Any same sex dancers here?

twnkltoz

twnkltoz

Forum Master
I participated in a same sex dance competition a couple weeks ago at my studio with a friend of mine, and it was really fun. The atmosphere was energizing and supportive, and the level of dancing was really impressive. A student of mine just suggested doing April Follies in Oakland together. Sounds like fun. Anyone else tried it?
 
I've attended Liberty Challenge (the Pennsylvania same-sex championships) every year since 2008, and competed most years as well. It's my favorite comp each year.
 
April Follies is a great event, and probably the largest same-sex comp in the States. For a really big fields, you'll have to go to Europe where there is a same-sex comp on average of about once a month somewhere.
 
At my last collegiate competition I registered TBA at Bronze but there were no TBA leaders in Smooth so one of our Silver followers learned to lead at the competition in like an hour in order to lead me. I was pretty proud of us, we still managed to make semifinals in 2 of 3 events. :)
 
I lead sometimes when my leader partner can't come to a comp- one of my close friends and I compete together. It is super fun and casual. We just compete against regular mixed couples, and its pretty much the same. A little more crowded at the top of the standard frame though ;)
 
llamasarefuzzy said:
I lead sometimes when my leader partner can't come to a comp- one of my close friends and I compete together. It is super fun and casual. We just compete against regular mixed couples, and its pretty much the same. A little more crowded at the top of the standard frame though ;)
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Neat! I thought it wasn't allowed at regular competitions.
 
twnkltoz said:
Neat! I thought it wasn't allowed at regular competitions.
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I compete mostly at collegiate comps. I think every collegiate comp I've been to just mixes same sex couples in no problem, although the rules with leading and following in the same comp can be quite complicated, especially with the no more than two consecutive levels rule
 
For those of you who do the NASSPDA comps, do you switch roles during the dance? How do you dress? With two girls, would it be weird for the the leader to dress like boys usually do (pants) and the follower to dance like a girl (a dress), and switch roles partway through?
 
There's one collegiate comp in our area that allows mixed, same-sex, and reverse-role couples (judged together on the same floor).

The other collegiate comps allow only mixed and female same-sex couples.

There used be a girl/girl couple from the Sacramento area that wore matching slacks and shirt. They had a vest with the number pinned on. They switched off wearing the vest depending on who was leading a particular event.
 
There's a female couple here that does 10-dance. When they're dancing Standard, the leader is wearing a tailsuit and the follower a ballgown. They maintain traditionalist roles and does not switch. They don't have the interlocking top problem because the leader is built like a boy.
 
When I dance and compete in same sex events, we switch a couple of times during each dance (we dance Standard). We wear costumes that are neither a dress nor a tail suit but sort of a combination of both. For the most part we compete at same-sex events but want to start competing at collegiate comps where they allow same-sex couples.
 
I can only speak from my experience within the ESSDA comps and so far I've seen all kinds of combinations:
Switching leads during the dances, switching from dance to dance, staying in the roles of leader/ follower all the time. It probably depends on the proficiency in ones skill as well as the height difference whether people switch or not.

For example, my partner is much taller than me so it is making sense for her to be the leader. Furthermore, I have no leading experience while she is quite the accomplished leader (and an even more fabulous follower) so I'd be worried to hurt her if I were leading. Another fellow couple has the same height, however the (male) follower has no experience as a leader whatsoever, so they do not switch either.

On the dressing topic: In Standard there is everything from traditional (leader: tails; follower: gown - that's what we are doing, too) to specially made nice costumes which are kind of a combination. You also see two tails; one in tails or similar while the other wearing some kind of modified suit (e.g. costume with pantskirt); two etirely different type of costumes from what one is used to (considering "regular" comps);...
In Latin pants seem to be the way to go ;) But you see a lot of girls wearing dresses, too.

Once I saw a gentleman who was wearing a bright orange jacket with... well, it wasn't a float, but it had an interesting touch. And another one who was wearing something similar to a tailsuit only it was a one-piece and it had a float as well as parts made of lace.

Never seen two women wearing typical ballroom gowns and - so far - never seen a guy in a skirt/gown though.
 
Daphna said:
When I dance and compete in same sex events, we switch a couple of times during each dance (we dance Standard).
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It looks really cool.

Daphna said:
For the most part we compete at same-sex events but want to start competing at collegiate comps where they allow same-sex couples.
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Shameless plug, but BADC allows same sex couples (both genders) in all levels and categories.

Had the pleasure of watching Daphna compete at my event this year. Other same sex dancers are more than welcome!!
 
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