Be forewarned this story is not fiction. It is not only the truth and nothing but the truth, it is a also very good story.

You are about to read the missing chapter in the History of SSQQ.
Yes, this is the 'Skeleton in the closet' story that I have avoided writing for many years (with good reason as you will see).

Chapter One covers 1973-1977, the 4 years when I acquired the limited dance skills that allowed me to become an enthusiastic, albeit mediocre, Disco Line Dance Teacher in July 1977.

Chapter Two would be 1978, the year that saw Saturday Night Fever come along to give me the break of a lifetime. 

Risky Business is Chapter Three, the story of how SSQQ came into being. For twenty-five years, I have kept silent about the Urban Cowboy era of 1979-1981. This period included a bizarre series of events that catapulted me, an average Disco Dance Teacher, to miraculously become Houston's best-known Western instructor at a time when I barely knew a lick about Western dancing.

And why did it take me 25 years to get around to telling it?  Well, the answer will soon become obvious - I made a mistake that I have regretted for my entire life.  But Chapter Three is so pivotal to the story about how SSQQ Dance Studio originated, it must be told for the history of the dance studio to be complete. 

This story deals with the rockiest period of my life which includes the worst mistake I have ever made. You will discover there are several stories weaved together. Some parts are "business" and the other parts are "personal".  As you will see, in my life "personal" and "business" are practically the same. 

To tell the tale properly requires I tell the whole story, not just offer up the highlights or smooth over the rough edges. The only way to fully appreciate my roller-coaster ride is to see all the angles and study the factors that led to each crisis and each decision along the way.

You probably won't always agree with the path I took at the various crossroads, but I hope my explanation will at least help you understand the forces in play.

You may be amused to see how the bizarre twists and turns of my tormented love life had the improbable effect of catapulting me into becoming the best-known western teacher in all of Houston. As I have hinted, the unbelievable twist is that my climb to prominence came at a time when my Western dance skills were barely superior to anyone who has just finished a Beginning Twostep class here at our studio today.

You will see how my romantic disasters actually served to help me become a business success, but the plot almost seemed drawn from "Faust". 

There are a lot of ways to become a failure, but never taking a chance is the most effective.  If I have to pin-point one reason I kept getting into so much trouble in 1978 and 1979, it would be my driving ambition to succeed at this dance career I had begun thanks to the breaks created for me by Saturday Night Fever.  I hitched my wagon to a mercurial woman whose ups and downs took us all for a wild ride.  In one sense, it turned out my business instincts were correct: at the end of the day, this amazing woman helped me land right where I wanted to be!  But at what price? 

The sports world is full of stories about gifted but troubled athletes who are a major pain in the butt. Sometimes the athlete takes you to the Super Bowl, sometimes the athlete takes you to the Dust Bowl.

It's a gamble, a roll of the dice.  Like Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay in the movie, I bet the farm on a dangerous woman.  SSQQ was born out of my own version of Risky Business.

The bumps and bruises I received along the way from my Tragic Lover made me wonder many times if my Devil's Bargain was really worth it.

WISDOM AND EXPERIENCE

The third story is about the lessons I learned along the way.

According to the Buddha, there are three ways we may obtain Wisdom.  First is by Reflection, which is the noblest.  Second is by Imitation, which is the easiest. 

And third is by Experience, which is the most bitter.

I chose the "Bitter Route".  This is my story from the days back when I was young and stupid.  I candidly admit I made many glaring mistakes, but hopefully by the end of the story you will at least give me credit for two things:

1. I stuck around to clean up the mess I made.

2. No matter how out of control my life got, I did eventually tight-rope my way to come out on top.

Not only was I bitter that Disco was Dead, I was also furious that a lot of people had been a lot smarter than I was back in 1979 when the movie was being filmed.  How they could have predicted this change so far in advance was beyond me.  I hated that I never realized the magnitude of the coming switch.

I mean, sure, I saw the dance clubs change their stripes. But everyone in my world still clearly preferred Disco Dancing and claimed they had no intention of switching. Most of the Disco loyalists felt the same way I did. They hated the music and they resisted the changes.

Personally, I couldn't stand the changes - right before my eyes hip, sophisticated, modern, cosmopolitan Houston was going Kicker. It felt like a step back to the Stone Ages.

The Meyerland Club comes Calling

On a Tuesday early in September 1979, a lady named Sandy from the Meyerland Club called to ask me if I would consider teaching her group 8 hours of Western Dancing. 

Her name seemed familiar on the phone so I asked a couple questions. Sandy told me she and her husband had taken Disco classes from me at Stevens of Hollywood in 1978.  Pleased with my work at Stevens at that time, Sandy had hired me to teach Disco lessons at the Meyerland Club in April 1979 to a group of friends who were all connected through her club.

Now I remembered exactly who she was. 1979 had been such a hectic year, my memory had become one long blur. But now I remembered going to her Meyerland Club to teach Disco lessons.  I chided myself - that was only four months ago!  This had been a rough year indeed.

On the phone today, Sandy said she wanted me back. 

Great, I thought to myself, I know plenty of new Disco moves. So I said, "That sounds like fun. Sure, I would enjoy teaching for you again."

Her next question was, "Can you teach on Sunday evenings?"

"Yes. My Sundays are free right now."

Then came the curve ball. Sandy said all her friends were abuzz about the new movie. Urban Cowboy had not been released yet, but it was due to hit the silver screen sometime next year. Sandy and her friends wanted to get a big head-start!!

Oh damn, I thought. Sandy must have sensed the pause in my voice. "Do you like to teach Western?"

I paled at her question. She had really pinned me with that one. I clenched my teeth and swallowed my pride.  I hated Country and everything to do with it.  Nevertheless I was still talking on the phone, wasn't I?

I hedged and said, "I'm getting used to it just like everyone else."

Then came the next question.  I can still recall her words clear as day.

"You do know how to teach Country Dancing, don’t you?"

If I hesitated I was dead. "Of course I do." 

I had just lied through my teeth. I had never danced Western once in my entire life.

"That's good. A couple ladies in my group asked around but couldn't find anyone. That's when I suggested you."

Just as I was thinking of turning her down, Sandy's next words froze me. She said, "Would the price be the same?"

She responded to my pause by continuing, "This would mean $40 a person. I forgot to tell you, we want you to come out once a week for eight weeks!"

EIGHT WEEKS!!  FORTY DOLLARS A PERSON!!

I could not help myself. I had to ask. I HAD TO KNOW. "Uh, how many people do you expect?"

"Maybe 40, 50 people. Here at the Meyerland Club it is being billed as the thing to do!  All the ladies want to wear their new Western outfits!"

I felt my knees go weak. The math was inescapable. $200 an hour was a lot of money. Would I have the strength to resist "Temptation"?

The thought that crossed my mind was maybe I could start learning how to Western dance. I said yes.

That's when she added, "By the way, the first class is this Sunday!"

I gasped as she said it started this coming Sunday. The job was only five days away! 

She felt my pause. She said, "Is this too short a notice?"  Then she added there was one other person on her list she had heard might teach if I couldn't help.... 

"Uh no, Sunday evening will be fine. See you then!!"

What had I gotten myself into?  I did not know how to Twostep.  I did not know how to Polka.  If you put on a Country song, I would not be able to tell you which dance to use.  I had never been dancing in a Western Club in my life.

I basically knew no more about Western Dancing than the people I was about to teach.  That makes it interesting, doesn't it?

Chapter Two: We meet three women - Joanne, Cindy, and Susie