Gay Ballet: Two Men Defyg Tradns the Dance World

Contents:

• ‘AMERIN BANDSTAND’ KEPT SECRET THAT TEEN STARS WERE GAY
• HOW A GROUP OF GAY MALE BALLET DANCERS IS RETHKG MASCULY
• VIO OF YOUNG BOY DANCG SEXUALLY STREETS AS ‘GAY’ PRI ATTEN CHEER RAISG CONCERNS
• THE SECRET GAY LIV OF THE "AMERIN BANDSTAND" DANCERS"THOSE BOYS WHO WERE 14 AND 15 AND 16 WERE SLEEPG WH EACH OTHER.”{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY ADAM SALANDRAMARCH 14, 2017/3:20 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;} ABC PHOTO ARCHIV/ABC VIA GETTY IMAGBY ADAM SALANDRAMARCH 14, 2017 / 3:20 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"THE SECRET GAY LIV OF THE \"AMERIN BANDSTAND\" DANCERS","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-03-14T19:20:10.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-03-14T19:20:10.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"ADAM SALANDRA","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE YOUNG DANCERS ON AMERIN BANDSTAND WERE THE REALY STARS OF THE 1950S AND '60S—KIDS NATNWI SHED HOME TO WATCH THEIR EVERY MOVE AND CHATTER ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIPS AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT JT LIKE A LOT OF TODAY'S SHOWMANC ARE NCTED, MANY OF THE BANDSTAND BOPPERS WERE HARBORG A BIG SECRET: THEY WERE GAY.GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I KNEW I WAS DIFFERENT EARLY ON, BUT BEG WH ALL THE [BANDSTAND] IENDS, I ME TO TERMS WH MY FEELGS," BANDSTAND STAR ARLENE SULLIVAN WR HER MEMOIR, BANDSTAND DIARI. "I KISSED A GIRL, AND I LIKED !”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BANDSTAND BUTED PHILALPHIA 1950 AND TOOK ON S FAIAR FORMAT TWO YEARS LATER. IN ADDN TO APPEARANC BY BIG POP STARS OF THE DAY, SULLIVAN'S ON-SCREEN ROMANCE WH KENNY ROSSI WAS A HUGE DRAW FOR THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ROSSI WAS STRAIGHT—BUT SULLIVAN, MANY OF HER FEMALE -STARS, AND MOST OF THE YOUNG MALE DANCERS WERE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SULLIVAN, 74, WROTE DIARI WH RAY SMH, ANOTHER DANCER WHO WAS CLOSETED DURG HIS BANDSTAND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“THE ONE THG THAT REALLY SHOCKED ME WAS THAT THOSE BOYS WHO WERE 14 AND 15 AND 16 WERE SLEEPG WH EACH OTHER," SMH TOLD THE NEW YORK {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AT THE TIME, BEG OPEN ABOUT THEIR SEXUALY WOULD HAVE MEANT THE END FOR THE YOUNG PERFORMERS WH STARS THEIR EY. SULLIVAN SAYS BANDSTAND HOST DICK CLARK KNEW MOST OF THE ST WAS GAY, BUT WAS TERMED TO KEEP UNR WRAPS FOR THE SAKE OF THE SHOW.GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THERE WERE EVEN ALLEGATNS THAT CLARK NDUCTED WCH HUNTS, SENDG PRODUCTN STAFF TO RTENHOE SQUARE, AT THE CENTER OF PHILALPHIA'S GAYBORHOOD, TO SEE IF ANY OF THE YOUNG STARS WERE THERE. BUT OVERALL, THEIR MEET-UPS REMAED A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“IN OTHER PARTS OF THE UNTRY, IF YOU WERE A GAY KID GROWG UP, YOU WERE PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE TOWN WHO WAS GAY,” SULLIVAN SAYS. “BUT... WE WERE LIKE A LTLE FAY TOGETHER, AND WE ALL HAD SOMETHG MON, AND WE ALL STUCK TOGETHER, AND THAT MA EASIER FOR .”MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DPE THAT SENSE OF MUNY, THE SHOW'S STARS—GAY AND STRAIGHT ALIKE—WERE TARGETED PHILALPHIA, AND EVEN PHYSILLY ATTACKED SOME S, JT FOR BEG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“WHEN I ED TO WALK DOWN THE STREETS OF PHILALPHIA AND BE REGNIZED, I’D BE LLED A ‘BANDSTAND F*GGOT,’” DANCER FRANK BRANCC TOLD THE NATNAL ENQUIRER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONCE WHEN SULLIVAN AND ROSSI VISED ANOTHER SHOW REGULAR NORTH PHILALPHIA, "WE WERE LEAVG HER APARTMENT AND WERE HEAD TO THE EL, AND I HEARD R DOORS SLAMMG, AND I LOOKED BACK, AND ALL THE GUYS WERE G UP THE STEPS, AND THEY STARTED BEATG UP ON KENNY,” SHE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I WAS TRYG TO H THEM OVER THEIR HEADS WH MY POCKETBOOK, BUT THEY JT WOULDN’T GIVE UP. FALLY, WE GOT AWAY AND JUMPED OVER THE TURNSTILE. THEY WERE HURTG HIM. IT WAS HORRIBLE.”MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY IMAGLOS ANGELES - APRIL 1960: HOST OF THE TELEVISN SHOW 'AMERIN BANDSTAND' DICK CLARK APPEARS A SCENE WH MICHAEL CALLAN OM THE MOVIE 'BEE THEY'RE YOUNG' WHICH WAS RELEASED APRIL 1960. (PHOTO BY MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ANOTHER TIME, A DANCER WAS THROWN ONTO THE SUBWAY TRACKS. ONE YOUNG PERFORMER WAS DANGLED DOWN AN ELEVATOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT FOR THE GAY KIDS, THE ABE AT HOME WAS WORSE: WHEN ONE DANCER'S PARENTS LEARNED HE WAS GAY, SHE TOLD THE POST, "THEY PUT A DRKG CUP ONT OF HIM AND SAID, ‘THIS IS YOUR CUP, AND YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE WHO WILL E THIS CUP.’" ANOTHER WAS THROWN OUT OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THANKFULLY WE'VE E A LONG WAY SCE THOSE SAD DAYS. AND WHILE MORE OPENLY GAY PERFORMERS ARE FORTABLE TAKG THE STAGE THE DAYS, 'S GOOD TO KNOW WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN THERE—EVEN IF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

