HSDS - SSQQ Controversy 1999
Written by Rick Archer 
last update: May 2005
 

1999 - SSQQ and HSDS Turf Wars 1999 would best be described as "Cold War" between the two organizations. Certainly nothing happened to even remotely rival the venom of the Harvest Moon Ball incident the previous year. After the Harvest Moon Ball debacle, Judy moved inside the Citadel known as Fort SSQQ.  For the most part, HSDS left her alone.  And whatever trouble they stirred up, I started to handle it.   Judy just wanted to hide.

For the better part of the year, the most irritating problem was the constant presence of dancers loyal to HSDS at our huge SSQQ Monday Night Swing Practice Nights. These people were more of a nuisance than a threat. They felt it was their sacred duty to do an HSDS Jehovah Witness routine. They tried all sorts of ploys to convert SSQQ students into HSDS students.

The simplest trick was to simply ask someone to dance. Afterwards they would invite them to come dancing at Numbers, a horrible dive in the Montrose area that was a favorite HSDS hangout on Tuesdays. Another trick was to ask the SSQQ student if they wanted to join a general Swing Dance email list. They would then be sent regular emails that promoted HSDS to the exclusion of SSQQ. This was their most effective trick because it was gentle and unobtrusive. There was no put-down of SSQQ in the act, but the emails to come were quite persuasive in publicizing HSDS classes and events.

Not every one had the sense to use the soft touch. The more aggressive people would simply tell the student about HSDS classes and invite them to come over. They would then hand the student a schedule of classes. It quickly grew old picking up HSDS schedules left behind that someone had handed to one of our students during Practice Night. One night I caught some guy doing it and tossed him out. I did not find any more schedules after that.

Sometimes HSDS people were outright unethical. On two different occasions in 1999 two different people solicited email addresses right in the middle of one of our Swing classes!   The first time was a person who was signed up for an SSQQ class. During Break they approached everyone of their classmates and asked for their address so they could send them email notices of "upcoming dance events on the Houston Swing Scene".   The second time was anecdotal. One of my instructors saw someone collecting email addresses during Break and came and got me. Unfortunately when I went to check on it, the person was no longer in sight.

As you can imagine, these little ploys were quite effective, especially the "Houston Swing Scene" technique. As I said previously, once a person was signed up on an email list, they would not only receive information about dance events, they would also receive information about upcoming HSDS dance classes. The recurring theme of "Lie, cheat, and steal" had reared its ugly head again. Unfortunately it was working. Judy and I could tell throughout 1999 that HSDS was quickly closing the gap with SSQQ in terms of class size and number of talented dancers.  Finally we decided we had had enough. We forbade the practice of collecting emails on the premises. Plus we began to watch Monday Night Practice Night like a hawk.  People noticed and word got out.  The recruiting process quickly slowed down under our vigilance. After we were forced to kick another generation of HSDS agents out of our studio, a sullen truce between the camps settled in. 1999 was another good year for both organizations. Judy's Swing team may have lost some of its glory during the Harvest Moon Ball fiasco in late 1998, but they bounced back quickly.  Several members had left the team to move on to other things. Fortunately Judy had a whole list of people trying to get on the team, so as they say she "reloaded". Feeding off the enthusiasm of the new dancers, the second generation of Skirts and Mugz were ready to perform again in January 1999.

CROWNING MOMENT OF TRIUMPH: JAN 1999 SWING EXTRAVAGANZA

This was the date of the first SSQQ Swing Extravaganza.  The idea was to have an entire day of Swing Workshops. These would be followed later that night with a big dance featuring a live band and a performance by the Skirts and Mugz. Frankly, the night was a huge success.

The highlight of the evening was a sensational dance performance. In the past year, Judy Archer had trained a sensational Swing Dance team known as the "Swinging Skirts and Mugz".  Judy was looking for a way to show them off at the studio. This is where the idea for the Extravaganza came from.

The Swing Team consisted of 7 couples including Judy Archer and Andrew Wupper, Jerry Randall and Yvonne Evrard, Maureen Brunetti and Chris Richie, Kara Smith and John Covey, Steven Harmeyer and Erica Vogtsberger, Neal Pellis and Aimee Clark, plus Anthony and Kilyn Bernabeo.  At some point Beth Nickerson and Heather Jernigan joined as well. This was a very talented group of dancers. The crowd absolutely loved them.

The Skirts & Mugz danced a high-energy performance to the Brian Setzer song Jump, Jive, and Wail. You may remember this was the music played in the famous Gap commercial. This song was originally sung by famous Big Band singer Louis Prima, but the Setzer remake was sexy and scintillating. The dancers went crazy and so did their admiring audience!

