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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 12 July 2019

Gay square dancers add new spin to centuries-old dance style

By NATALIE POMPILIO Clubs from the U.S., Can-
Associated Press ada and Japan mingled
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — There around Blake as she spoke.
wasn’t a crinoline in sight Here, the Denver-based
as 850 square dancers at Rocky Mountain Rain-
the International Associa- beaus. There, the Edo8s,
tion of Gay Square Dance from Japan. The Tech
Clubs opened its annual Squares of Cambridge
convention last week in a strolled through with their
Philadelphia hotel, bringing sister club, the Boston Un-
their best promenades and commons. Among the
do-si-dos to a slightly sped- clubs from California: the
up version of “Somewhere Redwood Squares, the
Over the Rainbow.” Golden State squares and
Correction: There was one the Tinseltown Squares.
crinoline flouncing across Coming up were the spe-
the floor, a multi-tiered blue cialty “tips,” or dances,
skirt with silver accents and including one for fans of
a maroon corset, worn by leather; another for hairy
Ward Lambert of Phoenix. men; and the “moon-
“Certain things never go shine,” for those who want
out of style,” said Lambert, to get naked and dance
56, dark chest hair peeking (behind closed doors).
over the fabric of his fitted This July 4, 2019 photo shows dancers move around the floor during the International Association “We haven’t attended
bodice. “You just have to of Gay Square Dance Clubs annual convention in Philadelphia. those,” Blake said.
reinvent them.” Associated Press Novices quickly find that
You could say the same and two newest members dependence Squares that so loving. They don’t just square dancing is more
about square dancing, a are 24 and 25. appealed to New Jersey know my face. They know complex than they’d be-
centuries-old dance style The Independence Squares shore resident Eileen Du- me and I know them.” lieved when they were
often associated with the were founded 30 years ago Bois, 70. Many consider the annual preteens awkwardly touch-
American West and middle in part as a social outlet for “We dress casually here, T- convention akin to a fam- ing another student’s arm
school gymnasiums. While the LGBTQ community. This shirts and shorts,” said Du- ily reunion. Between events in gym. There are mul-
there are still square dance was decades before same Bois, who met her late hus- last weekend, Tina and tiple achievement levels
clubs nationwide, numbers sex marriage was legal- band square dancing and Jason Blake of St. George, from “mainstream,” which
are dwindling. ized, just before “Don’t Ask, also belongs to a straight Utah, were looking to re- has 68 different “calls” or
IAGSDC is trying to coun- Don’t Tell” was pitched as a square dancing club. “The connect with friends they’d moves, to “challenge,”
ter that decline, and dispel reasonable way for LGBTQ other clubs like traditional made at IAGSDC’s 2014 which some compared to
misperceptions non-danc- members of the military to square dance clothing with convention in Salt Lake complex math.
ers might have. serve without issue. crinolines and pettipants City. Dancers don’t know their
“They think it’s a bunch of At the time, many hetero- and all that mess.” “We just enjoy dancing steps in advance. A caller
70- and 80-year-olds wear- sexual square dance clubs Another welcome aspect: with the gay community so announces the moves over
ing dresses made in the expected members to interacting with people she much,” said Tina Blake, 60, the music — which can be
1950s dancing to music re- come in pairs, said Howard might not have ordinarily who with her husband also anything from Hank Wil-
corded in the 1940s,” said Richman, a member of the met. belongs to a more tradi- liams to Rihanna — while
Tim Harper, president of the Times Squares, New York’s “I’ve really found my niche tional square dance club. the dancers are in motion.
Independence Squares, LGBTQ-friendly square — not that it’s my niche in “They are very welcoming There were hugs all around
a Philadelphia club that dance club. terms of my choice of life- to straight couples.” when the Blakes found their
serves the LGBTQ and LGBTQ clubs happily wel- style, but my niche in terms She also finds the LGBTQ friends from Salt Lake City’s
straight communities. comed singletons and of my choice of friends,” clubs dance at a faster LGBTQ-friendly club, the
While there are octoge- had no problem with men said DuBois, who previously pace. Temple Squares, mother
narian dancers, all of that dancing as women and had few gay acquaintanc- “It’s a very aerobic activ- and daughter dancers Min-
allemand’ing left and right vice versa. These clubs also es and was completely ity. They dance the way we di Griffin, 55, and Lizz Ashby,
“keeps you young,” said put comfort over tradition unfamiliar with the trans- did when we danced in our 35, and married dancers
Harper, noting that his when it came to dress. gender community. “Every- 20s,” Blake said. “It’s fast, Ross and Justin Crawshaw-
club’s oldest member is 85 That’s one aspect of the In- body is so accepting and it’s exciting. It’s fun.” Lopton. q
Poet and former Youth Laureate

Amanda Gorman has book deal

Associated Press The rising senior at Harvard the Humanities.
NEW YORK (AP) — For- University says in a state- She has published a po-
mer Youth Poet Laureate ment that she wanted to etry collection, “The One
Amanda Gorman is work- share a “vision of positive for Whom Food Is Not
ing on a picture book. change with young read- Enough,” and read at the
Viking Children’s Books an- ers.” White House during the
nounced Thursday that She was named the coun- Obama administration.
Gorman’s “Change Sings: try’s first Youth Poet Laure- She recently performed
A Children’s Anthem” is ate in 2017. an Independence Day
scheduled for 2021. The position is sponsored poem for “CBS This Morn- This Aug. 26, 2018 file photo shows former Youth Poet Laureate
It’s the first part of a two- in part by the President’s ing” with the Boston Pops Amanda Gorman at the Black Girls Rock! Awards in Newark,
N.J.
book deal. Committee on the Arts and Orchestra.q Associated Press