Articles
Bears and Squares
originally appeared in Foggy City Dancer's The Foghorn, Spring 2004
by David Ortmann
Back in grade school, only the nerds and geeks (the squares, if you will), liked to square dance. The popular kids were just "too cool" for that. Well, we squares have grown up and now we're the cool kids, the popular ones, and we're still dancing. I'm not quite sure where those popular kids ended up (probably some suburb with too many kids and monstrous credit card debt) but I live in San Francisco and I'm still square dancing.
Oh, and I'm not in debt. Nah-nah-na-na-Nah!
Before this year's International Bear Rendezvous in San Francisco, I had no idea I knew so many bears! I arrived at Ramada at 9:30am on the morning of Valentine's Day to meet my fellow Foggy City dancers who were hosting a "Squares for Bears" dance and subsequent beginner's dance lesson. Walking through the lobby, it was like (furry) old home week. I saw the Fran who sold me my first piece of leather back in 1998, as well as fuzzy friends from the theater, the arts, fundraising, leather, and, of course, many of my square dancing buddies.
Bears are everywhere, and thank God. I live in the Castro and it was so refreshing to meet gay men who do not look like L'Oréal streaked Abercrombie knock-offs stumbling their way to the latest circuit party.
As a recent Mainstream graduate, Squares for Bears was my first real dance. I got my official name tag and my first dangle.
"What's a dangle?"
There were about ten people who jumped to answer that particular question and hand out raffle tickets.
During the first tip, I was surprised at how quickly the calls we flying and how fast we were dancing. One of my fellow dancers reminded me that this was, indeed, a "real dance." I'd only been used to class speed tips. Now I understand why people say that square dancing really is good exercise. It was wild fun! As the novice in my square I made a couple mistakes (okay, a few), but it was cool. Everyone was supportive and helpful. Square dancers are not at all bitchy folk.
Except me.
The Ramada provided an excellent floor for everything from cowboy boots to Pumas. The room was a Who's Who of Bay Area Square Dancing. Andy Shore was calling tips with his usual style and wit setting the pace for a few athletic and well-styled Mainstream and Plus tips. It was a real treat to watch from the sidelines as Don Queen, Gary Cohn, Gary Young, and Rick Perna executed some great moves in the more advanced tips. It gave me and the other newbie's hope that someday we'll be able to dance like them.
Our dancing drew a sizeable crowd and by the time we segued into the beginner's lesson we had over a dozen full, tightly packed squares. Andy set a comfortable and light-hearted pace for the beginners and before along everyone was executing some simple mainstream calls, laughing, and-most importantly-having a good time.
During the raffle, I won the big heart shaped box of candy. It being Valentine's Day I went home and ate the whole damn thing by myself. Now I can't fit into the jeans I wore that day; but who cares. The chocolate was delish!
Squares for Bears? Count me in anytime!