Skirted men at a contra dance

General discussion of skirt and kilt-based fashion for men, and stuff that goes with skirts and kilts.
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Stevie D
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Skirted men at a contra dance

Post by Stevie D »

A musician friend of mine directed me to this Youtube contra dance video, for the purposes of hearing the band. But I noticed that there is a chap wearing a splendid skirt. Is he a member of this forum?

Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq6-dJa8ep4
The skirted man makes his appearance on the right hand side of the screen at 1' 53" in to the video, and stays visible for a minute or so. That skirt just moves so wonderfully. :D

Edit:
My friend just sent me this one too. There are at least three skirted men in this clip. Can you spot them?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHsRMfNp_dc
Stevie D
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Re: Skirted men at a contra dance

Post by AMM »

Would you be willing, for the benefit of those of us who can't watch YouTube, to let us know where these were taken, and what the name of the band(s) is/are?
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Re: Skirted men at a contra dance

Post by Stevie D »

AMM wrote:Would you be willing, for the benefit of those of us who can't watch YouTube, to let us know where these were taken, and what the name of the band(s) is/are?
Ah - sorry if you can't access Youtube (I thought that anyone who could access this forum would be able to do Youtube as well.... :( )

The first video is the band Hotpoint, caller Darlene Underwood, at a contra-dance in Berea, KY, uploaded on 13th May 2008.
The second video is the band Groovemongers, caller Chris Bischoff, also at a contra-dance in Berea, KY, uploaded on 10th May 2009.
Stevie D
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STEVIE
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Re: Skirted men at a contra dance

Post by STEVIE »

Can I ask why anyone would tell who is or is not a member of this forum? Why does it matter?
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Re: Skirted men at a contra dance

Post by Since1982 »

Those were really fantastic pictures for the cause of men in skirts. No one noticed, cared or was upset. It was in Kentucky both times, a former hearth of so-called hillbilly rednecks that would kill you for not getting a haircut, much less wearing a skirt. Seeing so much acceptance in these times did my old heart good on my birthday. I wish I could lose enough weight to take up contra dancing. The fellow in the first picture, with the multi-colored skirt, long hair and beard reminded me of Carl (Crfriend)...slender, white, black long hair and beard and moves well. Yes, wonderful times we are entering. I hope I can live long enough to see men in skirts a normal everyday occurance. :D :D :D
I had to remove this signature as it was being used on Twitter. This is my OPINION, you NEEDN'T AGREE.

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I've been skirted part time since 1972 and full time since 2005. http://skirts4men.myfreeforum.org/
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AMM
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Re: Skirted men at a contra dance

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Since1982 wrote:Those were really fantastic pictures for the cause of men in skirts. No one noticed, cared or was upset. It was in Kentucky both times, a former hearth of so-called hillbilly rednecks that would kill you for not getting a haircut, much less wearing a skirt.
I'm not sure that this says all that much about whether men in skirts are accepted elsewhere in Kentucky, or even in the town of Berea.

This is almost certainly from one of the contra dance weekend festivals they have in Berea. Most of the people there would not have been from Kentucky, and those that were would have been part of the contra dance subculture, where men in skirts (along with other "alternative lifestyles") are pretty generally accepted, if still not all that common. Berea hosts a lot of gatherings and is probably pretty used to the strange ways of non-Kentuckians, but it's not clear to me how a man in a skirt would be received in, say, a local diner.

My only other data point is a Quaker gathering that happened there in something like the 1980's, where the openly gay men in the gathering got harrassed by the locals. The college officials themselves weren't happy about having gay people on their campus, and I don't think there's been a Quaker gathering there since.
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Re: Skirted men at a contra dance

Post by Since1982 »

Yeah, but the 80's to the next century is as different as the 50-60's were to the 80's. In the 60's if you saw a sign on a laundry that said "Whites only" it didn't mean no "colored clothing", you can figure out what it meant. By the 80's the 60's might have been in the Stone age. Same for the difference between the 80's and 2010. The 80's still had men dressing in "leisure suits and afro hairdos" Try to find that combo anywhere today...Times change, sometimes for the better, sometimes worse. It does (in my opinion) seem to be improving.

I, for one, will try my best to expect positive changes. What we get may be something else, but that won't stop me from working for positive. :thewave:
I had to remove this signature as it was being used on Twitter. This is my OPINION, you NEEDN'T AGREE.

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I've been skirted part time since 1972 and full time since 2005. http://skirts4men.myfreeforum.org/
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Re: Skirted men at a contra dance

Post by couyalair »

I am interested in contra and other forms of trad/country dancing, though I don't get much opportunity to take part any more. I gather that skirt wearing has become fairly common in some clubs in north America, and there are even clubs that encourage gender-less dancing -- anyone dances with anyone, not just the other sex -- which I think is great.
The only, yes, only time I have met another man in a skirt (non cross-dressing) was at a contra get-together in London a few years ago. This was a young American accompanied by his girl-friend. Whether he was encouraged by seeing me in kilt or not, I do not know.

I still do Scottish country dancing, where of course nearly all the men wear kilts.

Martin
Stevie D
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Re: Skirted men at a contra dance

Post by Stevie D »

STEVIE wrote:Can I ask why anyone would tell who is or is not a member of this forum? Why does it matter?
Hey - it's no big deal. :(
Just curiosity on my part. if they did turn out to be members of this forum, we could ask them stuff, like 'how did you start, what were other people's reactions?' etc.
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Re: Skirted men at a contra dance

Post by AMM »

Stevie D wrote:... if they did turn out to be members of this forum, we could ask them stuff, like 'how did you start, what were other people's reactions?' etc.
Because you aren't interested in the asking the Contra Dancers here at the Cafe who weren't in the video?
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Re: Skirted men at a contra dance

Post by Stevie D »

AMM wrote:
Stevie D wrote:... if they did turn out to be members of this forum, we could ask them stuff, like 'how did you start, what were other people's reactions?' etc.
Because you aren't interested in the asking the Contra Dancers here at the Cafe who weren't in the video?
???
Nothing like that. Are you attempting to put words into my mouth (or keyboard)?
Stevie D
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