The Big Apple Ranch, New York City's biggest and best LGBT Country Western Dance club, held their annual "Back to School Dance" to benefit the Big Apple Corps. The evening was a rousing success. After dancing the night away with friends, newbies, and regular-ranchers, we geared up, stepped-off, and gave a marching performance to an adoring crowd.

The event was particularly special, because the Manhattan Prairie Dogs, the official dance team of the Ranch, performed with the band to "If My Friends Could See Me Now". The dogs stunned the audience with a mid-twirl costume change, and impeccable flag work.

The event is consistently one of the largest fund raisers for our Marching Band each year, and we want to thank the Ranch from the bottom of our hearts for the opportunity.

About the Ranch

Big Apple Ranch offers a country-western dance lesson and party every Saturday night in Manhattan 's Chelsea neighborhood, in the 2,000 square foot loft space of the Dance Manhattan dance studio at 39 West 19th Street. Attendance averages 120 people with more at our monthly special benefit events.

Big Apple Ranch's friendly, welcoming atmosphere focuses on dancing, not cruising, although of course many friendships and relationships have begun on the dance floor. To make sure that everyone is comfortable with the basics, from 8:00-8:30 we offer a beginning two-step class. From 8:30-9:00 we teach a line dance, and then the dance floor is open from 9:00-1:00 am.

Just about every month we sponsor benefits for local not-for-profit organizations. View the beneficiary form to see if your group qualifies as a beneficiary. Also, we offer group discounts -- please e-mail us if you're interested.

Big Apple Ranch opened on April 12, 1997 to provide a same-sex partner dance venue for New York City . Dean and Susanna took on the responsibility of running the weekly event, based on the format of previous incarnations begun in the early 1990s. In 1999, they brought Jon onto the management team. During that year Big Apple Ranch became a member of IAGLCWDC , the International Association of Gay and Lesbian Country Western Dance Clubs. Jon and Susanna now run Big Apple Ranch.