How long have you been a member of Times Squares?
C: I took the mainstream class starting fall of 2014 and officially joined the club in 2015.
J: Since 2015
Why did you join? Who convinced you?
C: My parents took up square dancing in Minnesota and it always looked like so much fun. I first learned square dancing many years ago in San Francisco and Marin and also danced in Hawaii. No convincing necessary!
J: Cindy wanted to relearn square dancing.
Where did you grow up? What brought you to New York City?
C: My Dad was an engineer with Bechtel, so the long version is: Manhattan, Broomall PA, Princeton Junction, NJ, Fords, NJ, Marquette MI, San Mateo CA, Hibbing MN, Red Lake Ontario, Baie Comeau, Quebec, Beaconsfield, Quebec, Arles, France, Versoix-Geneva, Switzerland. I came back to NYC to live with Jonathan.
J: Honolulu. I came to New York City to go to law school.
What is something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know?
C: Usually when I am asked for a fun fact about myself, I get a good reaction when I tell people that I square dance with a gay club in the West Village – but you already know that! Iâm a polyglot. Living in Quebec and France I learned to speak French well, studied a bit of German, and in college I spent my junior year in Kyoto, Japan studying Japanese language and culture.
J: I once had dreams of dancing professionally (modern dance). That dream ended when I was hit by a car and my leg was broken.
What else do you enjoy beyond square dancing?
C: I love watching foreign movies and visiting Botanic Gardens and art museums. We once ran into Dom and Rick at the MFA in Boston.
J: Going to museums. Practicing Tai Chi.
What are you reading/watching?
C: Just started reading the 2021 book âMatrixâ by Lauren Groff set in 1158. It is being discussed in an online book club Get Lit in October. (Get Lit with All Of It is a monthly on-air, social media, and live stream book club, hosted by Alison Stewart of WNYCâs All Of It.) I was able to borrow a digital version from the NYPL and Iâm totally captivated. Iâve recently enjoyed watching some Korean series on Netflix like The Mystic Popup Bar and Hotel Del Luna. A favorite Japanese series is Midnight Diner – also the claymation series Rilakkuma.
J: Japanese anime, The Queenâs Gambit
How did you two meet? Was it across a crowded dance floor?
C: We first met when we were both undergrads at Carleton College in Minnesota.
J: Cindy dated a friend of mine.
What is the biggest strength of your relationship?
C: We are best friends and enjoy many of the same activities.
J: Our ability to tolerate each otherâs bad habits?
Describe your perfect afternoon together. (NOTE: They did not compare answers before submitting)
C: A nice lunch at a museum cafe followed by a docent led tour of a museum exhibit.
J: A leisurely lunch at a good restaurant followed by a visit to a museum with a special exhibition
