Last October, I received an email from Dan Smith; it was basically a press release:

Stained-Glass Windows Celebrate Square Dancing

Dan Smith, a San Francisco artist makes stained-glass windows and loves to square dance. He has pooled these interests to produce a unique and stunning exhibit of stained-glass windows that celebrate people’s experiences at the city’s three lesbian and gay square-dancing clubs.

Using a San Francisco Arts Commission grant, Dan trained 16 dancers from these clubs to make stained-glass windows. None had worked before in stained glass. But under Dan’s artistic guidance, they have produced beautiful results.

Dan explained that people of all sexual orientations, and both sexes, come to gay square-dance clubs. “Same-sex square dancing is inclusive and celebratory,” said Dan.

“Straight women can come without a male escort and feel perfectly at home,” he added. “Both men and women enjoy the release from rigid sex-role stereotyping. Gay men and lesbians experience a sense of community. Above all, everybody has fun, which is the whole point.”

A new web site displays these incredible windows and explains what each one means to its creator. Take a look and see for yourself:

http://www.squaredancingstainedglass.com

for further information

apoteketreceptfritt.com

, please contact Dan Smith at dan at squaredancingstainedglass.com

For some reason, I didn’t check out the website (maybe because I received the email on October 31? I don’t know). All I can say is, don’t wait six months to check it out for yourself.

Here are a couple of images representing square dance calls:

Weave the Ring (Ron Masker):

Teacup Chain (Rojean):

Be sure to read the stories associated with each piece of art; they could be used as a recruiting material for square dancing, and gay square dancing in particular. Here’s a great story about a grandmother’s gay pride experience:

A kind, straight woman from a small town in Wisconsin, the grandmother loved all her grandchildren unconditionally, regardless of their sexual orientation. When my friend’s brother and his partner found out that Grandma was visiting during Pride Weekend, however, they were a little bit afraid that some of the more colorful activities of the event might offend her sensibilities. She expressed an interest in attending the parade though, so my friend’s brother tried to prepare her for what they might encounter.

Always polite and tolerant, Grandma sealed her lips as her eyes boggled at some of the sights of the Pride parade; my friend’s brother began to worry that perhaps she was overwhelmed, but then, groups of men square dancing paraded down the street. Grandma, a square-dance enthusiast for years, clapped her hands in delight to the beat and followed the gay square dancers all the way to the end of the parade. She still talks about the “nice men square dancing” to this day!

And here’s something from Donald “Bullseye” Wescoat. First, Donald composed a song that debuted at the memorial tip at the 1996 convention in San Francisco. The chorus:

We are squares In the circle
Dancing below and above
Weaving an unending story
Squares In the circle of love

And the final part of his writeup on his stained glass:

Square dancing Is my solace – it gives me something to do almost any night of the week – it brings me back to health when I am ill – It puts a smile on my face when I see my dancing friends – it boosts my ego when I remember a difficult move – it warms my heart when I mentor a new dancer as a square dance caller, my credo –

· D delight the dancers

· A advance the art

· N nurture the tradition

· C celebrate the geometry

· E evolve the music