While today's young San Francisco gay gent prefers to (pretend to) skateboard, spend the night frolicking at Bender's, and eschew the art of proper hygiene, there was a day when the effete dandy reigned supreme among the homo sect. (No, Rufus Wainwright doesn't count. Ever.) And those dandies, if only the days of yore had allowed it, would have put on their Sunday best and busted it up on the ballroom floor. Lots of swirling, lots of twirling: the way God programmed gay men.

This weekend's 3rd Annual California Dreaming Same Sex Ballroom Dancing Competition, boasting to be the world's largest same-sex ballroom dancing showdown, will allow you to dance the frilly, fey waltz you've always dreamed of; pretend you're Cinderella in her second gown just before midnight; or just sit and watch competitive same-sex couples perform ballroom magic while you get trashed.

This could very well be the gayest thing in the universe, ever. Lucky you.

What's more, as SF Weekly's Hiya Swanhuyser pointed out, the Utah-based National Dance Council of America refuses to allow same-sex couples, so "there's a good chance that some of the very best ballroom dancing in the world, bar none," will be right here in SF this weekend.

Info is as follows:

Tonight, Friday, November 6
California Dreaming Welcome Party at Vima Dance Studio, 560 Third Street (between Bryant and Brannan), free for all California Dreaming competition dancers; $10 for the public.

Saturday, November 7
California Dreaming Dance Sport Festival at Hotel Whitcomb, 1231 Market Street (Eighth Street).
* Day Session attire is casual: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (doors open at 8 a.m.)
* Evening Session attire is "California formal": 8 p.m.-midnight (doors open at 7 p.m.)

Sunday, November 8
Dance Champion Workshops at Vima Dance Studio, 560 Third Street.

Visit CaliforniaDreamingDanceSport.com for more information.