To read more about this event, click 1999 Swing Extravaganza

The Second Swing Extravaganza in April 1999 was good, but like most "sequels" it lacked the drama and spark of the first event.  The summer presenting an exciting adventure for the Skirts and Mugz. Judy Archer had been contacted in the spring  by John Axelrod, the director of a local symphony known as Orchestra X.  Mr. Axelrod was in the process of preparing his symphony to play several nights Big Band Swing Music as part of the grand reopening of the Rice Hotel in downtown Houston. John Axelrod wanted dancers to accompany their music and asked Judy to help. The Skirts and Mugz were thrilled to be part of this prestigious event. They rehearsed very hard and had a blast dancing for Orchestra X. At the Rice Hotel event, they received much acclaim for their dancing with Orchestra X. Consequently Judy began to field a steady stream of requests for her Swing Team to perform.  Overnight Judy had an impressive list of performances lined up for her Swing Team. However sad to say the Orchestra X adventure proved to be the last hurrah for the Skirts and Mugz.

The Pizza Rebellion

Judy had pushed the team hard to prepare for their Orchestra X performance. One indication of their obvious success was the number of opportunities that had opened up as a result. Judy immediately began talk of these new events and the need for even better technique. She was proud of her team, but like any good coach wasn't willing to settle for less than they were capable of.

Unfortunately Judy overlooked the symptoms of burnout. Every member on the team had real jobs.  They had been in non-stop training for a solid year. At the same time that Judy was talking more more more, several of the team members suggested less less less. Some began to complain about all the rehearsing. Others began to demand new routines.  Others weren't sure they were ready to commit to the ambitious performing schedule Judy had lined up for them that fall.

People began to complain and bicker. The team was tired out.

This led to the Pizza Rebellion. One night in August 1999, the team members met at Star Pizza behind Judy's back.  After letting off a lot steam and perhaps emboldened by too much beer, the team agreed to ask Judy to ease up on the training schedule. Her drive for perfection was wearing them out!

Two women in particular - Aimee Clark and Yvonne Evrard - were given responsibility for drafting a letter. Unfortunately the letter they wrote came across in a very harsh way. To show Judy that everyone supported the position, Aimee and Yvonne had the group sign it shortly before a rehearsal. (I had the chance to read the letter myself. In my opinion, the letter read more like an ultimatum than a request.)

Several people raised an eyebrow and said the letter had a much sharper edge to it than necessary. But there wasn't any time for a re-write because the meeting was in ten minutes. Peer pressure was exerted and eventually all the team members except Maureen Brunetti signed it.

At the beginning of Team Practice, they assembled for announcements. Someone handed Judy the letter to read while the rest of them watched in silence.

Judy turned stone cold.  Everyone was staring at her. Judging by the expression on her face, the group realized they had made a colossal blunder by forcing her to read the letter in public. There was no way she could mask how much this letter hurt. This was a deeply embarrassing moment for Judy, a moment that should have been avoided. Several of their requests had merit - especially the request for a little time off - but nevertheless Judy had done nothing to deserve this kind of slap in the face. The way it was presented reminded me of Julius Caesar's assassination at the Forum.    Et Tu, Yvonne?

The correct way to have handled this issue was to let a team leader ask to speak with Judy in private. Whatever their resentments were - training too much, too much repetition, not enough say-so or input in the choreography, too many performances - there was no excuse for this sort of public embarrassment. 

Judy had made this team the center of her attention for a long time. She had turned a bunch of amateurs into terrific dancers and never charged them even a cent for her time.  Now thanks to her they were all celebrities at the dance studio with a long line of people behind them hoping for a spot on the team.

Plus Judy had grown close to many of the team members.  The team was her family.

I don't know what they were thinking.

This was the last straw.  First Rowena, then the first Swing Team, then Carnell, then the Harvest Moon Ball, and now this. Judy had had enough. She shocked the entire group by telling them to get the hell out of her studio, a move I completely supported.

This was the end.

The blow of having the Swing Team turn on her hurt.  The Harvest Moon Ball incident was painful enough, but the people on the Swing Team were her friends.  Although slowly but surely she forgave several of the people, I don't think the pain of this rebellion ever really healed.
 

This is what Carnell had to say about the Pizza Rebellion. "Instead of attempting to smear Rowena with your vicious lies and malicious falsehoods, why not explain to your "loyal" students why Mrs. Archer FIRED the MUGS and Skirts and then changed the locks on the studio doors?  That would be an interesting tale to tell. By the way, they all came running to HSDS and volunteered all the nasty little details.  So watch what you say, Rick!   I know the REAL DEAL!" Carnell Pipkin

As you read this story, do you ever wonder if Carnell has a little Judy voodoo doll?  Or maybe even a dart board with her picture on it?   Carnell seems to relish in any opportunity to aggravate her. Somehow I got the feeling Carnell smiled at the demise of the Skirts and Mugz.  Now he had the Swing World all to himself. Indeed, Carnell was so tickled by the events he even threatened to "expose Judy".  So add Blackmail Threats to his charms.

