssqq.com/information/halloweenbest2004runnerup.htm
The Halloween Costumes were terrific again this year.
Unfortunately I didn't know the names of many of the winners, so
I am unable to compliment some of the winners as directly as I
wish.
As I mentioned previously George Sargent of course won as
"Dorothy", but he had plenty of stiff competition in the costume
contest.
Bill and Barbara Moore came in a close second with their amazing
Red Devil outfits. I remember one year Barbara came as an
African Witch Doctor. She said it took her many hours to put the
black makeup on and two more hours just to take it off!! She was
just amazing to behold. Barbara made our Costume Hall of Fame.
Her only complaint was that the men were afraid to dance with
her! Would you like to see her Witch Doctor outfit?
http://ssqq.com/information/hallocostume10.htm
Up to now her handsome husband Bill (whom she met at the
studio!) has been content to wear his own costume and let
Barbara do her thing. However this year it looks like he got on
board and made it a team effort. Now even Bill is putting on
makeup! Such a pair!
In addition to George, Leslie Barbley, aka "The Grapevine", made
top ten as the Tin Man from "Wizard of Oz". Originally Leslie
was supposed to be Dorothy and George was supposed to be the Tin
Man, but apparently George discovered he couldn't get into the
"Tin Man" costume so they traded. Sure, George, we believe you.
Another Oz participant scored as well. Alyx "Apteryx" Zimmerman
won Runnerup with her Cowardly Lion outfit. Gosh was she cute!
With her smile and laughter, she hardly seemed dangerous, that's
for sure!
As for the entire "Wizard of Oz" group which included Jeff
Anderson as "Oz", Lisa "Distraction" Ramey as "The Good Witch,
Cathy "Stalker" Ruby-Lower as "The Wicked Witch", plus a
handsome name-unbeknownst man as the "Scarecrow", I would
venture to say they created the Best Group Picture in the
history of the SSQQ Halloween Party. They were just terrific!
My only disappointment was that no one came as Toto. Doggone it!
Now you all have a goal for next year - who can get a Group
Picture to top these characters? Good luck trying!
Other notable costumes included Judy Walsh as the Green Alien.
Judy takes her costumes seriously. She won Runnerup the previous
year for her "Southern Girl" costume.
There are two people who have every reason to murder me for
incompetence! A tall, very handsome man and his lovely lady
companion have made my Top Ten list TWO YEARS IN A ROW but I
still don't know their names. Making things worse, I saw them in
the Salsa Room the other night, complimented them on their great
costumes but forgot to ask them their names. Duh.
At any rate, after you check out the magnificent Mickey and
Minnie Mouse costumes, go back to last year and look for
Frankenstein and the Mummy. Not bad!! This dynamic duo can do
gruesome and cute with equal aplomb.
http://ssqq.com/information/halloweenbest2003.htm
Lisa Miller was devastatingly accurate as the Evil Witch from
"Snow White". She gave me the shivers! Magnifique!
Then there was our late great former Samba instructor Cheryl
Denise wearing her beloved Samba costume. Some of you may
question her inclusion into the Top Ten for wearing something
she puts on as often as I put on my basketball costume, but
let's face it - Cheryl looks too incredible not to be included!
End of debate.
There was one young man who came as a Mummy/Zombie. Sometimes I
get these monsters confused, but whichever monster he was, he
looked awesome! And his lady friend was incredibly beautiful in
her Egyptian dress. Together they looked terrific.
Last but not Lise were our Beautiful Babies! SSQQ Instructors
and roommates Lise Gagnon and Kimberly Smith were overwhelmingly
cute as matching well-dressed babies. Weren't they adorable!!
You just wanted to hug them. Usually this pair does naughty, but
this year they did nice. You gotta love their versatility!
This pair is no stranger to the Winners Circle. Previously they
made their mark as the naughty Girl Scouts with Bryan Spivey
back in 2002. Lise and Kimberly were clearly the hit of the
party that year and pretty much the co-hit of the party this
year as well. Were it not for Dorothy, I think they took the
cake.
I would like to say something about Patty Harrison. Patty is my
much-beloved assistant in the Sunday and Thursday Whip classes.
Patty has never been to an SSQQ Halloween Party before. She has
been around the studio for five years or so and has avoided this
studio tradition like the plague. This year each week I bugged
her about coming to the Halloween Party. She said no, no, no
each time. But I persisted and apparently it paid off.
I was out in the parking lot speaking to Asst Police Chief
Holloway who was on hand to supervise the safety of the party
again this year. This odd white rectangle appeared out of the
darkness. Lo and behold it was none of than Patty as a Giant
Milk Carton walking up.
I was so happy to see Patty! I hugged her as best I could given
the protective frame. Then I ran ahead of her to get into the
Haunted House so I could be sure her first trip through the HH
was a memorable one. Sure enough, she screamed. Welcome to the
SSQQ Halloween Party! I was so happy!
