Love Story 2003
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LOVE STORY 2003: 
THE 2003 SSQQ "SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE" YEAR IN REVIEW!!
(
This story originally appeared in the January 2004 Newsletter)
Written by Rick Archer

Rick Archer's 2009 Note:  In 2003, SSQQ saw 34 different couples from the studio either get married or engaged.  This total broke the previous record of 32 set in 2000.  As of 2009, this 2003 record has yet to be broken.  Here is the story of this remarkable year.

On Saturday, November 8, 2003, by an unusual coincidence, SSQQ Instructors Rachel (Seff) Koenig, Vicki (Bernard) Smith, and Patrica (Or) Holmes all got married on the same day.

Yes, SSQQ accomplished an amazing trifecta: all three lovely SSQQ instructors became three lovely brides on the very same day!!

Of course the first thing you say is: They planned it that way!  No, I don't think so. I talked to the ladies and they said they simply wanted to wait till after Halloween.

Besides, SSQQ Instructors get married all the time!  Although of course I am slightly kidding, by another coincidence j
ust three weeks later, long-time SSQQ Instructors Ann Bush and Brian White got married on November 29 during the Thanksgiving Weekend. That made four weddings in one month.  

Nor was the ssqq wedding frenzy complete yet – during this period SSQQ Instructor Michele Wann announced her engagement to Trent Haynes. Shortly after, SSQQ Instructor Michelle Yeiter got engaged. This wonderful surprise for Michelle Yeiter marked the 30th SSQQ Engagement and Wedding this year.

So as 2003 ended, five instructors had just gotten married and five more - myself, Linda Cook, Michele Wann, Michelle Yeiter, and Timm Chavez - made five more SSQQ Instructors who were engaged!

And you think the rumors of the SSQQ Wedding Factory are a myth?  Guess again.
 
 
Without trying to sound too schmaltzy, something special is clearly going on at SSQQ.
 
As we start our 27th year of business in 2004, SSQQ has been rumored to be a highly contagious place for Romance to develop for a long. Not only have hundreds of our students literally met their future spouses here at the studio, many other students have had the sense to bring their boyfriend or girlfriend here during their courtship due to our reputation as the right place to “seal the deal”.
 
Indeed, the list of couples who have backed off is remarkably small. Once you get them dancing, they fall even more hopelessly in love.
 
SSQQ does not come about its Reputation as the Romance Capital of Houston by accident. We earned it!!
 
The number in 1999 was 23. In 2000 it was 30. In 2001 it was 23. In 2002 (post 9/11) it slipped to 16, but no surprise there. In 2003 we bounced back strong to hit 30 again. With the exception of the large churches with singles groups numbering in the hundreds, can you imagine any other Houston institution that can claim to have created 20 to 30 marriages a year for 25 years?


Want to Get Married?  Become an SSQQ Instructor!
 
In particular, members of the SSQQ Staff seem particularly vulnerable to the mysterious Love Bug that permeates the studio. Like any good Bug, the more you are exposed to it, the more likely you are to catch it!!
 
It is no accident that this studio feels like one big family. After all, it practically is.

Although it is unlikely you will recognize many of these people by name, please read the following list:

  1. Stan Clark
  2. Pam Silverblatt
  3. Michael Miles
  4. Terri Box
  5. Diane Head
  6. Jim Smith
  7. Mike Fagan
  8. Tom Easley
  9. Mark Matthews
  10. Judy Stidham
  11. Peter Shores
  12. Paula Yerks
  13. Arlene Phillips
  14. Tony Graham
  15. Amelia Cate
  16. Brian Swanson
  17. Lisa Starnes
  18. Nancy Faulkner
  19. Reid Faulkner
  20. Mike Hitzhusen
  21. Hannah Baker
  22. Richard McDonald
  23. David Vining
  24. Tonya Binig
  25. Tom Binig
  26. Michael Stephens
  27. Suzy Kish
  28. Larry Carlton
  29. Liliana Ashley
  30. David Bagesse
  31. Terry Johns
  32. Heidi Moynihan
  33. Beth Hentges
  34. Allen Hentges
  35. Linda Decker
  36. Rad Decker
  37. Sylvia Key
  38. Renee Reisinger
  39. Janet Wukman
  40. Kathleen Alexander

Do you have any idea what these 40 people have in common?   Take a Wild Guess....

