ORIGINAL ARTICLE: http://nextmagazine.com/nexus/scene-heard-dance-pier-sophie-ellis-bextor-says-without-gays-there-would-be-no-disco-um-duh
As the Gay Pride March wound down in the West Village, 14th Street filled with gorgeous men making their way to Pier 54 for the Dance On The Pier, the semi-official closing ceremonies of New York Pride. The marathon dance party featured sets by the Freemasons as well as "surprise" performances by Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Ultra Natè. “This is my first ever bit singing in the States,” said a nervous Ellis-Bextor backstage. “I’m very fortunate that I have a lot of gay fans. I owe my career to them, really." Does that mean we get a cut of the royalties? (Kidding!)
The British singer couldn't have been happier to have her New York debut during Pride. “I suppose it’s just a celebration of all the positive sides of humanity, which is a brilliant thing to be proud of," she told us. "The gay community has been responsible for so much, particularly in the arts. I’d say I’m most proud, in terms of what I do, of their contribution to the disco movement. Disco wouldn’t exist without the gay community. And without disco you wouldn’t have contemporary dance music. That’s pretty substantial!” Good thing disco isn't dead, Sophie, or we'd all lose our gay cards!
But Ellis-Bextor, who wowed the waterfront crowd with "Murder on the Dancefloor" and "Bittersweet," isn't the only one happy to have the gays around. “I think the turnout and the attitude is something to be proud of this year." said James Wiltshire of the Freemasons, the dance's official DJs. (Wiltshire and partner-in-crime Russell Small produced Ellis-Bextor tracks "Heartbreak" and "Bittersweet.") "I got got trapped in the West Village today by the parade and it’s been an amazing atmosphere. It seems that the Pride event here goes across the entire cross-section of New York. It still seemed to have an element of the original standpoint as well, which is really good. It is a semi-politic celebration...The idea of standing up against ignorance and against bigotry seemed intact."
When asked what they hoped for their Pier Dance premier, Small said it was all about smiles. “Happy faces is the goal at the end of the day,” he uttered with a grin. “People coming out smiling, having enjoyed the evening, is what we hope for.”
With a packed dance floor, Wiltshire and Small in the booth, Ellis-Bextor and Natè singings their hits, and fireworks overhead, happy faces were in no short supply.
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