Danceteria: Midtown Feels the Downtown Storm Available to Purchase

Danceteria sent shockwaves through the city’s party scene when it opened in May 1980, all the way to the Mudd Club, where owners Jim Fouratt and Rudolf Piper had spent a fair amount of time hanging out. Dedicating the basement to DJ-ing, the first floor to live bands, and the second floor to video, Fouratt and Piper presented revelers with a novel element of choice, not because of the range of entertainment but because all of the options were available at once. The shift to sensory overload was unmistakable as two bands appeared live every night, two DJs shared the turntables, and experimental filmmakers curated a groundbreaking video lounge. Danceteria offered a level of explorative creativity that threatened to dwarf the offerings of Club 57 and the Mudd Club. Yet in contrast to both of those spots, Fouratt and Piper’s venue was located not in downtown but midtown.