For starters, each one of them met their husband or wife here at SSQQ. You probably already figured that one out yourself.  But they are linked by another very strong bond.

 
Each one of the people above is a former SSQQ instructor who met their future husband or wife here at the studio mostly during the Roaring 90s

CURRENT SSQQ STAFF 2003 - It's a Family Affair
 
Thanks to the November Wedding Surge, at the end of 2003 the SSQQ staff had 19 instructors who met their spouses through the studio.

  1. SSQQ Instructor Daryl Armstrong met his wife Joanne here?  They were married in October, 1998.
    They have two children: Austin and Ali.
  2. SSQQ Instructor Ben Liles met his wife Diana here at the studio?  They were married in October, 1999.
    They have two children: Cole and Allison
  3. SSQQ Instructor Karen Clawsen met her husband Dennis here?  They were married in September, 2001.
  4. SSQQ Instructor Jim Coulter met his wife Ulrike here at SSQQ. They married her in 2002.
  5. SSQQ Instructor Paula da Silva got married a year and a half ago. 
  6. SSQQ Instructor Tracy King met her husband Jeff Perry (#18), also an SSQQ Instructor, here at the studio.
    They got married a year and a half ago and recently had their first child Kay Lynn in October.
  7. SSQQ Instructor Kathleen LaBounty got engaged to Mark Oryhon in February.
  8. SSQQ Instructor Carol Armand met Arthur Madrid here in 2001. They married this July.
  9. SSQQ Instructor Rick Archer was engaged to Marla Gorzynski in July. 
  10. SSQQ Instructor Linda Cook was engaged to SSQQ Instructor Timm Chavez (#19) in August. 
  11. SSQQ Instructor Michelle Wann announced her engagement to Trent Haynes in October.
  12. SSQQ Instructor Patty Or married David Holmes in November.
  13. SSQQ Instructor Vicki Bernard met Johnny Smith here at SSQQ in 2001. They married in November.
  14. SSQQ Instructor Rachel Seff married Dave Koenig in November.
  15. SSQQ Instructors Ann Bush and Brian White (#17) got married at the end of November.
  16. SSQQ Instructor Michelle Yeiter announced her engagement to Scott Keepers in December.

Plus I know a couple other Staffers who could very easily succumb to old ssqq slow dance and romance magic at any time, but I don't plan to jinx them by saying something!! 

(2006 Note: I wasn't kidding when I said I had a crystal ball. Of course, I had an inside edge- I was POSITIVE I was getting married in 2004. I married Marla Gorzynski in September, 2004. We had an "oops wedding" where everything that could go wrong did go wrong (read story).

Also in 2004, the two Michelles got married, Michelle Yeiter in August and Michelle Wann in November).

In 2005, Sharon Crawford, Randy Winfrey and Melissa Gauthier were 3 more SSQQ instructors who got married to people they meet at the studio.


If you want to get married, join the SSQQ Staff. It's that simple. Sometimes I tease we should rename the SSQQ Web Site to the SSQQ Wed Site. 
 
(2006 Note: And we haven’t even begun to talk about all the SSQQ Kids. The list starts with former wife Judy Archer’s and my daughter Samantha, Ben and Diana’s two children Cole and Allison, Daryl and JoAnne’s Austin and Ali, Tracy and Jeff Perry’s Kaylynn, Tom and Margaret Easley’s Tommy and Ashley, plus late 2005 addition Zachary to Rachel and Dave Koenig).
 
These children are just the tip of the iceberg. For example, read this letter:

ROBERT AND JENNIFER LEAKE
Wednesday, June 11, 2003 2:42 PM
 
“Hi Rick. Four years ago (1999) I met my wife Jennifer at SSQQ during a swing dance class. Our love blossomed over at the Orchid Lounge in the Village. We married in 2000.
 
Well, the Orchid Lounge is no longer there and our pretzels have all gone soft but today we have two wonderful additions... Our Twins Alexia and Aidan were born last summer. They are now 8 months old...We are blessed.
 
Thanks for everything!!  Robert and Jennifer Leake”

SSQQ is a Family. There are literally hundreds of Slow Dance and Romance children out there from the 400 or so marriages created through SSQQ. Some of these kids are just now getting old enough to take dance classes. You don’t suppose that makes me happy, do you?

