Danceteria (1982 to 1986)

Danceteria, famous as the place where Madonna was discovered, opened in its original location in 1980. Jim Fouratt and Rudolf Piper, who knew the city's club scene well, envisioned Danceteria as something different than any of its competitors. It was a bit of a hybrid--equal parts dance club and arts space, as well as a space to see and be seen. As a harbinger of the coming decade, Danceteria also offered a video lounge.

The first Danceteria was located on West 37th Street. Fouratt and Piper hit on an interesting strategy: by staying open until 8AM, past the closing times of most other clubs, Danceteria could draw a diverse spillover crowd from Studio 54, CBGB, Mudd Club, and others once they closed. As a result, Danceteria--unlike CBGB, for instance--didn't attract one distinct group. It was arguably one of the most eclectic of the great nightclubs of the era. The first club didn't last long; it was unlicensed and was shut down by the police and fire departments later that year.

The club's second incarnation, and the one that became famous, opened in 1982 on West 21st Street. Like its predecessor, it was a curious amalgamation of venues: Level 1 was a dance floor, with virtually any kind of a music with a good beat playing; Level 2 was reserved for live performances and the occasional fashion show; and Level 3 was home to a restaurant and the video lounge. This was the beginning of the MTV age, and the video lounge was perhaps the first of its kind. On any given night, clubgoers could find videos of live performances, early music vidoes, or found footage.

Danceteria had a winning formula. It was immediately popular, and its location in Midtown at a time when most of the well-known clubs were farther south added to its appeal. Among the performers Danceteria hosted were Run-DMC, the Smiths, New Order, and Whodini, while celebrities like Basquiat, Cyndi Lauper, and Vivienne Westwood were regulars. But regulars at the club were just as likely to see Philip Glass performing as they were the latest New Wave sensation. There were also any number of future stars among the club's regulars. LL Cool J worked the elevators and Madonna was discovered at the club. There is also a persistent rumor that Sade once worked at the club as a bartender, but there does not appear to be any truth to the story. The singer, did, however, make her US debut on the club's stage.

It was DJ Mark Kamins who discovered Madonna, a regular at the club. Kamins played her first single, "Everybody," during one of his sets, and a bit later, she performed the song on Danceteria's stage, her first appearance as a singer at the club. Later, the club would be immortalized in her film, "Desperately Seeking Susan."

For such a storied nightclub, Danceteria's end was decidedly pedestrian: it lost its lease and closed in 1986. There was a third incarnation of the club in the Hamptons in the 1990s but it never appears to have attracted the kind of devoted following as the West 21st Street location. As with many buildings in Manhattan, the one that once housed Danceteria is now home to overpriced apartments.

Abelson , Max . This Used to be Madonna's Playground: Danceteria to Become Luxury Condos , The Observer . May 20th 2008. Accessed September 17th 2020. https://observer.com/2008/05/this-used-to-be-madonnas-playground-danceteria-to-become-luxury-condos/.

Bickford , Malina . "It Was a Beautiful Thing:" Danceteria and the Birth of Madonna , Vice . September 8th 2014. Accessed September 17th 2020. https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/vvjawa/it-was-a-beautiful-thing-danceteria-and-the-birth-of-madonna.

Danceteria: Where Studio 54 Met CBGB in 1980s New York , Electronic Beats . September 27th 2016. Accessed September 17th 2020. https://www.electronicbeats.net/danceteria-life-and-death-book-excerpt/.

Lucky Star: Danceteria and the Debut of Madonna , Bowery Boys History . September 18th 2009. Accessed September 17th 2020. https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2009/09/lucky-star-danceteria-and-debut-of.html.