BEHIND THE LENS WITH DINAH PHOTOGRAPHER CONNIE KURTEW: HOW SHE CAME OUT AFTER HER FIRST CLUB SKIRTS DINAH SHORE WEEKEND!

Because a picture is worth a thousand words, for The Dinah 2013 we're putting together a brand new team of top notch photographers to capture frame by frame every single moment of your Dinah Shore Weekend experience.

It's not just about posing for the camera, but rather about creating together unforgettable images that will remind you of the incredible feeling, the love, the joy and the fun for the rest of your life!

Connie Kurtew has been attending Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs for quite some time. This past Dinah she was the official photographer for reporter Morgan M. Hurley of The San Diego Gay and Lesbian News.

Connie's utmost professionalism, dedication to her craft, uber friendliness not to mention the impressive quality of her work, made her stand out and catch our attention.

We immediately knew she was the perfect fit for The Dinah because she's the kind of photographer that clearly would bend over backwards if it means making YOU happy!

We hope you'll take the time to scope out her website Kurtew Photography and look at what she's doing with her amazing photography.

In the meantime, we'd like to share a bit about Connie with you.
So without further ado meet one of your Dinah 2013 photographers CONNIE KURTEW:

Connie Kurtew with Rose Garcia of "The Real L Word"

"I think 2013 will be my 7th Dinah but I am excited as I was the first time. I didn't go for a few years in between, not sure why but that will not happen again.

I remember the first time like it was yesterday. I never in my life saw so many woman together in one place. and not just that. They were all lesbians! I just moved a few years ago from Germany to San Diego,CA and lived in Hillcrest specifically,  the gay neighborhood of San Diego. And that was amazing and very different. But going to Palm Springs, seeing so so many women like myself was breathtaking. I realized it was ok to be gay, I didn't had to hide or to pretend. I just could be who I was.

The White Party was especially memorable. Different from other parties, most women were  dress mostly in white, everybody was dancing  and is in such great mood. It's just fun to just walk around, watch people, talk to strangers, dance with strangers and get a kiss here or there. Not bad when you are single.

I went with couples who had just put their relationships on hold for 4 days - people jumped into new relationships, some came to an end. People just came up for the pool parties, intended to drive back the same night and stayed for 3 days. It's a party  but also a community you don't want to leave EVER. And yes, we all have to but you get addicted and have to come back every year.

There is something missing in your life if you don't. Well, I missed it!

Photos of Connie at her first Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend!

 If you never been and plan on going, do it. Plan well. There is stuff going on at every time of the day. And for very age group. Just come and see for yourself. And you can hold your girlfriends hand all the time. And no one will look at you in a weird way. And if you don't have one, well that might be your weekend!

The most memorable moment was when I looked at my arm filled with wristbands of all colors from every party.  If there would have been one more party I would have to use my other arm LOL.

I think that year I did them all, all party's. I did not sleep much and I didn't want to . I did not wanted to miss anything!

I took that feeling with me to my every day life, finally came out to my parents and all my friends in Germany, standing up for it and being who I am every day everywhere. And that feels great.

A feeling I cannot explain or describe to anybody who was not  in the same situation. I did get rejections, remarks, nasty looks, but my entire life is so much easier because I am standing up for myself and don't hide anymore.

This past Dinah I had the great opportunity to work for The San Diego Gay and Lesbian news and went as their Photographer to The Dinah. I almost did it again, went to almost every party or event and took photos.

There is a feeling, I can't explain I have when I see young lesbians being out and free. And love who they are. And I am so happy that they can. Hopefully everywhere soon.

So I hope to see all of you - and those of you who've never been too - next year at The Dinah 2013.

I will be your Photographer so I will be everywhere!
 Come and say Hi and I can take a picture with you and your friends/girlfriends.

I look forward to be part of this fun team and can't hardly wait!!!"

 Get your tickets today at: www.TheDinah.com


We invite you to share your own Dinah story with us!
Email us at: Info@TheDinah.com

HOW LILIA BREKKE GETS INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF HER LIFE AT THE DINAH!

Continuing our exclusive Club Skirts "meet the faces who get you through the weekend" blog series, today our Lead Wrangler, LILIA BREKKE, shares her own special Dinah Shore Weekend story.

Get the scoop about Driving Miss ____ (fill in the blank with the name of a celebrity) at The Dinah!
And learn from wheel woman Lilia how to get into the driver's seat of your life at the biggest lesbian bash in the world in Palm Springs:

Lilia Brekke with Dinah 2012 performer CeCe Peniston & Club Skirts production manager Chris Lacasse

"How I got involved with Dinah is proof of how small the world is that we live in. 

A co-worker of mine who knew I had wrangled talent for other events, asked me if I would be interested in helping out her close friend who was one of the GM’s for Dinah/Club Skirts. 

Come to find out this GM she spoke of was a past softball mentor of mine years ago. 

I met up with her and after some long over due catching up we got down to business. I was offered one of the talent wrangler positions and before I could answer, The BIG question was asked, “Now are you prepared for what’s to come?”   

Excited for the opportunity I immediately said, “YES”. Keep in mind I was a Dinah virgin, I had never experienced Dinah prior to this; I was simply going on stories I had heard.

My first year, Dinah 2011 OMG was I nervous. Not only did I want to do a good job but I would have to do it with beautiful women all around me.  Keep in mind I was freshly out of a 7-year relationship and had just started a new one. Oh what did I get myself into is the first thing that popped into my mind that first night, as I roomed with 3 other ladies who lets say were very comfortable with their bodies lol. 

