Everyone knows that the real Boss in any household is the Pet. Here is a gallery of pets owned by some of our dancing friends. Please feel free to send in YOUR pet pictures!

You may want to look at our related page on the Children of Swing Dancers

Gay has been around forever --- I first met her in 1996. She dancestore.com She has SUCH a cute dog, that you ought to go right to dancestore.com and buy three or four pairs of Aris Allen Shoes.

Gay and Dave Shepardson

Check out Zipper's Web Page

Stephanie Robertson is one of our nicest and most talented dancers. She's a member of the noted A Train dance team and can always be counted on to brighten up the scene.

Stephanie has a kitten named Dodger, because, "It just seemed to fit him because for the first 2 weeks I had him, I couldn't catch the little bugger unless I cornered him in the bathroom!"

Stephanie also writes, "He's quite the hand full! Ask any of my friends. His favorite pastime (unitl recently) was sticking himself in this fish bowl and rolling back and forth across the length of the apartment by swinging his back legs one over the other... Unfortunatley he recently outgrew his bowl, but we're looking for a bigger one! Now he's happy hiding in the bathtub or under throw rugs to scare me... "

Stephanie Robertson


Dodger in the Fishbowl


Lurking in the Bath


In the Fishbowl, again


Is this cat CUTE or what??

Lee Robertson has been around for quite some time. He is a great dancer and is into both retro and military re-enactment. Here is a picture of Lee and Sonia Offord at Swing Fling this summer.

Sonia and Lee

Lee has a great little dachshund named Fritz, who reportedly can do a swingout... we have some video here which we are editing... we'll share it with you soon...

Fritz the Dachshund

Libby and Keith got married in 2003. This dynamic couple are very active in the swing, vintage and military re-enactment communities. They are also, respectively, the keyboards and guitar for the New Market band, Jump Alley. In real life, Keith Rocco is one of the nation's premier artists, specializing in military scenes from both the Napoleonic Era and the Civil war. Here is a photo of the Happy Couple at work:

Libby Wightman and Keith Rocco
Members of the band Jump Alley, they regularly drive all the way from New Market
to attend dances here!

Here is a picture of Libby and Keith with "Puffy", their pet Triceratops.

He's a bundle of laughs
Because his brain is smaller than a walnut,
you have to twist his tail to get his attention

Constance Carroll is the owner of Halcyon Vintage Clothing, one of the finest vintage stores in Richmond. She is shown with Winston, her wonderful Scottish Terrier. You may visit Connie and Winnie at 117 N. Robinson Street, Richmond, Virginia (mon-Sat 11-6, Sun, 1-5) Call 804-358-1311 if you need to.

Connie and Winston

Olive


Sue, Frank and Olive


David, Gary, Frank, and Olive

I first met Monica in 1998 at the old Poli-Tiki dance scene. You couldn't ask for a finer lady. She brought her Basset "Romeo" to Glen Echo for the Easter parade dance. He is a former stud dog and is, hence, quite aptly yclept.

Monica and Romeo

Sue and Gary are members of the 8 Week Wonders; they teach swing and jitterbuzz at the Dance With me Studio in Centreville and they are extremely entusiastic dancers, having converted a large percentage of the square footage in their house to a dance floor. Sue also does a children's program on Reston cable. They have two of the greatest dogs I have ever met --- Casey is a Jack Russell terrier and is a real little tough guy; Brummy is mostly Chihuahua and is a swweetheart. Together, there is a Laurel and Hardy aura around these two pups.

Sue and Gary
.. and Sue's legs...

Sue and Gary's Pups, Casey and Brummy
How they got them to pose for this is beyond me...

Casey and Brummy with Santa

Ann Straus is a relative newcomer to Lindy hop, but her talent more than makes up for any lack of experience -- Ann is one of the Stars of the fabulous 8 Week Wonders. She has sent us two wonderful photos.!

Anne Strauss dancing with Mike De Santis

Anne writes: " This is our cat, Albert (cuddling with my brother's stuffed dog)"

Anne writes: "These are my 2 beautiful god-daughters -- Angel and Sandy (white lab rats that belong to my sister -- products of an unfortunately too late separation of the males and the females -- whoops!)."

