Photo: Greg Fuchs
Woody's "I get people from all walks of life that come in here," says June. "I get gays, I get straights, I get everyone in here, and everyone has a blast. It's a nice relaxed atmosphere where you can forget yourself and your inhibitions." And when she says everyone, s/he means everyone. At one of three weekly line-dancing nights at Woody's, a mostly gay bar, you can find everyone from uber-hetero fraternity and sorority girls to glamorous and even not-so-glamorous drag queens. And the best part is, if you're lacking know-how, they offer free dance lessons two nights a week. Having reservations about swingin' your thing to a little Billy Ray? You're not alone. "I don't usually like or listen to country music," confessed a young rhinestone-clad Little Richard look-alike, "but I like it when I see it in the context of people interacting with each other." David, a more 'straight guy' type, commented: "It's less pretentious than disco dancing, and less flirty. At first I thought it was stupid. I was like, what the hell is the northeastern part of the country doing trying to do this country-western stuff? I also associated racism and homophobia with country-western music." Towards the end of the night, Cowgirl June looks nostalgically over the dance floor. Reflections of the ceiling decor - neon sperm and disco balls - sparkle in her glasses. "They're having fun," she says. "They're not just out looking for a piece of meat, they're having a good time." And so will you, whether your idea of fun includes doing the Mambo shuffle to the soundtrack of Evita or just sitting back watching the cowpokes glide across the floor. Woody's Bar & Restaurant, 202 S. 13th St., 545-1893. Line-dancing nights: Tuesday, 8-9 p.m. lessons, 9-12 dancing; Friday, 8-11 p.m. dancing; Sunday, 5-6 p.m. lessons, 6-10 p.m. dancing. - Geeta Dalal |