Snap Judgment: “Not So Tiny Dancer – Snap Classic”

Date: November 27, 2025
Host: Glynn Washington
Podcast: Snap Judgment (in collaboration with PRX)

Episode Overview

In this Snap Classic episode, the show masterfully weaves real-life storytelling with evocative sound design to transport listeners into the tundra of Canada, and later to the streets of Oakland, California. The first story, “Not So Tiny Dancer,” follows Dennis Compayre, a man from Churchill, Manitoba, whose childhood fear of polar bears transforms into an unlikely, decades-long relationship with a wild bear he calls Dancer. The episode explores themes of fear, transformation, connection with nature, and the cost of commercialization.
The second segment shifts abruptly in tone, featuring a live comedic story from Don Reed about growing up on East 14th Street in Oakland—addressing family, coming of age, personal authenticity, and butter as hair product.

Main Story: “Not So Tiny Dancer”

Setting the Scene (00:00–04:56)

• Glynn opens with a reflection on winter traditions, climate change, and how local customs like “car on the ice” raffles reveal our deep connection to cold landscapes.
• “...for the first time in living memory, the lake didn’t freeze over. And being from this place, it’s hard to adequately express the surprise, the shock, our connection to the cold... This is the thing that touches the soul.”
  – Glynn Washington (03:30)

Dennis Compayre’s Childhood in Churchill, Manitoba (04:56–10:00)

• Dennis describes a childhood defined by brutal winters, freedom, and a constant underlying fear of polar bears.
• Polar bears were so integrated into the town’s psyche that nightmares about “the bear” were a common rite of passage.
  • “Our boogeyman… was always the polar bear.” – Dennis (05:19)
• The primal fear was ever-present: “My father would haul out his rifle and make sure it was loaded and put it by the door just in case. I constantly had nightmares about polar bears.”
  – Dennis (06:35)

Memorable Childhood Encounter

• Dennis recounts a vivid childhood memory of coming face-to-face with a massive bear while running home after the dogs sounded an alarm. The moment was marked by a surreal connection:
  • “We locked eyes for about three or four seconds and that was absolutely amazing.” – Dennis (09:18)

Transformation: From Fear to Fascination (10:02–14:25)

• The 1980s brought tourism to Churchill: outsiders eager to see polar bears shifted the town’s relationship from avoidance to engagement.
  • Dennis, as the first tundra buggy driver, saw the transformation firsthand—moving from primal fear to a protected observer of these animals.
• The “tundra buggy” was a homemade, Frankenstein’d monster truck to carry tourists out on the ice: “...chassis of a 5-ton fire truck, big tires, school bus seats, and a five-gallon bucket for the toilet.”
  – Dennis (11:07)

Meeting Dancer: The Connection Grows (12:30–18:02)

• Dennis describes an 11-month-old polar bear cub, part of a mother-cub trio, who takes a peculiar shine to him.
• This cub, soon named “Dancer,” engages Dennis in playful peekaboo—standing on hind legs, appearing to “dance.”
  • “It looked like he was trying to dance. It was the most comical thing.” – Dennis (13:32)
  • For several winters, Dennis and Dancer resume this interaction: “We got this kind of connection together.” (13:47)

Separation and Reconnection (14:57–17:58)

• As commercial interests increase, Dennis is forced to stay nearer to town. The old buggy (“Buggy One”) is retired and he loses touch with Dancer for several years.
• He rekindles involvement by collaborating to set up a polar bear webcam, resurrecting “Buggy One” as a mobile observation post.

A Miraculous Reunion (19:07–24:29)

• Alone in the buggy, Dennis is jolted awake by a “big whomp” and discovers Dancer—now much older—has tracked him down after six years and fifty kilometers from their last meeting spot.
  • “He found me after six years, so I just about dropped to the floor. So there was my old buddy who I’d never seen for six or seven years, and he’s 50 kilometers away from where we usually met.”
    – Dennis (19:54)

The Relationship Deepens

• Dancer visits Dennis every November for the next several years, rousing him each time with a “big wallop” on the buggy. The visits are intimate; Dancer would stick his head through the window, sniff, allow Dennis to scratch his head, and share silent companionship.

  • “I never felt threatened one bit from Dancer. In fact, I used to get on the ground with him. Probably the stupidest thing to do ever. But I felt secure enough during those moments.”
    – Dennis (22:51)

• The vast, stark tundra becomes both Dennis’ retreat and a stage for his unique bond with Dancer.

