She was lovely, with a gift for swing. He had a disfigured face, but could move like Fred Astaire. For a time, they found Heaven on the dance floor.

April Witt, whose story about the sweet dance partnership of Steve Terry and F.G. Courtney appeared in Sunday's Washington Post Magazine , was online Monday, Jan. 30, at 1 p.m. ET to field questions and comments.

Submit your questions and comments before or during the discussion.

April Witt is a Magazine staff writer.

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April Witt: Thanks for joining me. I'm heartened by the response to the story. Steve and F.G. moved me, and I'm glad they moved so many readers. Let's get started.

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Alexandria, Va.: First Weingarten's article from last week, now this...two absolute gems in a row for the Post magazine. I just wanted to thank you for a touching and lyric portrayal of a beautiful friendship.

April Witt: Thanks for mentioning my story in the same sentence as Gene Weingarten's masterpiece. Gene is the best feature writer I know. So I'm tempted to just log off now and quit while I'm ahead.

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Vienna, Va.: Since 1999, I've been attending Tom Koerner's and Debra Sternberg's classes, and I'm also one of the many women who have enjoyed Steve Terry as a friend and dance partner. I've read numerous articles about dancing in the DC area, but no one has captured the real essence of this dynamic, "parallel universe" dance community until now. April Witt's piece is absolutely beautiful. Thank you, April, for telling Steve's story. And thanks, Steve, for letting us get to know you even better through this article. And thanks to Tom and Debra for making it possible for hundreds of people like me to be a part of the dance community. At 57 years of age, I still look forward to every weekend as another opportunity to swing dance. I will be sending this article across the country for the next few weeks to friends and relatives who know how much I enjoy dancing. Thank so much for putting so powerfully into words what had been in my heart.

April Witt: Thanks, Kay, for taking the time to write in. I'd second your thanks to Steve for allowing readers to get to know him. It's obviously not an easy choice for any private person to open their lives to a journalist. I admire Steve tremendously for being brave enough to do that in the hopes that other people might find inspiration in his story.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Hi Ms. Witt,

Do you dance? How did you get the idea for the article?

April Witt: I wouldn't call it dancing. I'm a beginning swing dancer. I danced several times at Glen Echo over the summer and fall. More than once, I was being twirled by my dance partner and caught a fleeting glimpse of Steve and F.G. I had no idea who they were. I just thought they danced so marvelously together that I wondered who they were, and what their stories were. Sometimes, probably in the fall, I was at Glen Echo when I saw the Eight Week Wonders perform. I was really tickled by them. I thought they were wildly talented and brave to get up and dance in those sailor suits. I decided to try writing a feature on the Eight Week Wonders. The first night I watched them rehearse, Tom introduced me to several couples he thought might be good for me to interview. Among them were Steve and F.G. Their story was so compelling to me that I decided to make them the story, and the Eight Week Wonders more of a backdrop to their tale.

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Beloit, Kansas: In reading Swing High Swing Low by April Witt, I was in the same room with Steve and F.G. Oh, how I admire their dancing ability and their relationship with each other! I don't know them, and never will, but through Ms. Witt's writing I met them, and I cried when learning that F.G. was moving to Atlanta. I don't remember a news piece about people I don't know ever having produced such a strong and empathetic emotional reaction.

May Steve and F.G. manage to continue to dance and maintain a relationship.

Charles in Kansas

April Witt: Well, I'm probably not supposed to admit this (aren't journalist supposed to be tough?) but Steve and F.G. made me cry as well. They day they forwarded me the e-mails in which F.G. told Steve he was leaving I certainly cried reading them. Steve's pain was so palpable, but so was his strength of character. I'm moved by Steve and F.G.'s friendship, and am glad it moved you as well. I am certain that Steve and F.G. will maintain their friendship long distance. They'll e-mail. She'll come back to Washington to visit and they'll dance.

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Baltimore, Md.: Did you start research for this story before FG found out she was moving to Atlanta?

April Witt: Yes. When I started the story, I had no idea how it would end. I believe I'd already finished, or nearly finished, a rough draft of the story by the time we all learned F.G. was leaving.

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Bowie, Md.: April-

Superbly crafted story - it captured the essence of...us - Kathy being shy and overcoming that to perform in public and me messing up in practice!

