Pride Guide 2005 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

B-5

Dancing to a more colorful life, a two-step at a time

by Leslie Nelson

Cleveland-The Rainbow Wranglers are Cleveland's only lesbian-gay contemporary country dance club. The club was founded in 1991 by members of the Cleveland City Country Dancers, their sister square dance club.

The club promotes fun and fellowship through dancing, and strives to enhance the lifestyles of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people, as well as their friends in the community. The club meets to dance every Sunday night at the Shed bar at West 29th St. and Detroit Ave. in Ohio City, at 7 pm. Not only is it a great way to make new friends and meet people, it's also terrific aerobic exercise.

The Wranglers provide free beginner and intermediate lessons every Sunday night from 7 pm to 8 pm. Open dancing begins at 8 pm until 10 pm. Dance experience is not necessary. Western attire is not required, although you may see lots of Stetsons, jeans and cowboy boots. A hard-soled shoe or boot is recommended.

The Rainbow Wranglers will be performing at Cleveland Pride this year, so stop by and see what they're about. Look for them on the schedule of events.

In addition to weekly dancing, the Rainbow Wranglers participate in and perform for many Cleveland events, and for many businesses and charitable organizations. They also do some fundraising for designated charities in Cleveland, such as the Lesbian-Gay Center and the Public Animal Welfare Society.

The Wranglers hold two major fundraising events each year. Roundup, held every April, is a three-day dance weekend providing dance instruction, workshops, and much more. The gala event of the weekend is the Colonel's Ball, held traditionally at historic Grays Armory in downtown Cleveland. Here you'll see special performances by dance clubs from other cities, as well as exhibitions from the Rainbow Wranglers. The group holds raffles, and a silent auction where you can find many

PATTI HARRIS

The Rainbow Wranglers dance at the Colonel's Ball in Grays Armory on April 23.

fine gifts and handcrafted items. All proceeds from the weekend benefit one of our designated charities.

The second fundraising event occurs each fall. The Rainbow Wranglers host a hayride at Boyert's Farm in Seville, in southern Medina County. Here, you can enjoy the beautiful fall weather with a ride on a hay wagon to Boyert's

pumpkin patch, warm up by a bonfire, enjoy a complimentary hot dog and cider, and participate in our barn dance. Again, all proceeds are donated to charity.

Membership to the Rainbow Wranglers is only $25, and is open to any person who supports the purposes of the club. If you think country dancing may be for

you, why not come down on any Sunday night to the Shed and give it a try? For like more information, please call 216-228-7145, or visit www.rainbowwranglers.org.

Leslie Nelson is the president of the Rainbow Wranglers.

Michael Day

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