After getting into the groove of things and having great management to lead the way I quickly became comfortable and enjoyed every moment. It’s amazing to see so many strong beautiful women come together in one place.

Dinah 2012, my second year I was asked back as Lead Wrangler and even though I had worked Dinah the year before I was just as nervous, but this time I new I had my Dinah family to back me up. 

I have two favorite moments of my Second year at Dinah. The first; hearing Chaka Khan ask her manager to place the flowers I had picked out for her dressing room (Easter Lilies), and to place them on stage with her because she thought they where so beautiful. I was so proud. 

Second, meeting my soon to be wife. I have Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend to thank for that. 

Now that’s what’s up!

Newly engaged Lilia Brekke & Chris Lacasse

You will often hear many of us refer to each other as family because that’s what we are. 

There’s an instant bond and understanding of one another. We all truly suffer from “Dinah withdrawals/Dinah Blues”.   

A few days after the event not only are we having dreams of making sure talent is on time to sound check, but we miss each other so much as if months have already passed.

As Dinah 2013 approaches, my advice is don’t just go to Dinah, Experience it, embrace it, allow it to become a part of you. You will never regret it." 

Lilia Brekke escorting CeCe Peniston on stage!

Want to be featured on our blog?

Send us your own special Dinah story at: Info@TheDinah.com

Follow us on Twitter: @DinahShore

Connect with us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dinahshoreweekend?ref=ts&fref=ts

CLUB SKIRTS' PUBLICIST SPILLS THE BEANS ABOUT THE DINAH :)

Because we want you to get to know us better, we're turning this blog over to our staff members so they can share with you their own stories about what The Dinah represents for them and how it has changed their lives.

Today, our publicist, MONA ELYAFI, breaks the news about her own Dinah experience! 

"They say “things happen for a reason” and I never really fully grasped the meaning of it until the Dinah came into my life.

The first time I ever attended the Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs was in 1999.  Back then I was on disability suffering from severe back pain and just a few months shy from undergoing a major back surgery. It was also the early phase of my coming out and evidently I was still very confused about this whole lesbian thing.

To be honest, I was more afraid of what my family, my friends and society would say about it.   I come from a rather complex cultural/religious background with a Catholic mother and a Muslim dad, so needless to say, I was mentally struggling with the idea, and still trying to figure out what was the right thing to do morally speaking.

So how did I find myself at The Dinah?

Well, simply because a few of my friends got tired of me complaining about my back pain all the time and thought that a little escapade in the sunny oasis bathing in a sea of women would be a good distraction. 

Now I’ll confess that instead of checking out all these gorgeous women, I actually spent the entire time staring at everybody lower back and wondering what it was like to be able to walk, dance and move pain free.

But although I might have missed out on some potentially successful cruising action, The Dinah gave me something much more valuable. It showed me that I was not the only one – that there was a huge community of women out there who were exactly like me and that made me feel safe. It was such a freeing experience.

Ironically for someone who was mortified to go in the first place and very much on the fence about spending 5 days with a bunch of lesbians, I ended up crying like a baby when we left.  I just didn’t want to go back to my reality.

It was the same nostalgic sadness as when I used to come back from summer camp.

Cut to 2006. By then I was fully healed and had successfully resumed my PR career.

So there I were attending The Dinah in Palm Springs for the second time, although this time I was not a customer but a publicist attending an “industry” function with a client! I’ll skip all the professional details of my attendance and jump right into the personal juicy stuff: I fell in love!

Yep, as cheesy as it sounds, my second Dinah is where I met my (now) ex-girlfriend and discovered the meaning of being so insanely, truly, madly, deeply, and obsessively in love.  Of course two years later she dumped my booty and brutally broke my inconsolable heart into pieces.

As much as going through this breakup was/is the worse pain I have ever known (believe me the back surgery was nothing in comparison), again the Dinah provided for another life-changing experience for me: it not only confirmed what and who I now know I truly am, but it also made it psychologically and morally OK for me to be gay because I finally realized that I could only have that kind of connection with a woman.  

Suffice to say that getting over the breakup was excruciatingly painful. I spent the bulk of 2008 trying to convince myself that this was not the end of my world and buried myself into my work. I just needed to distract my mind from the usual mind-torturing questions “Where is she?”, “Who is she with?”, “What is she doing?”, “has she already forgotten about me?”, etc.

Clearly the universe heard my cry for help (or maybe it felt sorry for me) because out of the blue I got a phone call from Mariah Hanson (founder and producer of Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs), wanting to meet with me to discuss my potentially handling the PR campaign for The Dinah 2009.

Long story short, ten years after my first Dinah ever, I was back at The Dinah but this time I was attending as not only a new member of the Dinah Team but also as the new publicist.  That was HUGE for me - especially considering that was the year Mariah had booked Lady Gaga and Katy Perry.

But in spite of the colossal amount of work that was involved in handling an event of that magnitude, and in spite of the prestige of working with international superstars like Gaga and Perry, what really and profoundly affected me was how the entire team (from the top down) so graciously welcomed me into the Dinah family. 

For the first time I felt like I finally belonged somewhere and was part of something bigger than me; something that was genuinely making a difference not just for me but also for so many others.   Such a priceless feeling!

The Dinah holds a very special place in my heart. Being from France where to date my parents still live, what Club Skirts The Dinah has accomplished for me is become my substitute family." 

 Share with us your own special Dinah moment! 

Email us your story at: Info@TheDinah.com