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FeedRipe with Age and Ready to Dance
When Portland, Oregon’s Pauline Miriam found herself suddenly single after a 10-year relationship at 53 years old, she was baffled as to how to get back out in the dating scene.
“My options were really limited,” says Miriam, now 58. “There were some politically social organizations for older women but short of that, on a real social level, I couldn’t find anything to do.”
Miriam, being a long-time politico, did what came naturally to her. “When I don’t see anything that’s available, I go ahead and create it because I figure if I want to do it, there’s going to be other women who want to do it also,” she says. The result was speed dating, which garnered notable success from local women. Yet both Miriam and her cohorts had a yen for something different and a little less official.
“I talked to the women who were there,” says Miriam. “I said, ‘What do you want to do?’ And they said, ‘We want to dance.’ And I said, ‘That’s funny. I want to dance, too. Give me a little time.’ ”
Soon after, Hot Flash, a dance party officially for women 35 and older, was born and is currently heating up major cities such as Phoenix, San Diego and Seattle. Initially started with an $800 budget and a shocking attendance of 200 women, the dance party has become a busting and ever-growing monthly event. Due to demand, Hot Flash’s Seattle party rages twice a month and Miriam says she plans to expand the party to other areas. “Wherever we’re needed, we are ready to start sending Hot Flash everywhere now,” she says.
While the name Hot Flash may be a cunning play on words, Miriam says it is both a blessing and a burden. “The one thing that I love and hate that I did was to name it Hot Flash,” says Miriam. “It says it all. It says who we are. But I hate it because it doesn’t include everyone.”
Even though Hot Flash is geared towards a more mature crowd, Miriam says her main age group in attendance caps at 45. “What we say now is that we are for women who are too old for the 20-something club scene and too young to stop dancing,” says Miriam. ”We want everybody, the 20-somethings, anybody who loves the music that we play to come out.”
Miriam, who met her partner and accountant Joyce at a Hot Flash event, sees the event as not just a dating arena and says that older women tend to look for something more. “I don’t know what happens to us but all of a sudden, we change and we want to meet each other and we want to network,” says Miriam. “So Hot Flash becomes much more than a dance. It becomes a little mini revolution because people are networking their businesses through the dance, we’re networking socially through the dance, we’re creating a full and total community.”
Hot Flash may not be the hard-hitting club scene you experienced as a young pup, but it may make up for it in personality. “Hot Flash is friendly. That’s it,” says Miriam. “Everybody talks to each other. It’s known as one of the friendliest dances that you can go to in every city.” (hotflashdances.com)
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Reader Comments:
I met my girlfriend at a Hot Flash event and we couldn't be happier! I was visiting Portland and attended a Hot Flash there. I also met Pauline and Joyce and asked them how I could get a Hot Flash started closer to my home in Southern Utah. Last month we opened Las Vegas with a great turn out and a really fun time! We are going to be having the dance in Vegas every third Saturday. We are looking into Salt Lake City sometime in the future. Thank you Pauline for spreading the love!
Lisa Lake
Two years ago, this beautiful woman came up to me at Hotflash in Seattle and asked me to dance...we've been happily together ever since, more in love every day...and still dancing!
A friend took me to my first "Hot Flash Dance" January 2009, and I have been going ever since. I love the one in Seattle. But I have gone to the one in Olympia and the one in Phoenix,Az. I am headed down to the one in Portland,Or this month. I love taking the train to Portland, now I have two reasons to go-Powell Bookstore and Hot Flash Dance. Thanks so much Pauline and your wonderful staff. One of my travel goals this year is to go the dance in Eugene and Las Vegas before year end.
I can't thank Pauline enough for following through with her vision and passion!! Hot Flash has been a lifeline for me!! The atmosphere is fun, friendly, energetic and joyful!! I met a woman at the last dance who is from Poland...she said to me, "You Portland women are wonderfully crazy!!" She had never experienced anything like our Hot Flash dance! I have met so many wonderful women/friends that I would not have had the opportunity or venue to meet otherwise. I am really indebted to Pauline......thank you.......thank you....... :)
Hot Flash, Eugene is a blast! When I returned to Eugene a couple years ago to find the gay bars here had poofed, no where to dance at all, friends told me about Hot Flash! At 53, I may not be able to hit every song as was true in my youth, I have never lost my happy feet and I have been attending ever since! It is a great venue for catching up with old friends and making new ones! The dj is always hot and there is always something special going on. The location has changed and the latest incarnation is the best yet! The biggest problem was a big enough place and now we have it. Pauline makes herself available and listens to all of us which really encourages us to speak out and to dance our behinds off. Thanks again for bring this to Eugene and everywhere! And Thanks curve for telling the world about it!
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While I am happily in a relationship with the love of my life, I LOVE to dance, and her knees don't really let her, so would love to have Hot Flash maybe come to Denver. How do we go about that?
Thanks!
GG
My twin sister Teresa attends these dances in Portland. Why don't we have one down here in LA? I miss my disco!
Hi there! Anytime you are ready to bring your "hotness" to Ferndale,Michigan, I will be waiting!!! I am 45 years YOUNG and want to DANCE!!! Would love to be the next dancer at your Hot Flash party!~! Hope to see you soon in Michigan!!!! Keep up the great work for us old ladies!!! lol