Now including Instructors and student alike, here is a review of the 2003 SSQQ Slow Dance and Romance list as we do our countdown:
 
January, 2003
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 1 - IMRE KONDOR AND EILEEN KRIEPKE GET MARRIED!
 
February, 2003
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 2 - Wayne Brodd AND Carol Jones ANNOUNCE THEIR ENGAGEMENT
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 3 - SSQQ INSTRUCTOR KATHLEEN LABOUNTY GETS ENGAGED TO MARK ORYHON.
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 4 - SSQQ INSTRUCTOR PATTY O IS ENGAGED TO DAVID KOENIG.
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 5 - SSQQ INSTRUCTOR VICKIE BERNARD IS ENGAGED TO JOHN SMITH
 
April 2003
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 6 - RANDY BEST AND KIM GRAY GET ENGAGED ON VALENTINES DAY!!
 
June 2003
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 7 - WAYNE BRODD AND CAROL JONES GET MARRIED!
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 8 - LAURA JEAN BRZOZOWSKI AND TIM BELL GET MARRIED!
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 9 - BRIAN WHITE AND ANN BUSH GET ENGAGED!
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 10 - RACHEL SEFF AND DAVE KOENIG GET ENGAGED!
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 11 - MIKE HARRAH AND ANN MCGOWAN GET ENGAGED!
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 12 - DENNIS TAUPO AND HEATHER BLUE GET ENGAGED!
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 13 - JASON HEISER AND REBEKAH MORALES GET ENGAGED!
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 14 - CHUCK MORTON AND BRENDA UFFMANN GET ENGAGED!
 
July 2003
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 15 - MIKE HARRAH AND ANN MCGOWAN GET MARRIED!
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 16 - RICK ARCHER AND MARLA GORZYNSKI GET ENGAGED!
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 17 - CAROL ARMAND AND ARTHUR MADRID
”Arthur and I were married in a small ceremony in Louisiana with family and a few friends on July 26. Don’t worry, most people still don’t know that we are married. We usually keep a low profile. It helps to keep us out of trouble!”
 
August 2003
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 18 - SSQQ INSTRUCTOR LINDA COOK AND TIMM CHAVEZ ARE ENGAGED!
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 19 - BILL BLUM AND ELLEN CHAPMAN GET ENGAGED!
 
October 2003
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 20 - LINDA MALIN AND BILL HOLDEN ANNOUNCE THEIR ENGAGEMENT!
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 21 - VERONDIA NEVILL AND DELAIN GODDARD GET MARRIED!!
“Oh by the way, Rick, Delain Goddard, who I met at SSQQ in April '02, and I were recently married on Oct. 26! Add us to your list of success stories! Verondia.”
 
“Ladies and Gents, Two-Steppers, Polka Babes, and those of you who really appreciate a good-fittin’ pair of Sans-a-Belt slacks, the day has come. Verondia and Delain are hookin’ up to show us how to do the final lesson in the Rick Archer School of Meet ‘Em, Greet ‘Em, and Marry ‘Em.

Well, it’s official!

She said, “yes”. (Along with some whimpering, sniffles, and tears, but I got over it soon enough after she handed me a tissue and told me, “Geez fella, it’s just a marriage.”

“Not like you or I haven’t done that before.”

Okay, okay, yes, she fell apart and threw her arms around me, squeezed me with all the glory of her affection, then said, “Okay, and how big is the diamond going to be?”

Aah, that Verondia. She is so thoughtful. Always thinking about me. . . and how come I can’t afford the “big rock” this time around. Steady, Sometimes Quickly, and definitely with thoughtful Questioning along the way, we have made the decision to join together in marriage this Sunday, October 26, in a small, informal ceremony joined by our children at Champion Forest Baptist Church.

Verondia and I have been dating and exploring our likes and dislikes, her dreams and my demands, for about 1 ½ years and have come to the conclusion that I do know what’s best for us. So, she is forcing me going along with my desire to make this a permanent arrangement. As long as I continue to take her dancing, at least, occasionally to boogy through the only three patterns we were able to get under our belts before leaving SSQQ (for the time being).

Gang, thank you for all the smiles and well wishes you’ve extended to us over the past months.

We always enjoy seeing everyone when we are able to get out and meet up at the honky tonks.

