Laconian
Society of Washington, DC Area
66th
Annual Dance
A
Review
If you didn’t get a chance to make it to the Laconian
Dance on the Friday night after Thanksgiving, you missed a great party.
We admittedly were skeptical about the change in venue, moving from the
McLean Hilton to Martin’s Crosswinds in Greenbelt.
We’re not sure if it was a better Laconian as a result, but it
certainly was different.
The differences between Martin’s
Crosswinds and the McLean Hilton made for subtle changes in this year’s
Laconian. Martin’s Crosswinds
ballroom is a lot classier than the ballroom at the McLean Hilton. Everything from the massive chandeliers to the larger marble
dance floor to the expanded seating made the ballroom the place to be at this
year’s Laconian. In years past at
the McLean Hilton, a lot of the action took place in the atrium area just
outside the main ballroom. It
provided a buffer between the young adults and the older crowd and the younger
kids who mostly stayed in the ballroom area.
The set up at Martin’s Crosswinds allowed for a large enough ballroom
with a smaller lobby, so that everyone pretty much stayed in the main ballroom
area. As a result, you could
definitely feel the family atmosphere coming through.
It was interesting, but many people actually were spent more time with
their families this year, either at their tables, or on the dance floor, but
mostly on the dance floor. Another
difference at this Laconian was the presence of at least some food , in the form
of a light buffet in the back of the ballroom and at the theater-style
concession stands, which featured more than just your basic rail drinks.
The balance between Virginia and Maryland Greeks didn’t
pan out like many people predicted with the move of the event over to Maryland.
It seemed like there were more Virginians there than Marylanders despite
the 45 minute or more commute that many Virginians had to face.
This was especially noticeable among the under-25 set, where it seemed
like there were far more Virginians than Marylanders.
Many of the Maryland Greeks who were at the Greek Night in DC the night
before didn’t make it to an event in their own backyard.
There was also an absence of many of the people who were
at the last big semi-formal, the YAL DC Weekend in October.
The Thanksgiving holiday certainly cut down on the out-of-town crowd, but
also sent many of the GW students, who have been ever present at many of the
events this fall, home for the extended weekend.
It is during the holidays when you see the transient nature of the young
adult Greek population in Washington, DC, as many folks who are new to the area
return home to be with Greeks elsewhere. But
even some of the Laconian old-timers who you see there every year weren’t
there.
Speaking of absences, we couldn’t help but notice
Pappas’ message in The Kafenio
last week hinting at a surprise cameo at the Laconian Dance.
A few people were on the lookout for him, but there were no reported
sightings.
Despite all the changes and all the absences, one thing
about this year’s Laconian didn’t change: the music. Zephyros, arguably the DC area’s premier Greek band,
put on a great show as usual. It
never ceases to amaze us how they can somehow transfer the latest Greek club
hits, which are often devoid of real instruments, into a live format, and make
them even more danceable than the original version.
We’ve noticed a trend over the last couple of Laconians, that they’ve
stopped playing any American music at them whatsoever.
The dancing to the American music at the Laconian always provided some
good comic relief. Watching yiayiades dance the Electric Slide, or in
more recent years, the Macarena, was a sight to be seen.
All in all, the Laconian was a great time.
There was good music, good dancing, a good mix of people, no
roughhousing…all the makings of a great party. (Early
reports out of Baltimore confirm four fights breaking out at their Laconian
Dance, which is held the night before Thanksgiving.
We’ve never been to the Baltimore Laconian, but we’re aware of its
reputation for being a lot more exciting than its DC counterpart.)
If you missed this year’s Laconian, no worries, there’s always next
year.
Read
past feature articles.