Kevin Connor

April Witt: Hi Kevin. I'm so glad you think the story captured the essence of the Eight Week Wonders. But you guys are obviously such rowdy good fun that no mere newspaper story could do you justice. Thanks for all your help.

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Silver Spring, Md: What was Steve's reaction to your story? My wife thought the "ruined landscape" line was a little rough.

April Witt: I think the ruined landscape line was rough. I took it out of the story several times only to put it back in. Steve is much stronger than most people. Some of that might be DNA-encoded. Much of his strength has obviously been forged in the crucible of his experiences. I ultimately left the story in the line because I wanted readers to know how great his daily challenge is. People don't sugarcoat their reactions to Steve's face when they pass him on the street. I didn't want to sugarcoat it. I thought for readers to be moved and impressed with Steve's strength in overcoming his challenges, they needed to get an accurate sense of reality. Steve told me he thought the story was great, and asked for 100 copies. He's also started a web-page and blog on the story. I'll post the link below. Steve, if you are on-line, feel free to weight in with your reaction to that line or anything else. You are the real expert on this.

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Reston, Va: Is Steve still in contact with F.G. and is F.G. still dating that "experienced swing dancer"?

April Witt: Yes and Yes.

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Washington, DC: Thank you for your moving and lovely story. Steve and F.G. are both remarkable people and it's no wonder they became fast friends. You perfectly conveyed their sadness at parting.

One rather melancholy irony struck me: That Steve was as affected by beauty, specifically F.G.'s, as anyone else would be. The human heart is a fragile and mysterious thing.

April Witt: Thanks for your comment. No doubt Steve was drawn, at least in part, to F.G.'s outer beauty. But it is her inner beauty that has been the basis for their friendship. The human heart is, indeed, a fragile and mysterious thing. I always think of the line from the indie movie, I think it is Down By Law, where one of the characters says, "It's a sad and wonderful world." Sums it it up for me.

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Alexandria, Va.: April: Loneliness is such an elusive experience to describe. Yet we all go through it at times in our lives. Your piece provided a vivid picture of how loneliness works in the real world. It's a little sad, a little immature, a little pathetic, a little .. so many things. But then it seems it is something that many people fight and triumph over all the time. Your story to me was about that, much more than about dancing. Great stuff.

April Witt: Thanks. In the end, I thought the story was at least in part about longing. Everyone longs for moments of transcendent beauty, joy, love. People who love to dance seem to find it on the dance floor. But the longing is universal.

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Washington, D.C.: Steve started a blog! How great is that! Steve finds yet

another way to reach out to the world. The guy is amazing.

April Witt: You have that exactly right. He constantly amazes me. In reporting the story I was, at several key junctures, too gingerly with Steve to really get the information I needed to tell his story well. The analogy I gave Steve was this: when he dances with a beginner, and he tries to lead them in a step they don't know, he quickly leads them out of it to spare them both embarrassment. Foolishly, I initially did something similar in interviewing Steve. In deference to all he's been through in life, I wanted to spare him any discomfort in interviews. But time and again, Steve showed me that he was strong, totally in touch with the reality of his situation, wise and sane in dealing with it, and able to deal with the truth. If he can deal so elegantly with his daily reality, a newspaper interview is nothing he can't handle.

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Timonium, Md.: My mother is clinically depressed. I told her and my family about Steve's story to give her a perfect example of someone who is determined to live as normal a life as possible, despite the daily challenges of feeling different from everyone else.

Thank you for your story. I hope Steve finds lasting happiness.

April Witt: You warm my heart. I really was hoping that people would read the story and tell themselves, if Steve can deal so constructively with his challenges, then I'm inspired to deal better with mine. I think Steve will find lasting happiness, one way or another. He's determined to be happy. I wish you and more mother the best as you deal with her medical problem.

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Arlington, Va.: I thought your article was typical trash.

At one point, you quote Mr. Terry as saying that he doesn't want anyone to pity him. Then you go on for the remainder of the story painting a picture of a man who has a lot to be pitied, not the least of which is an unrequited desire to find love. You did no service for this man by writing such patronizing garbage.

You show yourself to be a typical, overzealous journalist who is obviously more interested in making a name for yourself than for affecting any positive change for either your readers, or Mr. Terry.

Either write about the man, or write about dancing; but just please don't write your own fairy tales.