Everyone gasped when they saw Patty's costume! Patty had doubled
in size! She was preposterously cute as a Giant Milk Carton! And
she even danced in the thing! Can you believe that??
Amazingly, Patty kept her Carton on all night. I think she said
she was naked inside or something, I can't remember, and had no
choice. Oops, I wasn't supposed to let that spill… Still that
Carton Costume was gigantic; how did she do it? The frame was
bigger than she was and it had to be hot and uncomfortable. But
somehow she kept it on till late into the night. Good for you,
Patty!
Patty won Top Ten with that Milk Carton in her very first party!
There were so many people mad at her. I mean, there are people
who actually TRY to win this thing. They go out of their way
each year to come up with a great costume just so they get in
the Top Ten or Runnerup page. And here's Patty, oblivious to
everything, doesn't have a costume till the last minute, and
boom lands in the Top Ten. And all the Hussies are so mad! Let's
hear it for the Girl!
The Runner Up group had some great outfits too. Besides Alyx
Apteryx as the Lion, there was an excellent Bloody Mary costume.
Sorry I don't know her name! My friends Jill and Mike were great
as the Pirates and so were Jim Colby and Marlane Kayfes as "In
the Navy".
Perpetual winner Letty Dougherty and her handsome husband
Patrick made it back as a Barbarian duo. Like Barbara Moore,
Letty is a Hall of Fame member as well. She and her beautiful
Hall of Fame counterpart Carol Gafford even managed to team up
for a tandem shot at this party! (http://ssqq.com/information/halloween2004pictures11.htm
# 102).
By coincidence, Carol and Letty share a page together in our
Costume Hall of Fame so it was fun to pair them up at this
party! (http://ssqq.com/information/hallocostume07.htm )
John Sartain and Becky Stinson were pretty cute as the "Hippies"
although the rest of us needed sunglasses just to look at them.
Sandra Mullet somehow managed to dance the night away with Angel
Wings so wide I don't know how she made it through the Haunted
House intact. Her handsome husband Nick came dressed as a tough
guy, so I decided to name them "Good and Evil".
Susan Schroeder, another person who is no stranger to the
winner's circle, gets a great deal of credit for dieting and
exercising to get those abs in shape so she could come as "Catwoman".
Some people simply buy their way into a great costume or get
lucky and come in a weird outfit like a "Golf Ball", but you
have to be impressed when someone actually SUFFERS to win their
award!
And then we have two nameless people who were our final Runnerup
winners. Someone came completely disguised as the Grim Reaper
while another man came as a homeless person. He was so
convincingly disgusting that I imagine he may indeed have been
homeless and heard there was free popcorn. Like Cheryl the Samba
Lady there was a dispute over giving an award to a "Come As You
Are" person, but really she was so fetching and he was so
repulsive you gotta give it to 'em. Besides, what were his
chances of getting "lucky" so to speak? Slim and None. On this
basis alone he wins my vote!
Any other year, the group that came as the "Slows" and "Quicks"
would have been hands-down winners in the Group Category, but
this year they had the tough luck to run up against the Hall of
Fame-bound Wizard of Oz team. Nevertheless I created a "Runnerup"
Category for them to give them the credit they were due. There
were literally a dozen "S" and "Q" people who came as the "Dance
Beats". Praise should be given to Linda Cook. She
single-handedly sewed all the ssqq's onto people's shirts. Each
day I come to the studio I see her making one quilt after
another. Such a talent!! Now I am glad she put her skills to
good use to score a victory for her team! Watch out for Linda's
group next year!
Best Costume 2004:
http://ssqq.com/information/halloweenbest2004.htm
Honorable Mention:
http://ssqq.com/information/halloweenbest2004runnerup.htm |
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AND SO WHAT ABOUT THE SSQQ NEWSLETTER ON THE SSQQ WEB SITE? |
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In the early days of the SSQQ Email Newsletter, it was fairly
easy to reach everyone with our monthly updates. However the
proliferation of Spam Email has made those days just a memory.
Today the SSQQ Newsletter gets caught in Spam filters on a
regular basis. Just the word "SSQQ" in the title triggers the
spam protection software and lands our Newsletter in your
quarantine bin or gets it labeled "probably Spam". If you do
like I do, there are days when I simply hit the "Delete Key" for
everything and - poof! - there it goes.
Each month we receive alerts that literally hundreds of our
Newsletter have been blocked or bounced by Hotmail, AOL, and
blocked corporate e-mails. In addition, not only are the
Newsletters blocked, but students have reported even their own
On-Line Registration Receipts get filtered out!
ATTENTION SSQQ STUDENTS WHO ARE HOTMAIL, AOL, AND CORPORATE
USERS!
