SEPTEMBER ¿1. ¿22L JUStpyt(41
North Coast Seafood Festival
October 6-7 • Indoors at Tillamook Fairgrounds
Saturday, 1 lam-6pm • Sunday, 1 lam-5pm
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Music and dance from around the world
International fcxxl court featuring seafcxxl
Oregon microbreweries and wineries
Marketplace of select Oregon Coast artists
Adults $6 Saturday - $5 Sunday
Seniors $4 • Kids (ages 6-12) $4
Call (503) 398-5223 or visit
www.northcoastseafoodfestival.com
Sponsored in part by
Headlight-Herald
The gender-diverse club celebrates at Portland Pride.
For those who attend the convention every
year, it’s like having an extremely large family
the forefront nationally in terms of gender equality.
Philips, for one, likes that balance: “It’s a
reunion, as friends and acquaintances from previ
opportunity for men and women to interact
ous conventions catch each other up on the devel
because normally in gay organizations they don’t.
opments of the past year.
“That’s half the fun of conventions: You’ve got
a whole family of friends scattered around the
Philips and Hawes run Heads to the Center,
advanced club that sometimes shares venues an<
traveled at all before he became involved with
callers with the Rosetown Ramblers. It’s no
square dancing.
uncommon for straight square dancers to atterv
gone without the puli of square dancing.
This is your chance to experience crush
at an urban winery. Come on down and
get sticky with the Hip Chicks!
Admission is $10 and includes wine tasting,
light appetizers, grape juice tasting, punch
down the cap and grapes galore!
Heads to the Center events.
That wasn’t always the case.
Tami Hazen, the Rosetown Ramblers’ vice pres
“When the club first started, we were certainl
ident, feels similarly. She and her partner, Jenni
vilified for doing the thing other people did,
Bush, attended a convention this summer in IVnver.
recalls Burdon.
“It’s such an awesome opportunity to go where
But the Rosetown Ramblers wanted to dance.
you’re going to meet people and make new friends,
So if the straight community was having a dance,
see a new city,” she says. “1 don’t know that I would
sometimes the gay club would bring its own group
have seen Denver in my lifetime unless 1 was going
to the event, and dance together, off in the corner.
there to dance."
Saturday, Oct. 13°' 3pm - 8pm
gay and straight communities.
country and Canada,” says Philips, 67, who barely
Now, he’s visited places he never would have
Squishfest Harvest Party
Square dancing also forms a bridge between the
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Winery and Tasting Room
Open Daily nam - 6pm
• 4510 SE 23RD AVE. PORTLAND • 503-234-3790
• www.hipchicksdowine.com
I
(see our website for directions & events)
Eventually “they got used to us,” explains Philips.
Eor instance, if a straight womans husband got tired,
Looking Back, Facing Forward
Only about 20 percent of convention attendees
she might ask one of the gay dancers to fill in for him.
“First, they realize that we’re really
are women. That’s because, historically speaking,
dancers,” Philips adds. “Then they get to know us
gay square dancing was mostly an activity for men.
and find out we’re just like them.”
Rosetown Ramblers, for example, was founded
These days, gay and straight groups share a com
by “guys who were tired of doing the bar scene,” as
mon problem: a decline in numbers combined with
Hawes puts it. Occasionally, women would drop in.
aging participants. The average gay square dancer is
But when they saw that there were few to no other
in his or her 50s or 60s; straight dancers are mostly in
women in the club, they wouldn’t come back.
their 70s or 80s.
Today, the Rosetown Ramblers has a more
Philips, who is secretary of the 1AGSDC, specu
balanced membership—approximately 40 percent
lates that the Internet might be partially to blame for
Bob Mensei, Artistic Director • Michael Barnes, Principal Accompanist
women to 60 percent men—which puts the group at
the decline in membership, because it allows people
A Season of Friends
to socialize online instead of leaving the house.
Square Dance 101
Hawes, 56, sees it as more of a cycle: “Wherever
*
they [younger people! go, to the bar or whatever,
Our 28th Season
Why is it called square dancing?
there probably will become a time when they’ll get
An Evening With Friends
The square is the initial dance formation, made up
bored with it...and we’ll be ready and willing to
Saturday, September 29, 2007 8pm
of four couples.
bring them in."
At age 42, Hazen is bucking the age trend—
Why would I want to do something called “main
although she did have her doubts before she start
stream” dancing?
ed taking classes two years ago: “I thought it was
It isn’t a comment on the dancers’ lifestyle. Square
nerdy and not for me.”
dancing is broken down into different skill levels:
But she gave it a shot because her 36-year-old
basic, mainstream, plus, advanced, challenge 1,
partner was having so much fun. Now Hazen can’t
challenge 2 and challenge 3a.
imagine not dancing: “Gay and lesbian square danc
ing is a whole new world that 1 really enjoy.”
Who is that person up there hollerin’ like a cross
between an auctioneer and an MC?
The Rosetown Ramblers present T aste OF SQUARE
That’s the “caller," who lets the dancers know
D ance featuring a free potluck and introductory
which dance formation is coming up next.
dance lessons from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sept. 26 and
Brass, Bells and Wassail
Friday, December 14, 2007 8pm • Saturday, December 15, 2007 8pm
Sunday, December 16, 2007 2pm
Movie Madness
Saturday, March 1, 2008 8pm
Legacy
Friday, May 2, 2008 8pm • Saturday, May 3, 2008 2pm
Festival
Wednesday, July 9, 2008 7:30pm
For tickets visit www.pdxgmc.org or call 503-226-2588.
Our 28th Season Sponsors
Oct. 3. No prior square dance experience is
Do I have to wear a bolo tie, or a crinoline, to be
necessary. For mitre information call 503-236'3272
a square dancer?
or visit www.rosetownramblers .com.
PortlandTribune
No! Gay and lesbian square dance is characterized
by its casual style of dress. Shorts, T-shirts or sweat
REBECCA R agai N enjoys writing about all kinds of
pants are perfectly acceptable, although you are
dance for Just Out. Contact her via
welcome to dress up if you feel like it.
www. rebeccaragain. com.
SPIRIT MOUNTAIN
..... M.------: : >
R egional A rts 8 c C ulture C ouncil
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