STRICTLY COUPLES ONLY
As seen in Connection Magazines:
Detroit’s Premier Dance Club
THE APPLE
By Patti Thomas
Republished with permission
One
of the worst kept secrets in the metro Detroit area just might be THE APPLE dance club! We’d known of it
for years and knew lots of couples that were members, so we finally made plans
to visit this fantastic club last fall. Our friends had told us so many
wonderful things about the dances that we knew we’d have a blast.
The Apple dances have been going
on for about 45 years, so the club is likely one of the oldest and
longest-running swing clubs in existence today. I don’t know who originally
founded the club, but popular hosts Jimmy & Lois have been running the show
in the same location for the last 11 years. Jimmy says, “Lois is the pretty one
that’s been married to me for 30 years. Lucky me!” They are both wonderful
people and are very devoted to their members and the lifestyle in general.
Except
for the very rare occasion when some special event may conflict, dances are
always held on the second Saturday of every month. We drove up Friday to stay
the weekend with our good friends John and Bev, who are also one of the club’s
staff couples. Since we were “Apple virgins” they suggested that we stay at
their place and they would drive us all to the dance, which was a great idea in
our opinion! There really wasn’t a specific theme for this dance as it was
their Thanksgiving Dinner holiday dance. We headed to Detroit late Saturday
afternoon since staff couples always arrive early to help decorate, prepare
balloons for the tables, set up the buffet, and otherwise help prepare for the
evening. They have a very nice hall, with plenty of seating, good-sized dance
floor, DJ area, buffet tables, and of course, the bar. When we arrived everyone
was already hard at work transforming the hall…putting up Thanksgiving
decorations, placing candles and balloons on the tables, preparing the
registration desk, and setting up the buffet area and DJ equipment. They really
have a terrific and dedicated bunch of people on their staff!
The dance is BYOB and alcoholic
beverages are turned in at the bar upon arrival. They usually have four
bartenders to take care of everyone so that things run smoothly. When you
attend for the first time you will be given a membership card at no charge, and
the card gives you access to your beverage. The Apple also provides free beer
and set-ups along with a light buffet, all for a donation of only $45 per
couple. Obviously, due to the liquor, no one under the age of 21 is admitted. For
your comfort and security, The Apple has a liquor license, is registered with
the state, and is bonded. Local law
enforcement is well aware of the dance and has never had a problem with its
operation.
Before long, eager couples were lining
up in front of the registration desk, ready to check in with Lois and her staff
for another fantastic evening with old and new friends. Jimmy & DJ Bonnie
dimmed the lights, got the tunes going, and it was time to get the party
started! We were happy to see a number of couples that we hadn’t run into for a
very long time, and also were introduced to lots of new people. The atmosphere
was awesome and the energy of the friendly crowd was contagious. They play a
really good mix of music and judging by the crowded dance floor, everyone
seemed to be enjoying it!
For the Thanksgiving dance, they had
planned a very special dinner buffet complete with turkeys, dressing, potatoes,
vegetables, rolls, and desserts – what a spread! I think they cooked about ten
large turkeys and of course, had lots of help with the cooking and preparation
of such a feast. Luckily, their hall has a nice, large kitchen which is a big
help. We couldn’t believe how much food they had prepared and everything was so
delicious. It was obvious that they were quite experienced at preparing food
for several hundred people, as everyone enjoyed plenty but they weren’t stuck
with much in the way of leftovers!
The Apple has a raffle at each dance,
so Jimmy called us up to the dance floor later that evening to help draw the
winning tickets. They always give away outstanding prizes so it’s a brief but
popular part of the evening with members. We also gave away some
ConnectionOnline memberships, Connection Magazine subscriptions, and
complimentary TCC Dances. Everyone was so great…this was one of the friendliest
groups ever and we had a fabulous evening.
Jimmy
& Lois suggest that you make reservations well in advance, if possible,
because although the hall is quite large, it fills up quickly. During the winter
months attendance quite often exceeds 180 couples! For your convenience, they
have a "Frequent Flyer" option – if you plan to attend the dance on a
regular basis, they will place you on the reservation list for each month in
advance, and you would only need to call or e-mail if you could not attend. However, you will be taken
off of the list after two "no call, no shows."
Everyone always wants to know
what type of couples attend any particular club and what the average age range
is. Jimmy & Lois said most of their members are economically and socially
an above average group comprised mostly of couples in their mid-thirties to
mid-fifties, with a better than average education, disposable income, and obviously,
a very liberal perspective on life in general.
Like many clubs, they usually
have themes for most of the dances. It is not required that you participate,
but it makes for a fun night when you do – as they like to say, kind of like the
inmates running the asylum! Keep in mind that The Apple Dance is no
"church social" – so you may see flashes of nudity and sexy attire,
although open sex acts are not permitted. It is suggested that you dress to
impress; jeans are not allowed and bottoms must remain intact at all times.
There is zero tolerance with regards to drugs.
If
The Apple sounds like your kind of place, Jimmy or Lois would be happy to speak
with you to give you all the details you need to become a member. Just give
them a call or send them an email with your names, phone number with area code,
and a time that is convenient to contact you. You can also be sponsored for
membership by an existing member. For more information or to make reservations,
give them a call at 313.372.7275;
email apple1x@aol.com or visit their
web site at www.apple1x.com =EOLO