NASSPDA event raises funds for California Gay Games DanceSport participants

An extract from a great article in the Sacramento Press on the third annual Dancing in the River City Same-Sex Dance Competition in Sacramento, California:

The North American Same-Sex Partner Dance Association (NASSPDA) 2011 California State titles were awarded in the day-long competition.

Competitors included several current and former world, European and national champions, and competitors from “So You Think You Can Dance.” Local dancers from beginner status through professional instructors showed off their best moves to an appreciative audience.

Four years ago, a group of same-sex dancers in Sacramento created a partnership, raising funds to send dancers to the international Gay Games, an Olympics-style competition of 35 different sports. By organizing the annual Dancing in the River City competition and dance shows, the group was able to sponsor 10 dancers to the 2010 Gay Games in Cologne, Germany.
Cindy Mills has been dancing for eight years and has seen the same-sex dance phenomenon grow with every event.

“Ballroom dancing takes years to master, and the level of dancing in Sacramento is getting higher all the time,” she said.

“We (U.S. dancers) did very well in Cologne. U.S. dancers are finally starting to catch up with European dancers who have had structured same-sex ballroom for far longer,” Mills continued.

Mills won gold and silver medals in Cologne with her Latin dance partner, Elly Bishop. Mills and her partner of 25 years, Annette Wegesend, are instrumental in organizing and producing this annual dance event.

She said she hopes to send even more dancers to the 2014 Gay Games in Cleveland. Proceeds from the annual competition and show go to fund that endeavor.

Dancing With Pride, the same-sex dance instruction program at The Ballroom, is led by Robbie Tristan, a three-time world champion with European titles and Gay Games gold medals to his credit.

Read the full article, with plenty of great photos, HERE.