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Originally posted by DanceAm:
I find the Ballroom community to be very cliquish anyway. Social Dancers vs. Competitors, American vs. International, Studio vs. Studio, Pro/Am vs. Am/Am.

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This is soooo true, and let me add Ballroom vs. Country & Western, Ballroom vs. WC Swing, Ballroom vs. Lindy Hop, Ballroom vs. Arg. Tango, Arg. Tango vs. everyone else etc. etc.

I was at a Lindy Hop dance last weekend. I am a dance generalist. I like it all. I am an expert at none of it, but fairly good at all of it. I caught up with a man who is into Internation style. He spend most of the evening stating how International style was better than all other types of dance (need graemlin with crossed eyes here). We danced a few partial Quicksteps when the Lindy Hoppers gave us enough room. He was at the dance only because his friend was the guest of honor at the dance.

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I also think pretty, young, and slender women tend to be the first pick for men choosing a partner.

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Also true. I have been dancing for 20 years in the ballroom community, and as I have aged, the chances to dance if I am not in a "clique" of friends has drastically reduced over time. I leave it up to you to imagine how the "pretty" and "slender" traits have also changed.

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I actually think a Social Dance should be renamed an "Anti-Social" dance.

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DanceAm, this is the pithiest comment I have seen about social dancing in ages It brings to mind dozens of wallflowers standing on the sidelines wishing they were dancing, but afraid to ask someone, and the relief of seeing someone you know across the dance floor. Have dances always been this way? I think being a single at a dance (if you were a lady, anyway) must have been a rare think back in the heyday of ballroom dancing. Were there more mixers?

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But one group that I don't see shunned are gay men. I guess since they are good dancers, very friendly and charismatic, they are welcomed with open arms into the dance community.

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They are welcomed because while most guys are trolling for those young, slender, pretty girls to dance with and date, most ladies just want to dance. They don't care if the guy they are dancing with wants to date a Jack or a Jill.

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I actually think the cliques are formed to make sure everyone in a group gets together and the men in the group, usually fewer in number, keep the women dancing throughout the party... an outsider will only be welcomed in provided there are enough men in the heard/pride/group to adaquately keep the women dancing.

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Again, a very pithy comment. I live on the Oregon coast where social dancers OF ANY TYPE are thin on the ground. Those of us who do dance are probably seen as a clique, and we ladies do tend to keep close tabs on the few men who dance. We don't exclude extra ladies, but we sure welcome anyone who can dance a lead!

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Personally, I don't have any trouble asking a woman of any ethnicity to dance, but I will admit, I don't enjoy dancing with women a lot taller than me, especially Smooth. I didn't say I won't ask them to dance, but I confess, it just doesn't always feel comfortable, especially when her knee gets me in the crotch. Man, I hate when that happens.

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Laughing so he doesn't cry!
This goes for short ladies with tall men also by the way

Hi my name is Dru and I thought you might want to meet some of the black male dancers in the Northeast collegiate sceen.

Ther is me with my partner Irina.

This guy from Yale whose name I don't rmeber, but his wife (also black) competes as well.
James who is half jamiacan who competes with me on the NYU team.
Fabrise who competes for UMASS.This guy whose name I can't remeber right now who competes for UMASS/Supershag.

Did I mention I am HORRIBLE with names.

And there are more, I just don't have time right now.

To Be continued.

Hi, Dru--
I took a little break from this thread, but it's nice to see people are still interested in the subject.

Thanks for the photos. I finally have a couple of decent photo to post--as soon as I figure out how to copy into a post or create a link, I'll attach one.

Hi Yvonne,
Please email your photo to info@dancescape.com and we'll put in the DanceScape Dance Family Photo Album - click here ...

Please also see the 2004 USABDA National Photo Gallery, as there are some mixed couples competing as well!

I don't know what the woman considers herself, being puerto rican but racially, you can probably go ahead and say the woman is black. On the other hand, what does it matter? She's a hell of a dancer. I've watched her compete for many years.

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Originally posted by Happy Feet:
Please note:
Maria Torres is somewhat darker Hispanic and the color of her skin did not prevent her from becoming a Champion several times over in the Dance world.... She has also performed on Broadway.

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Rick's last name is Robinson.

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Originally posted by Some guy:
Why QQS, of all the people I never knew that you'd fall into one of the weaker categories of the three basic categories of people: 1) people who can count, and 2) people who cannot. <br /><br />By the way, has anybody seen Rick (don't remember his last name) and Ashley Delgrosso compete (pro Latin from Utah; they don't dance anymore)? Now there's a mixed-race couple who can turn heads. I once asked someone why Rick and Ashley never placed as well as I expected them to. The answer I got was: "haven't you figured it out yet? He's black!". Needless to say, that's the first time I was really shocked to hear such a thing. Sadly, I don't see any other reason why they didn't place well. If you see them dance, like me, you might agree with the explanation. <br /><br />In my opinion, Rick would've made the others quite nervous, because he looked pretty amazing on the floor and could move in ways most guys couldn't, even if they had an electric eel in their shorts. I wonder if that made the officials nervous enough to discourage him.<br /><br />I heard he placed quite well internationally. I find that very interesting.

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Yo Yvonne, We need to talk, girlfriend.

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Originally posted by Yvonne:
Hi, Dru--
I took a little break from this thread, but it's nice to see people are still interested in the subject.

Thanks for the photos. I finally have a couple of decent photo to post--as soon as I figure out how to copy into a post or create a link, I'll attach one.

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Dearest Yvonne....just wanted to say hello. This is an old friend of yours from Dancesport. One of the few blacks doing latin dancing with Felipe Telona. How have you been? Hope all is well. Haven't been dancing for about 1 1/2 - 2 years and I just started taking privates again a couple months ago.

Please let me know how you're doing. I look forward to meeting in person soon!

Sambakid

I've got great news! I went to Ohio Star Ball this weekend and there was a black couple dancing rhythm. They at least made it to the semi-final round. I was so geeked to see this, I called my mother to tell her right away. As long time viewers of championship ballroom dancing we have never seen a black couple compete in a 5 dance competition, so for me it was a wonderful sight.

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Originally posted by sambakid:
Dearest Yvonne....just wanted to say hello. This is an old friend of yours from Dancesport. One of the few blacks doing latin dancing with Felipe Telona. How have you been? Hope all is well. Haven't been dancing for about 1 1/2 - 2 years and I just started taking privates again a couple months ago.

Please let me know how you're doing. I look forward to meeting in person soon!

Sambakid

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Hi Volta:

I know the couple you're talking about. Emmanuelle (male half of team)and partner represented Haiti at USDSC in the Mambo World Championships. He dances out of the studio where I take lessons. Glad to hear they had a good result (semi's at Ohio is nothing to sneeze at).

Sambakid