Sonja Furiya

How are you actively and currently involved in same sex ballroom dance?

I have been an active member of our same-sex ballroom class-group, St Louis Equality Dance, since 2005, playing a leadership role in organizing classes, as well as being an assistant teacher during weekly beginner class sessions. Our group classes cover both Standard and Latin dances as well as some American ballroom dances. Our beginner class is growing steadily and we have an average of about 15-20 dancers each week. I believe my leadership initiatives have: 

• Encouraged our teacher to switch from teaching American to International style to facilitate community building and participation in gay dance events.
• Helped develop our weekly classes from one class to two classes per week as well as increased the number of active dancers.
• Encouraged some of our dancers to try competing: which has resulted in class trips to the NY competition in May 07, April Follies in 2009, and a prospective trip to Philadelphia for March 2010; and participation in the World Outgames in Copenhagen in Summer 2009 by three St Louis couples.

In addition, I moderate a list-serve to inform members and others of dance events in our area.

With my wife, Ann Taylor, I have competed (both Standard & Latin) all over the U.S. (Sacramento, Bay Area, NY, and Florida) and internationally (Canada & Denmark - OutGames and Netherlands - World Championships).

What relevant leadership experience, such as serving on a board of a membership driven or non-profit organization and/or experience in helping to create such an organization, do you have?

• As a member of the founding board of NASSPDA I am excited and proud of our accomplishments. I believe that NASSPDA provides a strong foundation for the growing same-sex dance community in North America. During my first term on the board I have:
• attended the majority of conference-call meetings as well as two of the three face-to-face meetings which were held during the initial two-year term.
• volunteered and am currently serving as Membership Chair.
• included my perspective as a dancer based in the Midwest in all discussions - trying to represent both competitive dancers and social dancers who do not have access to a strong same-sex dance community.
• In 2001, I helped form a non-profit organization for a local youth circus. I was the Treasurer on the founding board for 4 years, demonstrating the necessary trust and integrity to prepare budgets, write grants on behalf of others, and support and assist the Executive/Artistic Director with organizational and artistic issues.
• In my day job I am a fundraiser & database manager for a non-profit theatre. This experience includes high level organizing skills, commitment to timely follow-through, extensive knowledge of the technological side of managing a large database, and communication skills to interact successfully with constituents.
• As a member of St Louis’s lesbian chorus, I played a significant role in writing, organizing, preparing the playbill, and taking a lead role in “The Vegans of Provincetown”, an original parody of a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta.  All this is to say: I work hard and have a sense of humor!

I dance because I am a dancer and have been from childhood. Imagine my delight to find a dance form which provides an intersection between two important spheres of my life: dancing and being gay. Consequently I am passionate about same-sex ballroom dancing: I have more fun dancing than anything else I do. I enjoy the camaraderie that I have seen in many of the competitions I have attended – the welcoming attitude, the sharing, the genuine exchange, and the sense of community; I have been inspired by folks I have met on and around the dance floor.

As a native of New York, now settled in the Midwest after 12 years in Europe, I believe I provide a broad perspective and voice. I am aware of the challenges groups face as they try to organize themselves and if re- elected, I will continue to work hard to shape the organization into one that embraces newcomers and members, competitive and social dancers, encourages participation on all levels, and supports same-sex dancers through-out North America. I offer to the board a sense of joy and passion, and as well as the practical and necessary organizational and team skills to help continue building our dream: a thriving North American Same Sex Ballroom community.p>