The CLUB PICASSO Incident

In addition to As if Judy didn't have enough on her mind in August 1999 with the Pizza Rebellion, about the same time Carnell Pipkin popped back into the picture for another reason.

Carnell was still brooding about the previous year's issue of the Houston Press' "Best of Houston" that had declared SSQQ the best place to learn to swing dance in Houston.

So this year Carnell decided to manipulate the vote.  At the end of August 1999, Carnell Pipkin sent this email to members of HSDS:

From: Carnell Louis Pipkin
Date: August 30, 1999 9:22 PM
Subject: Houston Press Reader's Poll

Hi Guys,
It's time that we cast a vote for the Houston Swing Dance Society as being Houston's best place to swing dance! You can cast your vote on-line at http://www.houston-press.com/boh99/

It's item 33 on the second page. Let Houston know that the best and ONLY place to swing dance is with the Houston Swing Dance Society. It don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing!!

The Pip 

After the Harvest Moon Ball travesty, it didn't take much for Carnell to get under my skin.  This letter served to irritate me even further.

I did not appreciate Carnell telling the world that HSDS was the "ONLY" place in Houston to Swing Dance. Although he was entitled to his opinion about HSDS being the "best", I think his capitalized use of the word "ONLY" was unnecessary as well as inaccurate. The feud was back. 
 
I was amused about one thing though.  Carnell's agents had gotten so many email addresses from SSQQ students during their little Monday night raids that now his own email list was rife with people who didn't care much for his tactics.  His get out the vote letter kind of backfired when a dozen copies of Carnell's email were forwarded to me.

I turned around and published his comments in the SSQQ Newsletter.

We all had a little chuckle at his braggadocio.

We found his words even funnier when we learned SSQQ beat out HSDS again without even trying, but more about that later. 

Carnell had learned the hard way that he would have to watch what he said in print from now on. 

A New Sheriff in Town This incident was notable because it was the first time Carnell had ever been slapped down publicly by something I wrote. Up to now, HSDS and Carnell didn't appreciate my stories about how SSQQ had won the Houston Press awards.  But when I published Carnell's nonsense about manipulating the Houston Press awards and his organization still lost, I imagine it stuck in his craw. After the Harvest Moon Ball, there had been two new developments.  Throughout 1999, I had begun publishing a monthly SSQQ Newsletter.  We emailed this Newsletter to a growing list of students each month.  The Newsletter was mostly full of gossip about things going on at the studio plus who was getting married, but I had discovered my writing was an effective way to keep HSDS in line as well. Judy was content to stay out of my way.  As I had long suspected, HSDS was pretty easy to lampoon once Judy took my shackles off.  There was a new Sheriff in town. In the meantime, The Feud continued (albeit in a deeply silly way) as the results of the hotly-contested Houston Press "Best of" issue were about to be released.

A New Player Enters the Scene

About three weeks after Carnell's email, I received a peculiar email from someone named "Brian Olson". I had no idea who Brian Olson was, but his questions had an odd feel to them. The wording and the spin definitely served to raise my eyebrow. I smelled a trap!

From: Brian Olson [brian@macaroni.org]
Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 1999 2:45 PM
To: dance@ssqq.com
Subject: swing questions

Rick,

I'm curious about some of the things you mention on the SSQQ website... Please forgive me for being straightforward. My curiosity just got the best of me. I have no intention of being rude. 

What does SSQQ stand for?

You stated, "SSQQ was named last year as the leading Swing Studio in Houston." Who awarded this title? I didn't notice the awarding institution mentioned along with the statement. 

Out of 17 paragraphs on the http://ssqq.com/information/swnghis3.htm page, there were 8 paragraphs about Judy and 2 about Frankie Manning.  Nothing about George "Shorty" Snowden, Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, Black Bottom, How the Lindy Hop got it's name, Big Bea, and so on. If I missed these people/topics, I apologize for not looking closer. It seemed a little biased toward someone I had never heard of. And Congratulations to Judy for her hard work in such a new area!

I didn't find any pictures of your students.

Do you have workshops with visiting instructors from other clubs, cities or countries?

I couldn't find links to other clubs in Houston or other cities you may have connections with. Where can one find info on other clubs to dance in Houston other than SSQQ?

The SSQQ website makes SSQQ seem pretty isolated from the rest of the Swing World. Is this just an oversight on my part or does SSQQ not associate with other clubs?

Curious, Brian

As I mentioned, I had no idea who Brian Olson was, so I responded to his questions as I do with any inquiry: I told the truth.