Wish us well, pray for us, and we will see you soon.
Delain and Verondia . . . Goddard”
 
November 2003
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 22 - ANN THEALL AND ED JABLONSKI GET ENGAGED.

SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 23 - SSQQ INSTRUCTOR MICHELLE WANN AND TRENT HAYNES GET ENGAGED.

SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 24 - ANN KEYES AND JERRY GRIMM GET MARRIED IN NOVEMBER!
Editor’s Note: I am fairly sure that Ann and Jerry met in one of our Whip dance classes. To be very honest, neither Ann nor Jerry took to this difficult dance quickly, but I have to hand it to both of them for their tenacity at staying with it. I remember distinctly the many times they would stay after class to practice together. Then this past summer they decided to join the 2003 SSQQ Jubilee Cruise. They were definitely inseparable by this point. Congratulations!!
 
SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 25 - CHUCK MORTON AND BRENDA UFFMANN GET MARRIED NOVEMBER 1!
Mara Rivas recently sent me this note:
“Did you know that Chuck and Brenda got married November 1st?? It was a beautiful wedding from the church ceremony to the reception and the music was very appropriate for the occasion. Very sweet.”

Editor’s Note: Chuck and Brenda signed up for the SSQQ Rhapsody Cruise in the Summer of 2002. I don’t know if they dated before the trip, but I promise you they definitely grew closer together on that cruise. Every day I noticed them curled up in a couch or on a lounge chair at different places chatting away happily or simply hugging each other quietly.


SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 26 –
JOHNNY SMITH AND VICKI BERNARD GET MARRIED

Vicki Bernard and Johnny Smith got married on Saturday, November 8, in New Iberia, Louisiana.
 
Vicki and Johnny originally met at SSQQ in November 2001. At that time Vicki was an assistant instructor in a Western class that Johnny had signed up for. They soon started dating. One year later they became engaged in December of 2002.
 
Along the way, Johnny developed an interest in Western Waltz, partially because Vicki began to assist Judy Archer in teaching Western Waltz on Sundays. Taking a Waltz class was a good way for Johnny to hang out with his favorite lady.
 
As a result, when Vicki and Johnny began to prepare for their wedding, it was easy to choose to Waltz for their first dance. Although most people think Waltz is the perfect dance for a “First Dance”, in reality only about one couple in twenty end up dancing a Waltz because it is such a difficult dance to excel at.

With this in mind, Johnny prepared very seriously. After taking several Waltz classes in 2002, this year he and Vicki signed up for Sharon Crawford’s legendary Western Waltz class that runs for 5 months from April to August. He took careful notes plus he kept hold of his various syllabi that Sharon passed out for her class.
 
Vicki and Johnny quickly decided on a very beautiful Waltz named “When I Said I Do” by Clint and Lisa Black. Once they had the song chosen, Johnny then went to the trouble of counting the number of beats in the song, then mapping out all the patterns he knew to create a routine.

After Waltz class was over, the two would stay after class on Wednesdays and Sundays to practice whenever possible. By the time the wedding came around, the two dancers were flawless together. They knew the pattern like the backs of their hands. Not only did they have their pattern down a T, they even had the presence of mind to invent techniques in case of an emergency. Now that’s planning! Johnny isn’t an engineer for nothing.
 
As they walked out on floor for the wedding dance, Vicki told me she was not nervous in the slightest. In fact she was looking forward to it! She said Johnny may have been a little nervous, but he certainly didn’t show it. They were so in control as they danced that even a minor glitch didn’t stop them. Early in the dance the strap on one of Vicki’s shoes slipped loose. Vicki said she limped for three beats, then hesitated long enough to lift her dress and reach down to adjust the strap without even losing her stride. Such poise! Their emergency plans paid off as Johnny immediately returned to a Basic. It was all done so smoothly Vicki doubted anyone even noticed.

Her father was so proud of Vicki!! He said she looked like she was floating out there. This makes sense because a well-danced Waltz literally makes a woman with a lovely gown appear to glide across the floor like no other dance can. It must have been wonderful to watch these two well-trained, well-prepared dancers in action!
 
Vicki said when the song was over, 200 people stood up and cheered and applauded with a roar! They had been treated to a marvelous exhibition of dance. It was very inspiring!
 
After the wedding, Johnny and Vicki honeymooned at Playa del Carmen, a resort near Cancun in Mexico. They spent an entire week in Paradise without a care in the world.
 
