For awhile my friend, Deana, wanted to recruit me to join the dance team, West Coast Country Heat. Eventually, I did audition for a spot on the team. I practiced, and practiced so much. We reviewed the 10 country line dances needed to demonstrated in order to join with the dedication to team’s performances, parades, and appearances.
I think we were dating at the time, so we were paired up as dancing partners because we were about the same height; not because of the relationship. Team Captain, Jen, would allow it as long as no drama surrounded it. Cool with me.
After some time with the team as supporter by documenting the team events with photos, and video, and also being on the team, at my Clark Kent Job, I accepted a promotion. Effectively, ending my participation with the team.
It broke my heart to discuss with Jen to be inactive on the roster.
I’m confident that while I am no longer an active participant of WCCH, I will always be a West Coast Country Heat Dancer. I consider them family, hoping that they, TOO, consider me family.
That means, supporting the team from afar in Tempe, AZ.
Speaking of drama, and the lack of it, this year at Emerald City Hoedown 2024, there was a ton of that. I usually “stay in my lane” as an avoidance to adding fuel to the gossip fire. In Lindsey’s own words, here’s what happened …
Emerald City Hoedown 2024
Over the last two days, we have been answering dozens of calls and messages from friends and family. Feelings have ranged all the way from outrage to sympathy to disbelief. We want to make sure there is complete understanding and truth surrounding the events of Saturday.
I’ll try to make this as short as possible. Our Dance Team along with a few others were scheduled to perform at the Emerald City Hoedown in Seattle on Saturday. They’ve been asking us for three years to perform but because of their Covid restrictions, we have been unable to until this year. Dance teams work their boots off preparing for performances like these. Extra practices, babysitters, ferry rides, hours upon hours of practice and commute time and time away from their families. We all were very excited to perform for this event.
Unfortunately, what our team was met with upon arrival was that our flag tops were offensive to some of the convention goers. There was a small group that felt “triggered and unsafe”. They had several claims for this reasoning. Mostly associated with the situation in Palestine and the Trans community in America.
At first we were told we would just be boo’d, yelled at and likely many of them would walk out. This did not deter us. But then we were given an ultimatum: Remove the flag tops and perform in either street clothes (which most didn’t bring as they traveled there in their uniforms) or they would supply us with ECH shirts from years past… Or, don’t perform at all, which effectively was asking us to leave.
Also, here is a link to their website that shows the pictures of our teams in our uniforms. So they would have known what we were going to wear. http://emeraldcityhoedown.com/danceteams.asp
We don’t speak for our team, we speak on behalf of them so the choice was theirs. As we knew would happen because there really was no choice in our minds, it was a unanimous NO. We were not alone in this.
Our friends, West Coast Country Heat, who were also scheduled to dance for the convention that evening also did not perform as they too proudly don the colors of our country in the same spirit of patriotism that we do. Both of our teams stood in solidarity and put actions to words.
Now, for the silver lining.
Firstly, watching these teams band together was the greatest performance I’ve ever seen. These people are strong, resolute and unwavering in their patriotism. They are the families and friends of people who have suffered the unimaginable so that we may all have our own opinions and sleep soundly in our beds at night. THAT is why we wear the colors. Because although we may not always agree with the current state of things, we recognize that being an American means true FREEDOM.
We all understood and accepted this and walked out with class and dignity despite the discrimination we had experienced. Secondly, the support that we got from the majority of the community and even several of the organizers was amazing. We had individuals from ALL walks of life approach us and the message was clear “we want you”.
The outpouring of love and respect was inspiring. There was also a lot of disappointment there. Disappointment in the community they are supposed to feel safe in. Disappointment that the spirit of this event, which is to share our love of country dance, was overshadowed by the political opinions of a small percentage.
We only wanted to entertain.
We didn’t get to do that but we did get to make new friends and build some bridges that maybe wouldn’t have been possible without this incident. Ill leave it with this.
May you never find yourself in a position where your freedom truly is taken from you. May you always have the choice to agree or disagree with whatever situation you find yourself in. And may you always protect someone else’s freedom to do the same. Whether it be in your favor or not.
I added nothing to that passage, because it was perfect. Then wind of this hit news channels such as FOX NEWS, and KING 5 NEWS.
I did read every word of several news articles, which I feel KING 5 covered it best with the most objective tone to it. FOX NEWS seemed to be angling for a more incendiary tone.
The following was the best outcome of all of this …
Since the events that transpired in April surrounding the discrimination of our patriotic themed uniforms, the support we’ve received from our community and our country has been overwhelmingly supportive! We never imagined that speaking out against the discrimination we experienced would become not only Nationwide but worldwide news. Because of the support shown by our fellow Patriots by sharing our story we have had many individuals reach out to us with requests to perform.
One of these requests was in the form of an invitation by the selection chair of the D-Day parade committee. Presented by Historic Programs, this organization produces four officially recognized D-Day ceremonies and the D-Day Parade in Normandy, France each June. These events include the two wreath laying ceremonies at the American Cemeteries in Normandy France. We have included the link here below to the organizers website.
Again, I’m supporting the dance teams the best I can via my own website, my own little area of the interwebs. Thank you for reading Red, White, and YOU.
If you can financially support their efforts, we would be grateful.
los, Fil-Am Renaissance Man 