Boots N Cats N Boots N Cats N (Dance Beat)

36 x 36 x 1.5

acrylic on canvas

2020

SOLD

Disco Ball, Mirror Ball, Silver Sphere, Glitter Ball.  Dance Icon.

Disco balls do not merely reflect light; they have become the source of a multifaceted and multilayered metaphor for community, escapism, inclusion, even safety in nightlife. I grew up in the Disco era of the 1970s. Disco emerged from the negative conditions of late 1960’s. The fight for Civil Rights, Gay Liberation, Women’s Rights and the anti-Vietnam War movement fed into the zeitgeist of that time. Discotheques were joyful places where marginalized people could safely express themselves. Predominately LGBTQ, Black and Latino communities popularized underground nightclubs and accelerated dance music culture. These clubs provided safe havens for people who wanted to escape from social issues and enjoy a euphoric experience away from public scrutiny.

The thing I’ve always loved about dancing is its unwavering positivity. Dance is a reverie that maintains its transcendent high. Dance studios and clubs continue to provide a culture of love and inclusion and creates a space for community-building across lines of differences. Disco Balls are celebratory objects of life-affirming transformation.