“How did you start dancing?”

“When I was growing up, I saw my parents dancing at weddings and house parties and how much they loved it. My father went to college on the GI Bill and taught ballroom dancing at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Milwaukee for extra money while in college. He first saw my mom while in the same class and told another classmate that he would marry her one day. They danced together at the next college dance party, and well, the rest is history. Having grown up in the rock & roll era, I didn’t come to partner dancing until much later in life. While I missed out on dance lessons from them while growing up, I’m doing ‘remedial’ dance now.”

Humans of Benzie County is an ode to the popular Humans of New York project, which has acquired more than 7 million followers in its four years online. In the words of Brandon, HONY’s founder, the project provides “daily glimpses into the lives of strangers on the streets.” The Humans of Benzie County series strives to connect the reader with the subject, expanding our connection to the community. The series is curated by Suyeon Yang, our effervescent summer intern. We hope that you enjoy this as much as Suyeon.