1024 Opening Dance
Planning Committee Sponsored

The opening dance for the 2002 General Assembly in beautiful Quebec City was a blast! It was great seeing so many UUs cutting loose while cutting the rug. The ballroom at Lowe's LeConcorde was awash with multicolored lights flashing across the ceiling and through the crowd.

The band, Tuxedo Orchestra, played some of our favorite dance tunes from the eighties, nineties and today. We danced to everything from Frank Sinatra to Donna Summers to Shania Twain to Britney Spears.

Something not typically seen at your local nightclub, our UU dance floor was a multi-generational mélange of dancers and dance styles. The dancing reflected our diversity. Those who lived through the Chubby Checker years did the twist to perfection, while those born a bit later gyrated in their own inimitable frenetic style.

At one point, during "Voulez-vous Coucher Avec Moi," an impromptu conga line formed. UUs of every size, age, shape and color wound their way through the crowd, with more people joining the line every minute.

Lisa Ruckman, a delegate from the University UU Society of Orlando told this reporter that she was having a great time. A first timer to GA, Lisa's specialty on this night was swing dancing.

We met Lois DeRitter, a UU since 1978 and delegate from the First Unitarian Society of Plainfield, New Jersey and Arthur Thexton, a life-long UU from the James Reeb UU Congregation of Madison, Wisconsin. This was Arthur's fifth General Assembly appearance.

Barb and Mona, from the All Souls UU Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma stopped by for a couple of dances before heading out to some of Quebec City's local night spots.

It was a true pleasure spending time with Evan, Jessica, Katie and Kendra. These four, aged 17 to 18, came up to this year's GA as members of the Youth Caucus. Katie and Kendra will be leading an anti-discrimination workshop. Jessica will be assisting in a panel discussion focusing on DRUMM and accountability. Evan came along as their support staff!

Liz Saunders, the GA Special Events Coordinator and brains behind tonight's successful welcoming dance was thrilled at the success of this event. She said that planning activities such as tonight's fête come naturally to her, given her "real" job as an administrator for the First Unitarian Church of Toronto.

Septuagenarians John and Anne Sears, of the UU Church at Washington's Crossing in Titusville, New Jersey, perhaps summed it up best when, as this reporter was leaving at 12:30 a.m., they said, "You can't leave now. This party's just getting started!"

Reporter Phil Hoffman; Web Designer Julie Albanese

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