John Glover was volunteering at Alexian Brothers AIDS Ministry at Bonaventure House several years ago when he became friends with one of the House Supervisors, Eric Calimag, who told Glover about a gay square-dancing club.
Calimag invited Glover to watch them dance at the 2001 Northalsted Market Days.
Glover was hookedand he joined the group that fall.
Glover, now 53 and the chief operating officer for Skokie-based LifeScan Laboratory, Inc., has been the treasurer for the Chi-Town Squares board of directors. The Chi-Town Squares is one of 52 member clubs participating in the International Association of Gay Square Dance Clubs ( IAGSDC ) and the group's biggest annual get-together is coming to Chicago for the second time ever.
Chi-Town Shakedown 2010 will be held July 1-4 at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan, and more than 1,000 square dancers are expected to dance to nationally and internationally renowned callers.
Chicago last hosted the event in 1995.
Glover is the chairman of the convention, which is expecting participants from across the United States, as well as Canada, Japan, Great Britain and Denmark.
Some of the convention highlights include a Trails End Dance July 1, where the general public is invited to dance for free.
The opening ceremony will be July 2, complete with a welcome from 44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney and mayoral LGBT liaison Bill Greaves.
In addition, the opening ceremony will include a performance by the Chicago Gay Mens' Chorus, followed by the colorful grand march with members in their club regalia, parading throughout the hotel property.
The four-day convention also includes the annual IAGSDC Business Meeting, the crowning of the new Honky Tonk Queen July 3, and the awarding of the Golden Boot Award July 4. The Golden Boot Award is presented to an individual or organization who has made significant contributions over the years in furthering the square dance movement, particularly within the LGBT community.
"The venue itself will go a long way toward making attendees' stay here special," Glover said. "The Hilton Chicago is located conveniently to the Taste of Chicago, Millennium Park as well as the lakefront, museums and great shopping. In addition, we are featuring specialty cocktails prepared by the Hilton specifically for our event and a piano par in the hotel lobby most evenings during convention."
The Chi-Town Squares was formed as a club in 1987 by Jerry Cohen and Ron Goodman, and Carol's was the group's first meeting place.
About 30 students formed the first class in September 1987. Classes were first held at the Wellington Avenue Church and later moved to Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1840 W. Foster, where they are still being held.
The Chi-Town Squares has about 140 members, and Chicago ranks third in size within the IAGSDC. Its membership is made up of men and women, gay and straight, ranging in age from mid-20 to 70-plus, and the Chi-Town Squares include florists, lawyers, librarians, math professors, travel agents, data technicians and more.
"We first hosted the international convention in 1995 at the Hyatt Regency, and now, 15 years later, we are proud to host it again," said Glover, who lives in Edgewater and has been partnered for eight years.
The convention will be in Atlanta in 2011.
For more information, visit www.iagsdc.org/chi-townsquares or www.chicago2010.com .