Hello fellow dancers! My name is Anna Antonik. I will be your new writer/host for posts on the Humans of CDR (Country Dancers of Rochester) thread. I am excited to share stories of dancers, new and experienced, near and far, as we strive to stay connected during this time. May the joy and companionship of dancing and music bind us all together as colorful threads woven side by side to make a beautiful plaid!

My first post is in honor of outgoing CDR president, Dave (Bippy) Boyer. Dave wears many hats in our community, including PR Director, photographer, cartoonist and caricaturist, friend, and avid dancer! Dave greets everyone with a smile and always goes out of his way to make you feel welcome and at home. Did you know Dave has twice written to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II about CDR? He has received two letters in response from the senior lady-in-waiting, the Honourable Mary Morrison, who is one of Her Majesty’s most trusted attendants. In Dave’s year of service to his fellow dancers, he has certainly left us a legacy to be remembered for years to come!

Now, Dave’s dancing experience in his own words:

I was first introduced to square dancing when dating my wife Cindy Boyer in Middletown, NY. She had relatives with an old time band that played at square dances. When I came up to Rochester to finish my electrical engineering degree at R.I.T, dance caller Richard Kastner reached out and introduced me to contra (around 1976) at the student alumni union (SAU) building on campus. Later, Cindy and I did a lot of ECD public performances as a members of caller Tom Bohrer’s “Wakefield Dancers” for around 20 years. This brought me much closer to CDR, where I really do enjoy both contra and ECD. I’ve been to Pinewoods three times during “Campers Week.” And I do view us as an extended dance family.

My favorite part of contra is when I’m stuck by “the dance trance” and get that “feeling of syncopation” when the caller, dancers, and live music all come together perfectly. (There’s nothing else like it!!) One of my happiest dance moments was at a contra featuring Chuck Abell’s Blue Dance Band which sometimes sings while we dance. That night, I knew all the words to the Del Shannon song, “RUNAWAY,” so I sang and danced, too. It was perfect!! I’m now over 65 but hope to dance much more! I once asked a contra dancer, “How are you?” They said, “As long as I’m dancing, I’m fine.” I agree with that.