In honor of Hendo

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The other day I learned that a friend of mine from Capital Blues, Jonathan "Hendo" Henderson, unexpectedly passed away. I was stunned, shocked. I had just danced with him the week before (and nearly every week this entire year). How could he be gone?

Hendo was an incredible force in the local blues dancing community. He was an amazing dancer with his own unique style; I learned all of my solo blues moves from him, and he was forever encouraging me to try new moves. He helped organize the weekly dances for us at Glen Echo Park, as well as the big dance weekends in the D.C. area. He was a familiar face at each dance; it was nearly a guarantee that he would be there. Now he will not.

He was one of the warmest souls. He always had a smile for you. Even when he was serious or in a mood, he was sweet and kind. And he gave great hugs.

At every Thursday dance he would make announcements, and always ended with the rules of the dance: "Use your words, respect each other's boundaries, and don't be a jerk." These are words we should all carry with us, not only on the dance floor but throughout our daily lives. We will never forget you, Hendo.