Arlington resident, Robert (Bob) Strain, 76, has not let the “golden years” slow him down. Fortunate enough to be the benefactor of generally good health and one who exercises at the gym daily, Strain has not let any grass grow under his feet. An Arlington resident since 1960 and a federal retiree with 37 years behind him as an Operation Research Analyst, Strain is still on the move.
He developed an interest for dancing in 1979 when he began lessons in Arlington at the Dance Factory. After completing approximately five lessons, Strain connected with some renowned Australian dance instructors and subsequently studied with them for the next year.
By the end of that year, Strain had completed the Bronze, Silver and Gold Syllabus. Bronze is known as the first level of figures in which the dancer learns the basics of ballroom dancing. Silver is another set of 12 figures that allows the dancer to compete at a higher level. Gold is the highest level of achievement. It is not uncommon for students to spend years just achieving the Bronze level, but Strain mastered Bronze in one year.
He developed a passion for dancing that has been ongoing. “Other dancers respect me for having hung in there all this time,” Strain said.
In 1981, Strain visited Joe Jenkins Dance Studio in Bethesda, Md., that has since closed. It was there he met Joyce (Joy) McDonald. McDonald was an accomplished dancer and a professional ballerina. McDonald told Strain that she preferred dancing with him more than anyone else because he danced basics. “I liked her style, and she liked mine apparently,” Strain said.
Strain invited McDonald to attend a dance competition with him in Montreal, Canada soon after they met, and she agreed to accompany him. It was in Montreal that the dance connection led to the beginning of a romance between the two of them, and she became the love of his life.
Upon returning from Montreal, McDonald wanted Strain to compete with her. “More than half the time, we would win. Here I was just a novice. I felt so lucky to be part of this art form. These professionals were very respectful and kind to me, and I couldn’t believe how accepted I was in this professional family,” Strain said.
In 1981, the duo travelled to Blackpool, England for the Blackpool Dance Festival that is known to be one of the most prestigious events a dance competitor can attend. “We went almost as soon as we had met,” Strain said.
After engaging in close to 100 competitions together, Strain and McDonald retired from competitive dancing in 1989. Subsequently, they moved on to sharing other interests that included yachting. “She loved to sail,” Strain said.
Strain and McDonald never officially married, but they were together as a couple until her death in 2003. “I had 22 glorious years with her. I treated her like a queen, and she deserved it. She was a remarkable woman. She had skill, wisdom about the world in general that opened up more. I was not street smart like she was. She knew her way around then in the world,” Strain said.
Following McDonald’s death, Strain grieved deeply and had a profound void in his life. His dancing came to a halt, and his interest for many things diminished amidst his grief and for the next several years.
Five years later, in 2008, Strain attended a local competition as a spectator. He observed a woman, Catherine Noblitt, competing with students.
“I first met Bob when he walked into a studio where I was attending the evening social dance. The owner spoke to Bob and thought I would be a good fit as his instructor and introduced us. We had a long conversation and then he disappeared into the night. A few months later, he called me to start scheduling dance lessons. He started out taking two lessons per week and gradually increased this number to six lessons per week,” Noblitt said.
For the past six years, Noblitt has been his dance partner. They have danced in approximately 50 competitions together. In addition to his lessons with Noblitt, they also dance on weekends and other nights of the week. “Dancing has enabled me to maintain an active lifestyle,” Strain said.
“As a female dance instructor, it is a little more challenging to find guys who want to compete. It has been wonderful working with Bob and competing with him over the past few years. He is very eager to get out there. He is very dedicated to his dancing and is a great source of inspiration for many. He works out at the gym, fits in as many lessons as he can and is happy to get out there and perform and compete. He has a positive attitude about the whole learning process and journey of ballroom dancing,” Noblitt said.
Strain’s passion and achievements in dancing have not gone unnoticed by friends. Melvin Russell, a long time friend and former housemate of Strain’s said, “I’ve known Bob for many years and have seen how dedicated he was and still is to practicing the international style of ballroom dancing. Perhaps the real eye opener for me was at a friend’s wedding reception where there was guest dancing after the wedding. There were a fair number of couples on the floor of varying dancing skills. But when Bob and his partner started dancing, people paid notice and before long they were the only couple on the floor. By the end of the dance, they received a hearty round of applause.”
Karen L. Bune is a freelance writer. She serves as an adjunct professor at George Mason University in Fairfax and Marymount University in Arlington.