We have had numerous failed deliveries to these accounts because
of the aggressive spam blocks placed on them. If you are not
receiving the SSQQ newsletter or your registration confirmation
(if registering online), we suggest you use a different account.
In case you do miss an issue or two of the newsletter, you can
access them by checking the archives on the SSQQ web site.
Special Note to AOL Users: Please add SSQQ Dance Studio to your
address book so you have no trouble receiving future messages
from us. |
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VIOLET STEPLIGHTLY WRITES ABOUT HER FRIEND MR. SHILLY-SHALLY. |
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(Editor's Note: Only I know who Violet is. She exists and she
ain't me. She loves SSQQ Practice Night. You might even dance
with her some night and never know who she is! Better be
careful. She might write a story about you. Just like Santa
Claus, you better be nice because she's watching you!)
"Hello Fellow Dancers. It's me, Violet. I love Practice Night.
The music is lively, and the students relax enough to have fun
with their newest patterns. It is not uncommon to see beaming
smiles from the dancers or to hear them roaring with laughter at
their own mistakes. The only discouraging thing about the
Practice Nights I attend is the ratio of women to men. The women
sometimes outnumber the men three to one, so that leaves a lot
of very talented ladies sitting on the sidelines. I do not
always mind sitting out because it gives me and my girlfriends
extra time to socialize, but last week I saw someone exploiting
the lack of gender balance.
His name is Mr. Shilly-Shally (def: in an irresolute, undecided,
or hesitating manner). Mr. Shilly-Shally is almost perfect . . .
ALMOST. He's handsome, smart, funny, friendly, and an incredible
dancer, but he never commits to anything. He cannot even be
decisive about a dance partner for one song at Practice Night.
Last week's Practice Night starts out pretty well. The numbers
are smaller than usual, but there are at least enough men to
give the women hope that they would be asked to dance. That hope
slowly fades as the number of men dwindles to about five. The
women grumble about the lack of partners, but plenty of them
stay just the same. A small group of women gather along the row
of chairs to watch the few remaining couples take advantage of
the spacious dance floor. The song ends, Mr. Shilly-Shally
thanks his partner, and he approaches the group of observing
women. He stops about four feet from them, and holds out his
hands as if gesturing that the first taker will be fortunate
enough to dance with him.
Someone very close to me, who we will call Goody Two Shoes,
enthusiastically accepts Mr. Shilly-Shally's quasi-offer. Goody
is a beautiful young woman who loves to dance, and she is
absolutely crazy about Mr. S. He, however, seems to be
blissfully clueless to the way she lights up whenever he enters
the room. My first thought on this situation is how Mr. S is
exposing Goody's crush by making her take the real initiative in
the partnership. But then my attention is drawn to the ladies
that Mr. S left sitting on the sidelines. Maybe they would have
liked to dance with Mr. S, but his indecisiveness, combined with
Goody's hyperactive enthusiasm, discourages them from speaking
up. And I wonder why Mr. S gets to have that much power?
I admit, Mr. Shilly-Shally seems like a very sweet, yet shy,
man. In fact, I would never believe he is purposefully taking
advantage of the women's availability. It is highly possible
that he either is too shy to ask a woman to dance one-on-one. Or
he fears rejection, so he spares his fragile ego by letting the
ladies decide who dances with him. He may even be so considerate
that he does not want to ask one woman over another and risk
hurting someone's feelings. Whatever the reason, the fact still
remains that it is much too easy for Mr. Shilly-Shally to get
dance partners. At the end of the night, I challenge Goody Two
Shoes to play a little hard to get at the next practice night
and see how Mr. Shilly-Shally reacts.
For starters, Goody lets Mr. S initiate conversation during
class. And after class, she does not inquire if he is staying
for practice night, as she usually does (in hopes that he will
know she really wants him to stay). To her surprise, he
volunteers the information and waits for Goody to gather her
things before going to practice. On the way to Room 1, Goody
stops to talk to me and lets Mr. S walk ahead. By the time we
get into Room 1, he is dancing with another girl from their
class, but Goody does not have to wait long before she is led to
the dance floor by someone else. The song ends, and Goody heads
for a chair. I see Mr. S walk toward the couches, pause for a
moment, and then head in Goody's direction. Just as he reaches
her, another man has taken her hand and started leading her to
the dance floor. This man must have immediately started flirting
because Goody sheepishly giggles and turns bright red. Mr. S
just sits down looking mildly defeated. As the song ends, Mr. S
stands, crosses the dance floor and, without saying a word,
takes Goody's hand just as she politely thanks her previous
partner. Mr. S held on to Goody for several songs in a row.