Here is what I replied.

From: Rick Archer
Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 1999 5:03 PM
To: 'Brian Olson'
Subject: RE: swing questions

Brian, my answers are below in blue,
Rick Archer

-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Olson [SMTP: brian@macaroni.org]
Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 1999 2:45 PM
To: dance@ssqq.com
Subject: swing questions

Rick,

I'm curious about some of the things you mention on the SSQQ website...Please forgive me for being straightforward. My curiosity just got the best of me. I have no intention of being rude.

What does SSQQ stand for? Slow slow quick quick

You stated, "SSQQ was named last year as the leading Swing Studio in Houston." Who awarded this title? I didn't notice the awarding institution mentioned along with the statement. The Houston Press

Out of 17 paragraphs on the http://ssqq.com/information/swnghis3.htm page, there were 8 paragraphs about Judy and 2 about Frankie Manning. Nothing about George "Shorty" Snowden, Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, Black Bottom, How the Lindy Hop got it's name, Big Bea, and so on. If I missed these people/topics, I apologize for not looking closer. It seemed a little biased toward someone I had never heard of. And Congratulations to Judy for her hard work in such a new area. When writing about history, I prefer to talk about what I know.  These topics you refer to are covered in great length on other web sites. 

I didn't find any pictures of your students.  and? 

Do you have workshops with visiting instructors from other clubs, cities or countries?  No

I couldn't find links to other clubs in Houston or other cities you may have connections with. There are none.

Where can one find info on other clubs to dance in Houston other than SSQQ?  Try a web search on "swing + Houston"

The SSQQ website makes SSQQ seem pretty isolated from the rest of the Swing World. Is this just an oversight on my part or does SSQQ not associate with other clubs?  We pretty much go our own way.

Curious, Brian

 
After I sent the email, later the same day I received this reply from Brian Olson: 

From: Brian Olson [brian@macaroni.org]
Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 1999 5:33 PM
To: Rick Archer
Subject: Re: swing questions

Rick,

Thanks for taking the time to respond so quickly. I appreciate the time you took to answer most of my questions. I don't think SSQQ is what I'm looking for though. I was hoping for something a little more involved in the real Swing Scene.

Thanks anyway.  Good luck and have a great day!  Brian

More about Club Picasso So Who is Brian Olson?

I finally learned who Brian Olson was in a curious way.  Two days after receiving the above reply, I discovered he has another email address in addition to "macaroni.org".

It turned out his other email address was "webmaster@hsds.org" 

I wonder why Brian Olson didn't bother to tell me this in the first place?

Here is how I discovered who Brian Olson is.  One of my students who had been recruited by HSDS via email sent me this.  Check the name at the end. 

-----Original Message-----
From: webmaster@hsds.org
To: hsds@onelist.com
Date: September 23, 1999 7:13 AM
Subject: From the HSDS Announcement list... Best of Houston 1999 - Houston Press Reader's Poll

From: webmaster@hsds.org

Well good news!

The Houston Press has released it's Best of Houston 1999 Reader's Poll results. 

I hate to ruin things for you, but I'm going away for the weekend and decided to splatter this blurb across your computer screen. The results are somewhat bittersweet. And I'm sure you all hate suspense. 

SSQQ did not win!  But, neither did we. A resounding "WHAT? Then who did?" can be heard all over right now. That's the bittersweet part. Incidentally, this year's slot was "Best place to Swing Dance in Houston," as opposed to last year's "Best Place to LEARN to Swing Dance in Houston." As most of you voted, the Orchid Lounge had already closed and so this year's winner lost a huge competitor. Any guesses?  No?  Well for those of you that have had the compassion and patience to dance with me on Tuesday nights (the webmaster in the silly pants) you've done so at... Club Picasso.  Yeah!!

I think Picasso deserves the fame. They are cool, have a good dance floor, great atmosphere, live music, Heather's dance instruction, great staff and lots of HSDS people on Tuesday nights. I also think that this is a sign that my goal for next year, besides getting more silly pants, is to promote the HSDS and Swing for all it's worth! We need to make a good showing at Club Picasso next week and congratulate them and show our community support. 

Until next time.... Keep swingin! 

Brian Olson,  Webmaster - HSDS

What an interesting way to learn who Brian Olson is!!  I wonder why he didn't have enough class to identify himself in the first place.

Meanwhile, I opened up the Houston Press issue.

I have never met Brian Olsen. There may be a chance the guy is blind.  You never know.  After all, how did he miss seeing the caption that identified SSQQ as the winner?  After all, it was on the same page as the Picasso story. I doubt Brian was blind, but I do think he read the issue with blinders on. Do you still wonder why I do not like the people who run HSDS?  They don't play fair.

 CHAPTER FOUR - 2000