Item Data

  • Collection Title: Corky Culver Collection
  • Item Title: Private Lesson, the Waltz
  • ID Number: CC-001
  • Date Range: circa 2009-2011
  • Description: Corky Corky takes a private waltz lesson in the Florida home of ballroom dance teacher Phyllis Plotnick.
  • Biographical/Historical Note: In the 1990s, Corky Culver became interested in ballroom dancing and persuaded many of her friends to take dance lessons along with her from dance teacher and friend Phyllis Plotnick. Ballroom Dance Instructor Phyllis Plotnick was born in Philadelphia in 1947.  As a child, she studied ballet, toe, and tap but traces her love of dance to dancing on her father's feet and watching American Bandstand.  She studied physical education in college and then went to graduate school in physical therapy.  Later in life, she moved to Gulfport, Florida, where she began to take ballroom dancing classes.  Because there were never enough leaders in the class, she learned to lead and she liked it! Wanting to bring ballroom dancing to the LBGT community as an alternative to the bars, she asked a professional dance teacher to instruct her in ballroom dancing as both a follower and leader.  The Catholic teacher found it hard to accept the idea of women (lesbians) dancing together but she did teach her for three years and assisted her in getting certified by the North American Dance Teachers Association in 1991. After Phyllis became certified, she and her then partner Cheryl Turner offered a series of Wednesday evening ballroom dance lessons to the local LBGTQ community.  For a nominal fee, they initially rented a small space at the United Church of Christ which was by day the food pantry. When the classes grew and grow they did (often to 30-40 people), they rented the community room. Open and affirming, the church welcomed the classes, putting up a LBGT flag on class nights.  Later Phyllis and Cheryl began to offer monthly themed dances for the community.  A 50s Sock Hop, a Dance in Denim, a Holiday Benefit Ball, and a Lady in Red Ball (which encouraged formal attire) were among the evenings of ballroom and line dancing fun. The biggest expense, Phyllis remembers, was purchasing black plastic tablecloths to cover the many huge ballroom windows.  This was essential because people were afraid in those days to be seen in a lesbian venue.  "It was a very different time," Phyllis explained.  "Teachers could be fired just for being lesbian or gay."    Proceeds from every dance went to the Breast Cancer Fund administered by the amazing organization, W.E.B. (Womyn’s Energy Bank). In 1996, a dance board of directors was formed and established The Sonia Plotnick Health Fund. This Fund, named for Phyllis’ mother, allocated dance proceeds to lesbians in the community who needed financial assistance with health care. The all-volunteer SPHF continues today, 23 years later, and is available to women throughout the five-county Tampa Bay area. When her students gained unwavering confidence, they decided to go to mainstream heterosexual ballroom dance centers. At a pre-dance meeting, they would set the protocol for an evening. Dressy attire and polite ways of refusing a man a dance (if undesired) were discussed. Often during those “nights out” at mainstream dance halls, straight women, seeing how well the lesbians danced, would ask the new guests for a swing, tango, waltz, cha cha, merengue, rumba, or foxtrot. Phyllis Plotnick’s classes were distinguished by her focus on partner connection, a dance’s history and style, the science and art of lead and follow, and the joy of movement shared. Between 1992 and 1996, literally hundreds of women experienced that joy through ballroom dance.
  • Genres: Documentary, Amateur Films
  • Places: Florida; Gulfport, Florida
  • Access & Use: Contact Lesbian Home Movie Project (LHMP) info@lesbianhomemovieproject.org. No re-use without permission. LHMP must contact film donor & participants with regard to any re-use.
  • Color or B&W: Color
  • Related Versions:
  • Running Time: 01:01:42
  • Rights: Lesbian Home Movie Project (LHMP) shares rights with Corky Culver during Culver's lifetime. Participants also have the right to approve uses of material they appear in during their lifetimes.
  • Sound: Sound
  • Subjects: Ballroom Dance, Lesbians,
  • Creators: Kathleen "Corky" Culver
  • Collaborators & Participants: Phyllis Plotnick
  • Source Format: Hi 8
  • Format: Hi 8
  • Viewing Log: Corky takes a waltz lesson in the home of dance teacher Phyllis Plotnick, whose classes were distinguished by her focus on partner connection, a dance’s history and style, the science and art of lead and follow, and the joy of movement shared. Between 1992 and 1996, literally hundreds of women experienced that joy through ballroom dance. If you or friends were present for any of Phyllis lessons, we hope you'll email us at info@lesbianhomemovieproject.org. We'll share your input if that's okay, or just preserve it.