Kate's Road Trip: Intermission

Click on any image to see it at a larger size. (44 pictures)
There were two square dance conventions held in Baltimore during the summer of 2000. First came the Nationals, with 15,000 dancers (that means 7,500 crinolines; good luck getting a seat on a water taxi, hon). Then, over the 4th of July, 1100 dancers gathered for the annual convention of the International Association of Gay Square Dance Clubs--where crinolines are optional--for everyone.
I timed my arrival right between the two,
and stayed for just over a week.

When I went to the camera shop for some of my photos and mentioned that I had to get back to the dancing, the clerk said "I thought that was last week." "Oh, that was the straight convention" I said. "This is the gay one. We have more fun." "Yeah--I could see that!" she said!

Many dancers asked me about copies. These images are available in a higher resolution. Please send any requests for copies (email or physical), captions, corrections, bribes, blackmail, lawsuits or other attempts at suppression to kyule at spiritone.com. Putting "Baltimore photos" in the subject line is a good idea so I won't throw the baby out with the spam.

In the atrium of the Hyatt Inner Harbor,
the sun made our flag glow.

HRH Virginia Hamm welcomes you to Crack the Crab
with a regal, "Hello, sailor!"

We were all pretty comfortable hanging out in
the Hyatt second-floor lobby.

Some,of course, got more comfortable than others.

"Follow the lighthouses to the dancing, Hon!"
I think we inherited these
from the straight convention.

And follow, and follow, and follow....!
Most of the dance halls were in the building next door--
and yet three blocks away.

Andy Shore leads a prayer for better acoustics in the A hall.

Damn, we have more fun just standing there.

Made it!!

Just hangin' out.

Grant Ito in caller drag

Boo!

I can't get my beads to hang straight!

"....Swing Thru? from here?"

The Bear and the Lumberjack

Hey, is it just me, or do these guys look
like some indie rock band in a publicity shot?

A square of Bathing Beauties (tm)
doing Pass Thru from facing lines--
--or a rugby scrum?

No, rugby's not that hairy.

Sunbathing beauties

Anne Uebelacker, pursued by
an assassin mistaking her for the
Lithuanian Ambassador

Troublemakers

More troublemakers

Troublemaker wannabe

Just plain trouble

Getting ready to do it next year.

Oooh, a Plus Hall!
We should have one of these at
our Convention too!
Make a note of that.

Two fabulous dancers

Four frantic callers (three voices between them)

Mamela and Papela Levine
(no relation to David, but tell that to whoever
was in charge of handing out noses)

aaaaand then there's Crazy Uncle Steve and Aunt Ruby.

Vancouver really wants us to remember
to show up at Easter next year.

Grant Ito not in caller drag.

Pepto-Bismol Tower, or View from a Bus

When Russ gets crabby, Russ gets very very crabby.
And of course Ett couldn't get dressed until after
she'd had breakfast.

Our bus host kept telling us that John Waters
lives in the house with the lions out front.
"He lives heeeere?!

Human traffic cone outside the Art Museum.

We danced in the B&O Museum's big roundhouse.


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