I’m a sixth-generation Texan, and Alexsis is from rural Texas, so country dancing has always been a natural part of our surroundings.
But growing up, Alexsis never really felt comfortable dancing with guys. Then, lo and behold, she came out as gay… and the awkwardness made a lot more sense.
“I wanted to give dancing another shot, but there were two problems,” Alexsis said, “I have two left feet and there aren’t exactly a lot of dance halls with rainbow flags hanging out front.”
Luckily, in the heart of Dallas’ Oak Lawn neighborhood, there’s a western-themed nightclub called Round-Up Saloon. And almost every night of the week, you can pick up a country dance lesson.
Alexsis got to talk to the two Chris's behind it.
“We've been traveling for a couple of years to the various gay country dance conventions, doing what we call hoedowns. And it got us thinking; we don't have a hoedown in Dallas yet,” said Chris Perkic. He’s the co-founder of Dallas Does Dance alongside Chris Davis.
The two began with a dance club, but as interest in queer line dancing grew, they wanted to bring people together under one group.
“There were folks who were forming groups. We started to break down those cliques and make it more cohesive. We want everyone to be part of this dance community,” Davis said.
Alexsis discovered the Dallas Does Dance classes a few months ago when she was out with friends on the Cedar Springs Strip.
“I didn’t have my boots on me then, but I came back later with them and my girlfriend,” Alexsis said.
As it turns out, she could have skipped the boots. On the night we were there, most of the two dozen participants—and the instructors—were wearing sneakers.
If you ask the regulars, they’ll tell you the whole point is making everyone feel welcome — even if you show up in sneakers.
Alex Rodriguez says he’s relatively new to Dallas Does Dance, but he’s been coming to Round-Up for years.
“They're going to find a very, very inclusive and supportive environment with both of the Chris's and anybody that teaches with Dallas Does Dance,” Rodriguez said. “They will make sure that no matter where you are in your dancing journey, you feel like you've achieved something after every lesson.”
While Round-Up offers dance lessons almost every night, Dallas Does Dance has made Tuesdays and Saturdays its own. And even for long-time members like Mabo, who preferred to go by just one name, there’s always something new to learn.
“Participants can be creative when they want to move to a more advanced level,” Mabo said. “There are no limitations.”
But for regulars and newcomers alike, the real draw is the people gathered around the dance floor.
“This place is welcoming,” Mabo said. “I want to dance with everybody. So, I'm looking for old friends and new friends. Hopefully, we can dance together.”
“Just do it,” said Rodriguez. “The instructors help every person achieve their level of comfortableness and everybody leaves the lesson feeling that they could do more going out and dancing in the wild."
“I may still have two left feet, but at least now I know a place where I feel comfortable learning and dancing with who I want.” Alexsis said, “And who knows? Maybe one day I’ll even lead.”