However, they had a BIG SURPRISE waiting for them when they returned to Houston. Vicki picked up her answering messages. One of the first messages was from her mother announcing that the two were not legally married after all. What? Vicki was stunned.
 
Once she resumed breathing, Vicki listened carefully. It turned out that Johnny had not signed his name on the marriage license. This was due to the fact that Vicki had obtained the license on a visit to her home town one day while Johnny was still in Houston. The plan was for Johnny to sign it on the wedding day. However by the time the wedding rolled around, everyone had completely forgotten. Vicki’s mother said they had two days left before the 10-day expiration date kicked in and voided the marriage!!
 
Johnny and Vicki quickly got in their car and drove to Louisiana. Simultaneously her parents did the same thing and drove towards Houston. Somewhere around Beaumont they met. Johnny hastily signed the license in time for the parents to take it to the courthouse the next morning.
 
Life can be so complicated!!

SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 27 –
PATRICIA OR AND DAVID HOLMES GET MARRIED!!

Editor’s Note: On Saturday, November 8, SSQQ Swing Instructor Patty Or, affectionately known to me and to her friends at SSQQ as Patty O, married David Holmes. Patty is a lovely young lady who moved to the United States from Hong Kong shortly before the Chinese Takeover in 1997. She arrived here in the States just in time to participate in the 90s Swing Dance Revival.

Patty is too modest to take credit for creating the Revival herself, but I can tell you she was instrumental in promoting Swing Dancing in Houston. Patty worked tirelessly creating one Swing dance venue after another for several years just so she and her friends could Swing dance practically every night of the week.


Although I was thrilled when Patty said she had gotten engaged, I was also a bit sad for a very odd reason. I myself had coined the silly nickname “Patty O” and had grown fond of using it. Somehow Patty K or Patty Z or whatever her new last name was going to be probably wouldn’t have the same ring to it. When I pointed out I would miss calling her “Patty O” I was surprised to find that she actually liked the nickname too! This is something I was not aware of. Furthermore I discovered from Patty that a lot of her friends liked to call her “Patty O” as well.

I asked Patty what her fiancés name was. Patty said it was “David Holmes”. She immediately went deep into thought, then came back with a smile. Patty suggested I simply add an “H” to the end of her nickname!

So now we have the lovely Patty OH on the staff. Patty is too adorable.

By the way, if you visit her web site, you will see some of the finest pictures of the famous sights of Las Vegas I have ever seen!! (go to www.pattyanddavid.info ) If pictures tell the story, she and David had a heck of a fun honeymoon!
 
Here is the story of Patty Oh’s wedding in her own words:

“David & I met a year and a month before the wedding. Him being a computer expert and highly musical, and me being in the financials and heavily addicted to dancing; we love music all the same. After one year of planning, getting all the details nailed down... it was the big day. Our nuptial took place on November 8th of 2003. We decided that it would be a good date because the year before we had beautiful weather.

However, during the date, the weather was quite gloomy, not necessary a bad thing because it was perfect for taking pictures and boy do we have tons. The good thing was that the morning of the wedding, I was basically resolved to whatever. Meaning that if something were to go wrong, and I’ve been confirmed by many that it will, I said to myself, there’s nothing to be done about that, just go with the flow.

The bad thing was that there were a few miscommunications, the topper wasn’t on top of the cake, the doors weren’t open when we got there. But I didn’t sweat, just go with the flow. As you can see on the pictures, the Swing lessons David took for the 3 months prior paid off, and the private lesson with Judy in Waltz/Box step didn’t look too shabby either.

Advice to many future brides: 1, don’t sweat the family, even if they don’t get along, they will behave. 2, It doesn’t hurt to do a last minute private lesson just to brush up a little before the big day. We did, and it turned out great!
Love, Patty O-H”

 SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 28 –
RACHEL SEFF AND DAVE KOENIG GET MARRIED!

I have known Rachel Seff for many many years. Rachel joined the SSQQ Staff in 1998. Her warmth, intelligence, and charisma made her one of the most popular instructors we have ever had. Whatever it was that the studio needed, Rachel was always game. If someone needed a sub, Rachel was incredibly giving with her time. If I needed a new crash course taught, Rachel was always game. Rachel loves to perform. Rachel taught belly dancing, she was the lead actress in one Lip Sync skit after another, she organized Christmas Carol singing at her house, and she became notorious for her unusually popular Dirty Dance class. I might add I never had the nerve to ask questions “why” her DD class was so popular. I just smiled and said “thank you”.


