To say dancing is Jonathan Quirk's passion would be an understatement.
"From that very first lesson on, I was welcomed, and I felt like a sense of being home," said Quirk.
Through dancing, Jonathan can connect with his emotions. And over the years, it also helped him grieve.
"When I lost my partner, my pile of light went out, and so I didn't have that passion for life. And you start to think this is all life can be, just this cycle of grief and loss," he said.
In 2017, Jonathan's long-term partner, Peter Cooper, passed away. After catching himself internalizing life, the 52-year-old knew he had to change the tunes.
"It worked out better than I thought that it ever would, I didn't go in with any set of expectations. And I didn't know how I would be received," said Quirk.
As a gay man, Jonathan has had his share of struggles with acceptance. And that was one of his hesitations in exploring certain styles of dancing.
"Ballroom dancing is historically based upon a very binary definition of what it means to be a man or what it means to be a woman. A man leads, and a woman follows, so where do I fit in with that?" said Quirk.
Tansy Degan had the answer. She franchises two Arthur Murray Dance studios in metro Detroit, one in Ann Arbor and another in Northville. And creating a diverse environment was always a priority for the entrepreneur.
"Anybody should be able to dance exactly how they are and how they want to express themselves," said Degan.
In fact, Tansey says her studios were among the first in Michigan to have same-sex dancing partners and also give LGBTQ couples a platform to compete.
"Dancing is an exchange of energy. So, the leader initiates that energy, and the follower receives that energy and responds to it. So truly anybody can do either part," said Degan.
For Jonathan, participating in ballroom dance classes and competitions has been a turning point.
"There is something different about dancing with a man, it's something I'm used to, that I'm accustomed to. And it feels like if I want to present myself forward, that's something I want to do and should have the opportunity to do," said Quirk.
"People need to know there are businesses, there are places in the community that do care, that want to see them to see them exactly as they are, and I hope it spreads to more businesses in our community," said Degan.
Jonathan also adds that without dancing, he would not be able to heal completely.
Meanwhile, all classes at Arthur Murray Dance Studios across southeast Michigan are inclusive. For sign-up details, head over to https://ballroomannarbor.com.
