MY STORY

by Photis Pishiaras

The Rialto Theatre, in Limassol, Cyprus - city of my birth - was my first dance  performance stage, at age six. During a visit home in 2018, I had the opportunity to se e a show at this very same theatre which had been shut for the past 40 years. I arrived early to an empty orchestra and a flood of emotions and vivid memories overtook me

 as I stood in the space where I had taken my first dance steps in front of a live audience. 

In my teen years in Cyprus I did folk dancing. I never thought that dance could be my profession but somehow I was always involved in and around it. After my military service, I left Cyprus at age 19, and started my college education in Berlin, East Germany, where my eagerness to continue dancing led me to an intensive choreography course. That was my first exposure to Ballroom which continued to draw me in through the years. Two years later I moved to Athens, Greece, to continue my studies in fine art where in parallel to my academic studies, I got a job at the Gene Kelly dance studios. I graduated five years later and moved back home to Limassol for two years where I opened the first ballroom studio in Cyprus. 

In 1994 I moved to San Francisco, California. Hungry to dance, before long I started work at the Arthur Murray studios. I taught, competed and performed for eight years and obtained my professional certification. There I had my first exposure to same-sex dancing when one of my male co-workers asked me to perform a number with him for a showcase. It didn't happen! I succumbed to the pressure of the criticising mouths and the doubts they raised on the effect on my job. After all, the book said, "A dance partnership is defined by a man and a woman." What?!

In 2005 I opened Vima Dance Studio which I operated for nearly 10 years. With a fantastic, motivated staff, the studio created an environment where all combinations of gender partnerships were the norm on a daily bases. Vima teachers became and still are to this day competitors in the same-sex dancing scene. 

My horizons were broadened further when in 2005 a date took me to the Sundance Saloon, an established venue for same-sex and mixed-gender dancing. I loved the concept of lead and follow not being confined to a specific gender. That's where that same year I met my dance partner, Ron Jenkins, who has been and continues to be my inspiration and motivation. We have been dancing, competing and performing together for ten years now, nationally and internationally and looking forward to more. 

Although it's not new to the Bay Area, I find that in this past decade same-sex dancing has evolved significantly: it has developed and become more visible. You see more and more same-sex couple at dance schools as "mainstream" dancers are becoming less nervous around two men or two women dancing together and have become more accepting. I'm noticing especially more male mainstream dancers feeling comfortable to take private lessons from male teachers while women dancing with women has always been somewhat less "disturbing". As they became more accustomed to the visual of same-sex dancers their machismo was softened and transformed into a possibility: Why not learn from the experts regardless of gender? Male professionals have become more relaxed in another man's arms regardless of their sexual orientation. More and more same-sex couples are invited to perform in dance studios' events and showcases. Marriage legalization combined with the tradition of the first dance has pushed same-sex couples to take lessons for their wedding. 

I find that the Bay Area's thriving revolution in gay rights has been another factor that has contributed to freedom in dance partnerships. I applaud the Bay Area communities that are embracing same-sex or any gender combination dancers whether one leads, follows or both. The dynamics of two females or two males dancing together has become a curious, interesting and attractive challenge to many Bay Area dance professionals.

We'll keep creating awareness - locally and nationally. After all and above all it's for the love of dance.

Photis Pishiaras 

http://www.vimadance.com

Competition Calendar

Competition Committee

Floorplay in the Desert

January 19th 2019

Palm Springs, CA

http://www.floorplaypalmsprings.com/

April Follies

(Sanctioned by NASSPDA)

April 27th 2019

Oakland, CA

https://www.aprilfollies.com

New England Open

(some of the events sanctioned by NASSPDA)

TBD, September 2019

Providence, RI   

Upcoming World Championships:

Gay Games 11- HONG KONG 2022

(Sanctioned by IFSSDA)

36 sports and 11 cultural events

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