You might not know this, but Rachel was particularly good at matchmaking. Particularly in our romance record-setting year of 2000 where we had 30 different documented couples who met at the studio who either got engaged or married, Rachel claimed responsibility for pairing about half of these couples together personally. All year long Rachel and I had a good-natured competition about which of the two of us deserved more credit for assisting the various relationships along. Naturally Rachel claimed she won.

During this same time, I came to realize that Rachel was disappointed that she hadn’t found the right guy for herself. As she watched her friends get married, she wondered why with all her wit, beauty, education, business success, and sex appeal she couldn’t find a man to settle down with. Mind you, that was three years ago.
 
To say that Rachel was picky when it came to men was an understatement. She went about her affairs of the heart very methodically. She was determined not to make a mistake. And when she got depressed about waiting, she would confide her disappointments to me.
 
This said, when Rachel met Dave Koenig, I saw an immediate difference. She liked him a lot right from the start. So ladies, take some advice from Matchmaker Rachel - Do not compromise. Wait for the right guy. He will appear if you are patient enough.
 
Here are some thoughts Rachel shared with me about her courtship and her wedding:
 
“Ahhh…you want the scoop, eh?
 
I kissed a lot of frogs before finding my prince charming. I was in multiple different dating services, went to lots and lots of singles events, and literally forced myself to go to activities where I knew eligible men would be present.
 
In the end, I met my Prince Charming (Dave) through a colleague from work who was also a member of the dating service.  Susan had gone on a date with Dave.  A few days later, I asked her how it went.  She didn’t think he was a match for her, but she thought I might really like him. "Think about it, Rachel. He's from Boston, he likes to dance and he has a boat!!" (Those that know me know I am also from Boston, I love to dance, and love the water and the outdoors).
 
"Hmmm." I was a bit skeptical at first, but I trusted Susan. Thank goodness because she turned out to be right!  
 
Once Susan peaked my interest, I decided to send Dave an email: “My friend Susan thinks we might make a good match. Let me know if you’re interested.” He wrote back immediately and we had a nice ‘Email’ conversation.  
 
I told him a little about the dance studio. I casually mentioned I would be teaching a Belly Dance class, but Dave didn’t seem to pick up on the hint.
 
So on Saturday, November 9, 2002 (almost a year to the day of my marriage!!), I taught my belly dancing class. Then I stayed at the studio for the SSQQ Swing dance party. As I started to head home at 10:30 pm, another instructor, Jill Banta, asked me, "Have you met Dave?"
 
"What are you talking about?" I replied.
 
Jill said, “There's a guy here named Dave that asked me who you were and I pointed you out to him."
 
I responded, "Which guy?"
 
"Him," Jill said as she motioned toward handsome man in a white button-down shirt and red suspenders on a chair in the corner.
 
"That guy has been watching me all night!" I proclaimed.
 
So I proceeded to flirt about and walk back in forth in front of Dave a few times. No response. Finally, I waved at him and motioned I was leaving.
 
Dave stopped me as I was walking out of the studio.
 
"Hey!" he said. "When were you going to say hello?"
 
"When were you going to stop stalking me?" I replied with a flirt.
 
We sat on the sofas and talked for 30 minutes or so. It was a really good first conversation. Covered all of the basics….where are you from….what do you do…etc.
 
And the romance began! First date to dinner at Argentine Grill. He drove me home and immediately asked me out again. Second date to dinner and theatre downtown…and the moment he picked me up I knew this was one special guy. He was dressed in a handsome sport jacket, big smile, and a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses.
 
"This is it!" I told my girlfriends JoAnne Armstrong (Daryl’s wife) and Lisa Cloud as I gushed about him after our second date. Both cautioned me that I have met a lot of frogs in my day and not to get my hopes up that he was my prince.
 
And although we didn’t tell each other out loud, we both knew on the second date that this relationship felt very different than all the others. (But I think it was the belly dancing that really hooked him!)
 
Turns out, Dave also told his friend Jerry after our second date that he was pretty sure I was "the one." Jerry said no way and told him. So Dave bet him $100 and now he has to pay up!
 