April Witt: There is nothing pitiful about Steve. His circumstances are obviously hard. But his response to them has been quietly heroic. I think most people who know Steve admire, not pity, him. I know I do.

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Kensington, Md: A very moving story; like a good book, a story that you didn't want to end. I wished it could have been much longer. After all Steve had gone through and then at the end of the story he gets another shattering blow dealt to him; what he may have thought was possibly the love of his life; a perfect dance partner for him, maybe a perfect partner in life; "I wanted romance, she didn't" I was in tears.

A few years ago I went to the Reston Town Center on a Saturday night (they have dancing outdoors) and noticed him right away, half for his disfigurement but the other half for his prowess on the dance floor. I told MY partner, " look at that guy move, he looks like a professional" He had shorts on and a very loud gaudy Hawaiian shirt, and boy could he dance! And after awhile you looked at his grace and moves on the dance floor and not his face. I hope he meets someone he likes just as much as F. G.

April Witt: If my editor isn't reading this chat, I'll have to point out to him your brilliant observation that the story should have been longer.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Please tell Steve that most of us do not feel pity for him. We admire his strength and his will to live and shine. Where is he dancing on weekends? I would love to meet and dance with him! Helena

April Witt: Hmmmm. Helena, are you by any chance single?

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Cascades, Va.: Fantastic article, very engaging story, masterfully told. Ms. Witt has a keen sense of wit and humor, perfectly balanced with humanity and tact. Her writing style is captivating. The story is a metaphor for life and love and longing and loneliness and breaking up and seeking love, and touches the heart on many levels.

April Witt: I like your response much better than the man who thought the story was trash.

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Silver Spring, Md: I wanted to ask about the cover photo of Steve and F.G. at Glen Echo. They do look great, but a tuxedo and ball gown is not something that the swing dancers ever wear. Why was the decision made to have them wear ballroom attire rather than their swing outfits which are pictured later in the article?

April Witt: You make a good point. People don't go swing-dancing dressed like that typically. The initial photo shot for the cover was of Steve and F.G. wearing their Eight Week Wonders outfits and striking an athletic pose. It was an excellent photo and captured the fun they have together. But it didn't convey the transcendent beauty that they achieve in their friendship and on the dance floor. So, we picked up on Steve's Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers fantasy and tried to dress them like Fred and Ginger.

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Philadelphia, Pa.: Did you hear from F.G. after the article ran?

What was her reaction to Steve's published reactions to her move to Atlanta?

April Witt: F.G., being gracious, let me know right away that she liked the story and was getting a good response to it. She knew that I was going to publish Steve's reaction to her move to Atlanta. I only had that information because F.G. and Steve opted to share it with me.

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Baltimore, Md.: I guess this is a writing question more than anything: Why did you choose to spend so much time early in the story on the the Wonders and the dance program? I almost didn't get to the truly touching and heartbreaking story of Steve and F.G. because I was very bogged down by the back story of the other dancers and the people who run the program.

April Witt: I've had a few people suggest to me that I should have cut the Eight Week Wonders out of the story. Those are people who have never met the Eight Week Wonders. They really are a great community. In writing the story, I hoped that the section on the Eight Week Wonders would provide a context in which to place Steve and F.G.'s dance partnership. They were part of a happy whole. I wanted readers to get at least a glimpse of what the happy whole is like so they could understand why Steve and F.G. would want to dance with the Eight Week Wonders.

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Washington, DC: Just a clarification for the person who seemed surprised that Steve was attracted to F.G.'s beauty--if you go to Glen Echo at any time of the year, you will find Steve Terry dancing with some of the most beautiful women in the room. But, like most guys, he was especially attracted to one person, and that person was F.G. And like most guys who don't necessarily "get the girl" the first time, I hope he will build on his relationship with F.G. to find a permanent relationship with someone else. His face may not be the best, but his mind and heart have been working overtime to compensate. Pay attention, Ladies. He's really quite a catch!

April Witt: I don't think I need to add anything to that thought.

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Vienna, Va.: I am a swing dancer, and Steve's disfigurement is none of my business. Publishing these personal details, which are completely superfluous to a piece purportedly about dancing, comes across as nothing more than a publicity stunt. Using Steve as an example of the way dancing can level the playing field is one thing, but making him the center of the story was entirely inappropriate.

April Witt: It's not a story about dancing. It's a story about Steve and his partnership/friendship about F.G. They happen to be dancers.

