Project
of San Francisco Arts Commission Equity Grants Program
Cilck
each picture to enlarge
Matt
Venus
and Mars
Matt Thompson
Choose
to dance. What
is dancing? Who dances? Do
I dance alone? Do others dance with
me? Is there a reason to dance? Shall we dance? Would you like
to dance? Dance with me,
please. Who
are those two guys across from me in
the square, my opposite or my mirror? My
partner's handhold is warm and casual. We chat lightly, waiting
for remaining squares to form completely. Raucous
laughter occasionally bursts forth from other squares, causing
heads to turn with curious smiles. Half
of the square I have dances with before. The
other four are total strangers although two seem vibrantly
familiar. They have become difficult to recognize with their
clothes. I step closer to others in the square, releasing my
partner's grip, greeting the other dancers with a bit of chat
or a hug. I glance at two dangling nametags and say hello to
their owners. A
Faerie dusting of electricity floats over the dance floor as
the Caller publicly notes the last square is complete. Leaping
back to our respective partners, we find the reassuring handhold,
sometimes relaxed, sometimes firm, sometimes just barely touching,
aware yet independent of the other's presence.
? No time left now for anxiety, we bow to our partners,
bow to our corner, smile at everyone and dance naked to the
first call of this tip. At once we lose ourselves
to mental and physical reverie yet dancing find ourselves and
each other. We dance our elemental dance.
Clearly we are having fun. A
stained glass window whimsically provides a view of woodland
waters, two dancers meeting naked in a 'Highland Fling' Do-Si-Do.
Their styling showing restraint or physical intimacy as the
voyeur wishes. The two dancers playfully engage,
momentarily forming part of a fantasy Moonshine Tip dancing
to the Caller. Venus and Mars cast diamond
points of innuendo from above, the yin and yang of our beings
softly backlit by the moon, sometimes cast in shadow, sometimes
prominently displayed.
Venus and Mars exchange dancers from neighboring squares in
a star tip spin of the gears. The call is rooted
in early original American Square Dance choreography. The dance
is preserved through time as Callers of Gay Square Dance move
the dancers through this wonderful flowing tip. Albuquerque, New
Mexico is credited as the founding home of Moonshine Tips with
Gay Square Dancers. Bill Eyler preserves
much of the American Square Dance genre, including the Venus & Mars
call.
Matt Thomson Plus Dancer San Francisco Bay Area
May,
2004
r
clothes. I step closer to others in the square, releasing my
partner's grip, greeting the other dancers with a bit of chat
or a hug. I glance at two dangling nametags and say hello to
their owners. A
Faerie dusting of electricity floats over the dance floor as
the Caller publicly notes the last square is complete. Leaping
back to our respective partners, we find the reassuring handhold,
sometimes relaxed, sometimes firm, sometimes just barely touching,
aware yet independent of the other's presence.
? No time left now for anxiety, we bow to our partners,
bow to our corner, smile at everyone and dance naked to the
first call of this tip. At once we lose ourselves
to mental and physical reverie yet dancing find ourselves and
each other. We dance our elemental dance.
Clearly we are having fun. A
stained glass window whimsically provides a view of woodland
waters, two dancers meeting naked in a 'Highland Fling' Do-Si-Do.
Their styling showing restraint or physical intimacy as the
voyeur wishes. The two dancers playfully engage,
momentarily forming part of a fantasy Moonshine Tip dancing
to the Caller. Venus and Mars cast diamond
points of innuendo from above, the yin and yang of our beings
softly backlit by the moon, sometimes cast in shadow, sometimes
prominently
displayed.
Venus and Mars exchange dancers from neighboring squares in
a star tip spin of the gears. The call is rooted
in early original American Square Dance choreography. The dance
is preserved through time as Callers of Gay Square Dance move
the dancers through this wonderful flowing tip.