Instructors Uncle Sam (if you've got a name, you might as well use it) and Tinkerbell (aka Lauren), started the evening with a fun swing-dance lesson.  After that, the dancers took the floor, moving to a crazy mix of Halloween inspirations and swing favorites.  No partner?  ...no problem.  An exciting array of characters turned out, ready for a spin on the floor.  Characters included the Playboy bunny, the army guy, the gangster, the Renaissance woman, the Mardis Gras crowd, the wicked clown guy, the clown lady, the Vulcan girl, Zorro, the spider woman, the monks, the kitten, the square dancer, the lady in red, the angels, the Hep Cat, the buccaneers, the sock hop girl, the cowboy, the Genie, the reaper ("Watch out Genie... he's gonna get you!"), and lots of scary guys & ghouls!

Celebrity Guests included Marilyn Monroe (aka Eleanor, pictured striking a couple of her classic poses for the camera), General Custer, Dick & Pat Nixon, Dolly Parton, Carmen Miranda, Indira Ghandi, Roy Rogers & Dale Evans, Slick Willie the Flasher (played by Professor Mickey), Godfather Frank, Betty Boop (played by Dianne), Jason of "Friday the 13th" fame, one of the Blues Brothers, and someone we'll just call Mr Chaps ("Is that rear fake?... I hope that thing is fake...")

The dancing parade of costumes happened at intermission, followed by voting for best costume.  We already mentioned that The Bat took 1st.  In 2nd place, the crowd went wild for the little old lady with the cane & bent back (maybe it was her razor stubble that did the trick, or maybe it was her stage presence... "I'd like to thank all you whippersnappers for voting for me", she said.)  3rd & 4th went to Pimp Daddy Garvin (pictured above takin' care of business with The Bunny) and Moulin Rouge Dame Myrna.  Rounding out fifth was none other than Carmen Miranda (the lady with the hat o' fruit).  Other notable costumes belonged to: Moulin Rouge girl and sometimes Swing Time instructor, Rachel; Genevieve, the "Devil with the Blue Dress on" (it said so on her name tag in case you needed help making the ID); Mr Sports Patriot (pictured above dancing with the devil in his shorts); the Ace of Spades (shown holding hands & dancing in a circle with two others; for you poker buffs, that's called an "Ace in the Hold"); Iara the Witch; and Marcia & Joan as the Spirit of America.  The most popular costume this year was the hippie, with both old-school and neo hippies getting in on the fashion anti-statement.

Later in the evening, we danced a birthday jam for Mark Flickinger.  And in a sign of improved East-West relations since the Cold War, Uncle Sam ended the evening by dancing with a representative of the former USSR.  Can't wait 'til next year's Ball!

Sam

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