Gay square dancing

Gay square dancing is square dancing as it is generally danced in the Gay and Lesbian community. The first gay and lesbian square dance clubs formed in the mid-to-late 1970s in the USA. There are currently almost 70 gay square dance clubs worldwide.

Gay square dancing is typically open to all square dancers, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, ethnic background, or sexual orientation. The dancing is generally understood to be modern western square dancing, as it is practiced throughout the world, standardized by Callerlab, the International Association of Square Dance Callers, and as generally practiced by clubs belonging to the International Association of Gay Square Dance Clubs (IAGSDC), the umbrella organization for gay square dance clubs.

In addition to gay modern western square dance clubs, there are gay and lesbian clubs for other dance forms, both square dance and non-square dance forms, including "traditional" and exhibition style square dancing.

This entry focuses on gay modern western square dancing, and it is understood to be the same as gay square dancing within this article.

The primary differences between gay square dancing and that practiced in non-gay clubs are:

• Costuming: Gay square dancing has no costuming or special clothing requirement. On the contrary many non-traditional outfits are acceptable. Non-gay square dancing in general categorizes costuming or clothing requirements as follows--
  • Traditional clothing
  • Proper clothing
  • Relaxed or informal clothing

Clubs sponsoring dances advertise the level of costuming expected at their function.

• Singles club: Gay square dancing has no partner requirement. One is generally expected to have a steady dance partner in non-gay square dancing.

• One's dance role is less synonymous with one's actual sex: Men often dance the women's part, and vice versa, much more so than otherwise in the general western square dance community. A caller cannot rely so much on visual clues as to who is partnered up with whom.

• Styling: There are many special styling variations and sound effects connected to gay square dancing. These are referred to as flourishes.

• Energy level: The energy level tends to be higher in gay square dancing.

History of gay square dancing Insert text re: history of gay square dancing

• Miami 1976
• Miami Mustangs 1979 club formation
• National Gay Rodeo
• 1982 Reno, NV
• Feb 1983 Miami fly-in
• 1984 Seattle first convention National Association of Gay Square Dance Clubs
• Name change to reflect Canadian clubs
• First 10 years explosion
• Non-North American Clubs: Australia, Japan, Denmark

International Association of Gay Square Dance Clubs (IAGSDC)

Support organizations