User:Shimonnyman/gsd

Gay square dance is square dance as it is generally danced in the Gay and Lesbian community. Gay square dance is typically open to all square dancers, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, ethnic background, or sexual orientation.

The dancing is generally 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. The first gay and lesbian square dance clubs formed in the mid-to-late 1970s in the USA. There are currently about eighty gay square dance clubs worldwide.

The difference between square dance and gay square dance is not based on weather the dancer is gay it is based on a style created by the gay square dance community. Differences include styling, dress, complexity of choreography among other things. Also the demographics tend to be different.

Flourishes
Flourishes are movements either in addition to or replacing the standard movement as defined. Common flourishes include replacing the dosado with a "highland fling" move, or twirling at the end of a promenade. Flourishes are usually omitted with those just learning to dance, as it is helpful to know how to dance properly before modifying a dance.

Sound effects
Sound effects include words, whistles, claps, stamps etc. Sound effects often serve as a mnemonic device, in that dancers associate the execution of the step with the particular sounds. A rhyming or punning word-play on the name of the call is common. Sometimes a sound effect will be a rhyme with a mnemonic for example there is a call linear cycle and in the regular square dance community the mnemonic "Hinge Fold Pass and Peel" is used, however in the gay community they use "Hinge fold cop a feel."

Energy level
The energy level tends to be higher in gay square dancing tempos may be higher. The high tempos with many flourishes and various sound effects make for a higher energy level than standard square dance.

Dancing Opposite Sex
One's dance role is less synonymous with one's actual sex people more often dance the opposite gender's role than in the general western square dance community. One will dance with a partner of the same sex or will just dance the part of the opposite sex. Occasionally people will switch with each other mid-tip as a game remembering to dance the calls as defined for the said sex if the call is sex based.

All Position Dancing
Many calls are not sex based but in the general square dance community are dances as such. The lack of dancing ones own sex makes steps danced from any possible position not just normal boy girl arrangements. This is known in square dance jargon as "all position dancing" (APD) and is common in upper-level challenge square dancing as well.

Singles
In the general square dance community many clubs will require you to bring your own partner. Gay square dance clubs have no partner requirement. At a gay square dance, it is always permissible to get into a square without a partner and hold a hand up for a partner. At gay clubs people often dance with a variety of partners throughout a night.

Dancing with other Clubs
Non-gay square dance groups often attend special dances hosted by other clubs in the area, or visit other clubs at their regular dances. Since it is rare to have more than one gay club in an area, clubs will instead host fly-ins, which will attract attendees from outside the region, and last an entire weekend instead of just one night. Both practices serve the same purpose of allowing clubs to have larger dances, but the greater distances traveled and greater length for fly-ins requires more planning and promotion, will usually have more than one caller, and entail greater costs.

Age
Non-gay square dancing tends to attract large numbers of older couples; the average in some clubs may be above 50. Gay square dancing involves many younger people.

No Dress Code
Square dance clubs often will have a dress code. Gay square dance clubs usually are "casual", that is, no costume or special clothing requirement. Shorts and T-shirts are perfectly acceptable. Clubs sponsoring dances advertise the level of costuming expected at their function.

On top of the casual dress there are also special tips that may have special costuming requirements.

It is worth noting that casual dress, no couple requirement, all-position dancing, high energy level etc. have been adopted by some newer non-gay square dance clubs ( youth square dance clubs in particular). The continued flourishing of gay square dancing continues to influence the rest of the square dance community.

Unique Tips
In the gay square dance community they have many kinds of tips that involve costumes games or various other rules or qualifications to dance.


 * Leather- dressed all in leather
 * Medallion- People who have attended ten or more past conventions
 * moonshine- naked (non-sexual)
 * Munchkin- Shorter Dancers
 * Redwoods- Taller dancers
 * TNP- (take no prisoners)Really difficult with intricate choreography danced from all sorts of positions.

Organizations

 * International Association of Gay Square Dance Clubs (IAGSDC)
 * Gay Callers Association (GCA)