Doug has been Lindyhopping FOREVER. He was on my original e-mail list before I started doing jitterbuzz five years ago. Doug is a great cook --- with a special talent for baking. Here are pictures of Doug and his Border Collies. Their names are Nan, pronounced "nahn", and Betty.

Doug Pierce and Nan

Nan again. What a cute little pup!

Nan and Betty

Chrissy and Mike have also been Lindy Hoppers for a long long time --- They were in Tom and Debra's very first Lindy Class in 1994. Let's see, I was at their lovely wedding, and they have been a part of most military re-enactment events. Chrissy is also the Source on vintage shoes.

Chrissy and Mike Hall-Reis

Chrissy & Michael's kitties, Mina and Ivy

Ellen and Marc are famous for their dancing and teaching. Most folks know that Marc is a Rocket Scientist at NASA. Comparatively few know that Ellen raises Samoyeds --- and races with them on dog sleds. Ellen is also deeply involved in Samoyed Rescue. Check out the web page of the MidAtlantic Samoyed Rescue Society

Ellen Engle and Marc Shepanek
They organized the Veterans' Tribute on November 10, 2001
Photo Courtesy of Doug Pierce

This is a pic from Ellen's sledding weekend in early January. (That's Ellen on the runners.) Sugar is at lead on the right. Bailey is running solo-wheel. The 3rd dog (lead left) is Frisco; he belongs to a friend of mine.

This is Ellen, Mawson & Sugar, taken at the FDR memorial -- I guess, technically, it's of Ellen, Mawson, Fala, and Sugar

Sugar on a Bench

Sugar relaxing

Sugar with the Tulips

Bailey with favorite Toy

Logo for the
MidAtlantic Samoyed Rescue Society

Dr. Ron Weinstein is the Chiropractor to the Lindy Trade. Check out his website at: www.drraw.com. Of all things, Ron and Bev have a very sophisticated rabbit --- her name is Silly Wabbit. We were stunned to see how versatile she is:

Beverly and Ron Weinstein

She rides with the hounds

She swims with the whales

She has a mean hand at the Bar-B-Q

She has sense enough to stay out of hot water...

Tom Webster is among our colleagues on the 8 Week Wonders. (He's shown below with his 8WW partner Pam). Tom shares his life with Rusty Webster,, shown in the second picture. Dachshunds are among the smartest animals in the world. If you're interested in bringing a Dachsie into your house, you might want to consult Dachshund Rescue of North Americs

Tom Webster

This is Rusty Webster,star Dachshund

Dana raises Old English Sheep Dogs. When she isn't dancing, she works for USAID specializing in South Africa. Brian is a computer scientist who builds harpsichords when he isn't dancing

Dana and Brian

--
This is Chewbacca, the Ham
Not the Enron Partnership

This is Madeline

"Dancin Dave"and his wife Aileen have a number of dogs. This is their Birthday picture form when they were 6. Gus, their brother who still is with the breeder, is on the left. "Big" Ben is on the left. Kelsey is in the center. Awwww!!!

Gus, Ben and Kelsey

Sophie was "chosen" by Karyn's son, so we call her "Sophie the Choice" Sophie is of an indeterminate breed. She was originally found in a cage with a rabbit (see above). Sophie herds, points, retrieves and can open the pantry door.

Karyn and Frank

Sophie at the Dinner Table
Her Favorite Spot
This is our 1950s Diner Booth and "Boomerang" pattern Formica table

Yesterday, she ate a whole box of Matzohs --- passing up Cheetos and pork rinds. Sophie may also be Jewish ("Sophie the Chosen").

Sophie on the Sofa

Of course, our Sophisticated Sophie loves her sofa. In fact, she is quite a connoisseur of Sofas. We were at a Sotheby's auction and Sophie just fell in LOVE with this stunning sofa by Edwin Softel of South Carolina. When the bid got to $125,000, Sophie decided to see just how comfortable Softel's Sofa really was.

Sophie sure can choose sofas, but Sophie won't be going to Sotheby's for a while...

Sophie and Justin

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