Dave and I were married on November 8, 2003, exactly one year from when we met. We had a destination weekend wedding in Newport, RI, for close family and friends.     
 
My advice? Don’t give up! The only way you can meet someone is if your force yourself to get out and participate in activities where you will meet new people.    
 
And oh yeah, take my belly dance crash course in January. It will drive your potential mate crazy with enthusiasm!

Rachel Koenig”

 
(Editor’s Note: I found it interesting that Rachel, always the Matchmaker, actually met Dave through her friend Susan doing some matchmaking of her own. As they say, What Goes Around Comes Around. My guess is Rachel had some serious good karma to cash in on!
 
One of the ways the ssqq magic works is that many students invite their friends to come to the studio with them. The more targets for those floating pheromones to attack and attract, the more likely the chemistry will react. Or put more succinctly, the more the merrier.)

SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 29 – SSQQ INSTRUCTORS ANN BUSH AND BRIAN WHITE GET MARRIED!
 
Ann and Brian were married November 29. They just got back from their honeymoon in Hawaii only a couple days ago.
 
Here is what Ann White had to say about the wedding and the honeymoon:
 
“Brian and I were united in marriage on November 29, 2003 at Sagemont Church here in Houston. Both of our families were present to witness this special occasion.
 
On Sunday Brian and I left for our honeymoon, a week in Maui. We arrived in Maui, late Sunday afternoon, just in time to witness the end of their 6 year drought. It rained all day Monday and most of Tuesday. It rained so badly on Monday, in fact, that we ended up getting stranded in another town because the city shuttle bus service quit running because of the flooding.
 
Wednesday was also spent in the rain but that is because we took a tour of the rain forest side of the island.
 
Thursday was spent riding on Jet Ski's, parasailing and riding on the Sugar Cane Train which included a bar-b-q dinner and Hawaiian entertainment.
 
On Friday we went on a boat, with 120 other people, to go snorkeling off two other islan! ds, Molokini and Lanai.
 
Saturday, our final day on the island, (before we had to catch our flight at 7:30pm) was spent bike riding down Mt. Haleakala. This volcano has recently been reclassified as an active volcano in an uneruptive state. From the top of the volcano at 10,000 feet (43 degrees at the top) we coasted down the two lane road for 38 miles to end at the beach (80 degrees at the bottom).
 
We consider this last adventure to be our favorite of the trip although it was all very memorable.”
 
 

SSQQ SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE 30 – SSQQ INSTRUCTOR MICHELLE YEITER AND SCOTT KEEPERS GET ENGAGED!
 
Editor’s Note: The very lovely Michelle Yeiter helps teach Salsa at SSQQ on Tuesdays. Michelle and her handsome boyfriend Scott Keepers have been seen on many occasions in SSQQ Whip classes throughout the year.
 
In Michelle’s words:
 
“On Saturday evening, December 6, Scott and I were sitting quietly together on the couch at his house. We were in the living room in front of a colorfully lit Christmas tree and a fireplace flickering in the background. To my absolute surprise, Scott handed me a ring and asked me to marry him. He could not have picked a more romantic time.
 
I was very happy to say ‘Yes, Yes, Yes, and Yes!’“

CONCLUSION TO THE 2003 SLOW DANCE AND ROMANCE STORY.

I found interesting an interesting coincidence when I read the three stories of the November 8th SSQQ Brides. Did you notice that each lady got married practically the same time that her romance began one or two years earlier?
 
Vicki got engaged a year after she and Johnny had been dating and got married a year after her engagement. Patty got married a year and a month after she and David began dating. Rachel and Dave got married a year after they started dating.
 
What do you suppose is the reason behind the SSQQ Slow Dance and Romance Magic??

Try catching a butterfly.  It is a lot of work and not terribly satisfying because you have captured a living creature against its will.  But if you sit quietly in a garden with lots of butterflies, the odds are one will simply come sit on your shoulder.  The trick of course is to find the right garden with a lot of butterflies.

Love is the same way. If you chase love, it will flee from you.  But if you hang out in a safe, comfortable place like the studio where a lot of people enjoy being nice to one another, love just might come and sit down next to you one day.

I could be more analytical, but why bother?  Dance and Romance go hand in hand.  Let’s just leave it at that.

2003 was indeed a very good year for SSQQ Slow Dance and Romance.

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