Tripping the Light Fantastic

If you were at last Friday’s LA Singles Dance in the Bowie Knights of Columbus Hall and noticed a lot of new faces, that’s because the Suburban Singles Scene joined this renowned dance that has been running every Friday for almost twenty years. We joined singles from the Crofton area and ranging from St. Mary’s and Upper Marlboro, to Columbia and Ellicott City. Changing Focus singles support group also had a big crowd in attendance and another singles group, Bowie Area Singles. Close to three hundred energetic singles were twirling and tripping their fantastic toes around that huge dance floor.

To the inexperienced eye, it appeared that couples were everywhere at this singles dance. But the youngest girl on the dance floor shook her head and shouted over the music, “No, these older guys just really know how to dance!”

Now to her, older probably meant thirty, but whatever their age, she was right about these dancers. Although there were plenty of opportunities for the untrained dancers in the room, there were a few guys who could make anyone look like a pro. A couple of my dancer partners had me twirling like Ginger. What a workout!

Another regular on the dance floor, Irene Herman, kindly recognized my need for dance instruction when it came time for a line dance called “Booty Call.” She showed me the finer points. She was a great teacher, having won a dance contest in November. When I whined that I didn’t have the hip shake down as well as she did, she suggested I wear a swingy skirt to make my shake more dramatic. Sounds like a wonderful reason to go shopping.

LA Singles Founder and president, Stephen Evan, was a delightful host, greeting old and new guests alike, as was Enar Sanders, the Publicity Chairman. They have enjoyed watching the dance grow in popularity and spoke of the contests and theme nights that they plan for the dance. One tradition is a standing moment of respect to listen and sing along to a moving rendition of God Bless America in honor of our men and women in the armed forces.

Mr. Sanders pointed out the recently engaged Jack Staud and Judy Youngblood, who were sitting at the table where they met three years earlier at one of the LA Singles Dances. Friends came up to congratulate them as Mr. Staud said with a sweet grin, “We got engaged at Christmas because I couldn’t wait until Valentine’s Day.”

While the dance floor filled up for the Electric Slide, Mr. Staud, who has been a regular to the dance for over 12 years, explained how he met his fiancée, “She came over and asked me to dance. I’m kind of shy.”

To learn more about LA Singles Dances, visit their website at www.lasinglesbwa.com. To participate in the Suburban Singles Scene, visit us online at our Suburban Singles Blog at www.suburbansingles.blogspot.com, or watch for the singles column in Suburban Scene’s monthly print magazine.