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All Souls, Washington, DC: April,

Your article was featured, with great warmth, in this Sunday's sermon at All Souls Unitarian Church, in Washington, DC. The sermon examined the meaning of life, and Steve in your article offered an example of one who found meaning for his life.

It was my first time attending All Souls. Thank you for the lovely introduction.

April Witt: Thank you for taking time to write. I have a colleague who says all good feature stories are secretly about the meaning of life. Reporting this story, I certainly thought Steve had a lot to teach people about the meaning of life. I'm sure he had no idea, but I certainly learned from him.

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Bethesda, Md.: April Witt, thank you for your lovely, sensitive story about Steve and F.G.I first became interested in swing dancing during the Country/Western craze of the late 80's and early 90's....mostly at the "Country Junction" in Rockville, Md. Your beautifully crafted story brought back memories of fun times and favorite dance partners from those days. Save me a dance on your dance card!Robert in Bethesda

April Witt: Thanks, Robert. But did I mention I'm really, really a beginner? Once, in the corner of the Chevy Chase Ballroom, I was trying to get Steve to show me that Maxie Stop Step that I wanted to describe in the beginning of the story. Some woman I've never seen before or since stared at me as I repeatedly bungled the step. Steve, of course, was endlessly patient. Finally, the staring woman walked past us and muttered (presumably at Steve) "You are taking your life in your hands."

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Gaithersburg, Md.: First, a very nice article.

My question is about the struggle you and/or Steve may have faced related to his desire to be very private. Ultimately, you've opened his personal life and struggles to a MUCH larger audience. How hard was it to get him to open up and (aside from the Blog) how do you think he will confront having his story shared so widely?

April Witt: Because Steve doesn't pity himself and doesn't dwell on the negative, he was reluctant to talk about some of the painful ways other people have mistreated him on occasion because of his disfigurement. Loathe to cause him pain, I didn't push. We were very late in the reporting process before he voluntarily shared that information with me so I could try to convey his experiences to the best of my ability. I'm sure it was difficult for him to do that. I suspect he'll use this story as an opportunity to help other people. He'll handle the crazy experience of being written about in The Washington Post, the way he handles everything -- with optimism, purpose and dignity. Obviously, I came away from this experience with a lot of respect for both Steve and F.G.

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Herndon, Va: From Steve Terry. Nope, haven't found a partner yet

absolutely glad. many people have told me how blessed they've been by it.

April Witt: This is a posting from Steve. The good news is, if there is a fabulous follower out there eager to join the Eight Week Wonders it's not too late!

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April Witt: By the way, Steve's blog is at dancingonair2006.blogspot.com.

He told me that he wants to post the "top 10 things never to tell a reporter." I hope number one is not, "Sure, I'd be happy to let you do a story about me."

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Oakland, Md.: Has Steve ever had a serious relationship? Please tell him to hang in there, because there are any number of people who, as they get to know him, will in time forget he is not Cary Grant (or whoever today's heart throb is). I know because I was one of the last polio victims, having been stricken even after the vaccine was widely available. My leg is shriveled and useless, even w/my specially fitted shoe with its 8" platform. My spine and even my face are twisted. But I've been married to two beautiful, wonderful women, the first of whom died of cancer at 27. There is truly someone for him out there and my hope is that this article will help him to find her.

April Witt: Thanks for sharing your experiences.

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Washington, DC: Dancing is like recess for grownups. An anticipated treat restlessly anticipated about the entire work day, a playground where for a the length of a song your feet become your wings, ending with a dip so deep and low you wonder how it ended so soon.

April Witt: That sounds exactly right to me. I'm too new at dancing to have ever experienced my feet as wings. But talented dancers really do seen to experience a lightness and joy that ends too soon. But hey, at least they experienced it for a three-minute-song. Some folks never do. Thanks to everyone who joined us. Thanks especially to Steve and F.G. for generously sharing their story with me and all of you.

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Steve in Herndon, Va.: April, In response to your questions:April: "One question I've already gotten is, have you found a new dance partner yet? Have you?"Steve:I have lots of partners. But I'm always looking out for someone I especially click with.

April:"By the way, are you glad you agreed to do the story? Have good things come out of it so far?"

Steve:"Yes. My main motivation was to let people know how God is the center of my life and show's his love through me."

April Witt: I just noticed this posting from Steve. So here it is....

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