  • “To everybody else in the world, there's absolutely nothing there. And it’s stark as stark can be…It's a different realm, if I can put it that way.” – Dennis (23:13)

On Loneliness, Intuition, and Connection (24:29–26:05)

• Dennis describes a particularly lonely night when Dancer visits quietly, sensing Dennis’ melancholy and offering silent comfort.
  • “He could pick up on my melancholy and my silence...He kind of absorbed that energy I was going through. And it really, you know, it makes you think, doesn’t it?”
    – Dennis (25:15)

Tourism and the Ethical Dilemma (26:05–31:00)

• The polar bear business explodes, from one buggy to eighteen, with tourists demanding close encounters.
  • Dennis expresses frustration at disrespectful tourists:
    • “They’re acting like the bears were like a pig or a cow… It pissed me off.” (26:48)
• Dancer refuses to “perform” for tourists, much to Dennis’ relief and pride.
  • “He just gave me a long look and just put his head down and didn’t move. And I thought, good, good for you.”
    – Dennis (28:14)

Farewell to Dancer (28:56–32:30)

• Dennis’ last close encounter with Dancer is captured on film, but he decides not to call the bear over again—out of respect for Dancer’s autonomy and to avoid commodification of their unique bond.
  • “He’s not a clown, clown bear. He’s an honest-to-goodness bear.”
    – Dennis (30:48)
  • On the pain of saying goodbye:
    • “It’s hard to say goodbye. It’s quite emotional when you find your old buddy bear again and you can’t interact with them... I knew that this would be our last encounter and I would never do it again.”
      – Dennis (31:02–31:24)

Don Reed: “East 14th” – Snap Live in San Francisco (starts ~35:11)

A Shift in Tone: Coming-of-Age Comedy

• Oakland storyteller Don Reed takes the live stage, recounting his teenage years toggling between strict religious rules at his mother’s and his father’s world of flamboyance and “pimp” culture.
• Don struggles to fit in, from forced hair transformations to disastrous grooming shortcuts.

The Infamous Butter Incident (41:09–47:09)

• In an attempt to style his hair for a roller-skating trip to Lake Merritt, Don uses butter.
• Disaster unfolds as the sun melts his hairdo, and then bus air conditioning turns it stark white—drawing ridicule and a swarm of gnats and flies.
  • “I got off the bus. People like, ‘Damn, he looked like a water buffalo. What’s going on?’”
    – Don Reed (43:30)

The Lesson

• Don’s father, in a rare moment of straightforward advice, tells him:
  • “You’re trying to be something you ain’t. All you need to do is be yourself.” (47:12)
  • Don closes by thanking his father and the audience for embracing authenticity.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

| Time | Speaker | Quote | |--------|----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:30 | Glynn | “The lake didn’t freeze over… This is not just a thing to reckon with out there. This is the thing that touches the soul.”| | 09:18 | Dennis | “We locked eyes for about three or four seconds and that was absolutely amazing.” | | 13:32 | Dennis | “It looked like he was trying to dance. It was the most comical thing.” | | 19:54 | Dennis | “He found me after six years… he’s 50 kilometers away from where we usually met.” | | 22:51 | Dennis | “In fact, I used to get on the ground with him. Probably the stupidest thing to do ever. But I felt secure enough…” | | 25:15 | Dennis | “He could pick up on my melancholy… and he kind of absorbed that energy I was going through.” | | 26:48 | Dennis | “They’re acting like the bears were like a pig or a cow… It pissed me off.” | | 28:14 | Dennis | “He just gave me a long look and just put his head down and didn’t move. And I thought, good, good for you.” | | 31:02 | Dennis | “It’s hard to say goodbye… when you find your old buddy bear again and you can’t interact with them.” | | 43:30 | Don Reed | “I got off the bus. People like, ‘Damn, he looked like a water buffalo. What’s going on?’” | | 47:12 | Don’s Father | “You’re trying to be something you ain’t. All you need to do is be yourself.” |

Key Themes and Takeaways

• Nature as Mirror: Dennis’s journey reflects both personal transformation and the dramatic changes in the arctic environment due to climate change.
• The Depth of Human-Animal Connection: The bond with Dancer blurs the boundaries between observer and the wild, highlighting empathy across species.
• Authenticity over Performance: Both major stories close with the same message—whether with a bear or a bus full of girls, the truest relationships come from being genuine.
• Commercialization and Loss: The rise of “polar bear tourism” serves as a warning about the dangers of commodifying nature and personal encounters for entertainment.

Episode Flow & Segment Timestamps

• 00:00–04:56 – Host’s intro, winter traditions, framing story
• 04:56–32:30 – “Not So Tiny Dancer”: Dennis and Dancer, the evolution of a unique human-animal friendship
• 35:11–48:16 – Don Reed live: coming-of-age comedy “East 14th”

For More

• Visit snapjudgment.org or Snap Judgment Films on YouTube for videos and more live performances.
• Info on Dennis Compayre’s polar bear conservation work is also available on the Snap website.

This episode stands out for its vivid, cinematic storytelling, unexpected humor, and honest meditations on connection, loss, and the courage to simply be yourself—whether you’re facing down a polar bear, a crowd of tourists, or your own reflection.