This may seem like a victory only for Goody Two Shoes, but my
challenge to her was to help Mr. Shilly-Shally as well. If Mr. S
is too shy to ask a woman to dance one-on-one, then Goody boosts
his courage by playing hard to get, and she rewards his courage
by accepting him. If he is so vain that he enjoys having women
flock to him, then he gets to learn that a man sometimes has to
put in a little effort to get a woman's attention. Either way,
my challenge is good for building his character, and that is my
true goal . . . honest.
Now, here is my second challenge. I am sure there is at least
one Mr. Shilly-Shally at the studio every night of the week. He
may not be the exact one I am writing about now, but I know
there are more out there. My second challenge is to every lady
that attends any event where people are dancing: If you are in a
group that gets approached by a Mr. Shilly-Shally, politely
encourage him to select a dance partner himself. The best way to
do this is to look confused by his gestures and gently ask, "I'm
sorry, which one of us are you asking?" Or you can point to
yourself and silently ask, "Is it me?" Just remember not to get
discouraged if he picks someone else. If you want to dance with
a Mr. Shilly-Shally, ask him. Chances are that he is, like Goody
Two Shoes, too polite to turn you down. Besides, I have it on
good authority that men like to be asked to dance just as much
as women do, if not more.
My third challenge is for the men of SSQQ: STAY FOR PRACTICE!
Whatever reason Mr. Shilly-Shally has for being noncommittal, I
am sure he enjoys having his pick of several available women
week after week. Why should you not enjoy the same satisfaction?
Women outnumber men in every dance class I have ever taken, so
it is reasonable to assume that women will outnumber men at
practice night, even if every man reading this attends every
week.
Since my first day at SSQQ, I have heard many excuses why men do
not want to dance outside of class. Please allow me to offer a
female's perspective on some of these issues:
***Disclaimer: Not all men use the following excuses, and not
all women would agree with my opinion of these excuses.
These are simply my observations. ***
Excuse #1 - I don't want to dance in front of other people
because I can't dance as well as (insert name here)
Response #1- As long as you are polite; you do not hurt us,
insult us, or creep us out; and you genuinely try your best,
women do not care if you are not the best dancer around. Nine
times out of ten, your partner is just as self-conscious as you
are. The truth is that women just love to dance. And we are more
likely to dance with a sweet novice with two left feet than an
expert with his foot in his mouth.
Response #2 - Do you think any of SSQQ's star dancers earned
their status by skipping Practice Night? I do not think that is
how it works, but I could be wrong.
Response #3 - In class, you have to rotate and dance with every
woman in the room. Therefore, every woman in the room knows what
you are capable of. When you dance socially, stick to the
patterns you know well. Many women would much rather dance with
a man who has a few simple, yet flawless, patterns than a man
who insists on sticking to super-advanced patterns that he does
not know how to lead.
Excuse #2 - I am afraid if I ask a woman to dance, then she will
say no.
Response - It is true, rejection is a possibility. So? I have
been turned down for a dance many times, and I have survived. I
just shrug it off and try again with someone else. I wrote
earlier that there is likely to be a Mr. Shilly-Shally at the
studio every night of the week. I am equally certain that there
is a Goody Two Shoes present all week. Find her if you are
afraid of rejection. You will recognize her by the way she
smiles warmly at everyone, by the way she laughs out loud when
she dances, and by the way you never see her refuse a dance
unless she is positively exhausted (or if she knows the guy is a
jerk, but she will rarely admit that).
Excuse #3 - I'm too shy!
Response #1 - If you do not ask a woman to dance, someone else
will, and you will be stuck watching.
Response #2 - Why are you paying for dance lessons if you will
not use what you learn?
Excuse #4 - If the women are all grouped together, and I ask
only one of them to dance, then the others might get offended.
Response #1 - This excuse is not one I have actually heard, but
it is a possible explanation for Mr. Shilly-Shally's behavior,
so I want to address it. If anyone actually has this fear, then
spread yourself out. As you take one woman to the dance floor,
turn to her friend and ask her to save you a dance for later.
Repeat that process until you have danced with the whole group.
Then no one is left out, and you get to practice.
Response #2 - In a perfect world, everyone would want to dance
with everyone else, and no one would get left out. But in real
life, you have the right to dance with whomever you want.
There is no dance law that says you have to dance with your
favorite partner's obnoxious friend. Sure, it would be polite,
but why make yourself miserable for the sake of dance floor
diplomacy?
Here is my warning. I will be watching at Practice Night, and I
hope to see that my challenges are being accepted. Full
participation in everything SSQQ has to offer will not only
improve your dance skills, but it will also help you enhance
your skill with the finer points of social dancing . . .
confidence, comfort, and, most importantly, social skills. If
you do not do it for yourself, think of poor Mr. Shilly-Shally.
Not only could it be fun to watch him squirm as he is forced to
be decisive, but it will be good for him, I promise.
Happy Dancing!
Violet Steplightly
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: CAN HUSBANDS EVER LEARN TO DANCE??
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