Out of all of New York City’s famed nightclubs, none were more creative, wild and daring than Danceteria. Famously known as the club that gave Madonna her start, Danceteria nurtured countless budding musicians and artists.
Danceteria provided an exotic safe haven for creatives during an era in New York City that was riddled by the AIDS epidemic and serving as a counterpoint to the political climate of the Reagan presidency. Today, we dive deep into the history of Danceteria and what made this seminal institution the ultimate nightlife experience.
Early starts
Danceteria opened and flourished in a golden age of clubs in New York City. Growing up alongside nightclubs like Hurrah and Studio 54, there was already a proven desire for nightlife in the city. But Danceteria wasn’t just a trend hopper; it sought to fill in the gaps where other clubs were lacking.
Danceteria had four locations over the years. The first was a pipe-dream passion project, a rundown love-child of Jim Fouratt and Rudolph Piper, former managers of Studio 54. The duo decided New York nightlife desperately needed an after-hours venue for people from all walks of life. (Studio 54 was famously exclusive and ritzy.)
Fouratt, already a renowned talent booker at Hurrah’s and Studio 54, wanted to create a melting pot of culture blending low brow and high brow at a counter-cultural crossroads.
Their first club, located at 252 West 37th St., opened in 1979 and lasted only a year. Unlicensed and illegal, local police and fire departments shut the joint down as the New York Liquor Licensing Authorities raided the club, arresting dozens of employees.
But the seed was planted, the proof of concept executed.
Danceteria takes off
In 1982, opportunity came knocking when John Argento, hired Fouratt and Piper to promote and book talent for what became the most iconic iteration of Danceteria.
Located at 30 West 21st St., this version of Danceteria was massive in scale and ambition. The main club occupied three floors every night. At the bottom level, resident and guest DJs spun genre-bending new wave tunes for up to 10-12 hour stretches at a time. For many, Danceteria was a non-stop party and escape from reality. No matter the time of night you could walk in and enter a world of pure ecstasy.
The 2nd floor was home to the live bands. Some memorable performers include the Smiths, Duran Duran, Sonic Youth and Devo. A lot of these big names were booked when Fouratt was replaced by another famed NYC talent booker Ruth Polsky, who also booked for nightclubs like Hurrah.
Fashion shows were hosted at Danceteria and a restaurant also occupied the third floor. With food, music and unending stimulation, Danceteria was quite literally a place you could check into and never leave. In an age of intense fear and discrimination, Danceteria was an all-hours safe haven for lost, wild souls looking for escape.
The third floor also featured a one-of-a-kind video room turned art exhibit, which featured VJ’s (video djs) who live mixed found footage, films and early music videos. It was creative endeavors like this that attracted famous creatives and artist to the club such as Jean-Michel Basquiat
In fact, many artists found themselves drawn by Danceteria and all its strange and inventive energy. The number of celebrities who worked there at one point or another was astounding. The Beastie Boys were busboys alongside Keith Haring. LL Cool J was an elevator attendant. Sade was a bartender, who had first performance at Danceteria. And of course there was Madonna.
The Birthplace of Madonna
Many New York clubs have given famous bands their big break. Bruce Springsteen found his chance at the Bottom Line. The Ramones found a home at CGBG. Likewise, Madonna was born and bred in the frenetic energy of Danceteria.
Madonna started at Danceteria as a waitress. Here, she absorbed the budding music scene and morphed it into her own sound. When she recorded her first single “Everybody” she had resident DJ Mark Kamins play her track to the audience. Shortly after that night, she gave her first ever live performance on the second floor stage at Danceteria. The crowd adored her. She was introduced to an an A&R guy from Sire Records and her first record deal was signed. Danceteria’s influence on her sound was undeniable
The Inevitable Rise and Fall
Danceteria opened two more locations over the years, one in Midtown Manhattan, the other a satellite location in the Hamptons. But like most clubs of the age, the business model simply wasn’t sustainable. With the sheer size of the multi-level club, rising rent prices forced the club to shutter their doors in 1986. The Hamptons outpost remained open until 1995.
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