‘AMERIN BANDSTAND’ KEPT SECRET THAT TEEN STARS WERE GAY

She wore a red sequned drs and my head her hair was bigger than Dolly Parton’s, although is highly likely that uld be me leang to the gay fantasy. While eventually I would e to realise I am also a gay man, long before my gay shame me the shame of beg a boy whose bt iend was a Barbie.

Most prompts for gay porn, meanwhile, explibly flt to people of ambiguoly LatX scent wh an unrcut hairstyle.

Is that ditive of the typ of gay porn the mols were traed on? A gay uple, as picted by Unstable Diffn. What they didn’t know was that Arlene and several of the other female dancers, and most of the handsome teen boys, were gay.

HOW A GROUP OF GAY MALE BALLET DANCERS IS RETHKG MASCULY

But back the “Bandstand” days, Smh was one of the show’s secretly gay dancers. Ray Smh was one of the show’s secretly gay Chevrtt. And while Smh knew he was gay, he was “shocked” to learn that “most of the guys on ‘Bandstand, ’ so many of them, were gay, ” he told The Post.

Clark was “termed” to keep the homosexualy of popular “Bandstand” regulars a secret, Smh said.

Sullivan and the other dancers often ngregated Rtenhoe Square, the historic epicenter of what is known as the Cy of Brotherly Love’s “Gayborhood. ” There even was chatter and fear that Clark, who died at 82 2012, sent members of his productn staff to spy on them and report back the nam of the spected gay regulars.

VIO OF YOUNG BOY DANCG SEXUALLY STREETS AS ‘GAY’ PRI ATTEN CHEER RAISG CONCERNS

“In other parts of the untry, if you were a gay kid growg up, you were probably the only one town who was gay, ” Sullivan said. But was not easy on the mean streets of Philalphia to be a “Bandstand” regular spected of beg gay. The bashg of “Bandstand” regulars, gay and straight, happened all the time, Sullivan and Smh reveal.

But he vividly rells that one of his fellow gay dancers “was thrown onto the El tracks” outsi the stud, and another popular regular who was gay and often danced wh Sullivan “was dangled over an elevator shaft. “The parents of one kid on the show found out that he was gay...

THE SECRET GAY LIV OF THE "AMERIN BANDSTAND" DANCERS"THOSE BOYS WHO WERE 14 AND 15 AND 16 WERE SLEEPG WH EACH OTHER.”{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY ADAM SALANDRAMARCH 14, 2017/3:20 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;} ABC PHOTO ARCHIV/ABC VIA GETTY IMAGBY ADAM SALANDRAMARCH 14, 2017 / 3:20 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"THE SECRET GAY LIV OF THE \"AMERIN BANDSTAND\" DANCERS","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2017-03-14T19:20:10.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2017-03-14T19:20:10.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"ADAM SALANDRA","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE YOUNG DANCERS ON AMERIN BANDSTAND WERE THE REALY STARS OF THE 1950S AND '60S—KIDS NATNWI SHED HOME TO WATCH THEIR EVERY MOVE AND CHATTER ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIPS AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT JT LIKE A LOT OF TODAY'S SHOWMANC ARE NCTED, MANY OF THE BANDSTAND BOPPERS WERE HARBORG A BIG SECRET: THEY WERE GAY.GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I KNEW I WAS DIFFERENT EARLY ON, BUT BEG WH ALL THE [BANDSTAND] IENDS, I ME TO TERMS WH MY FEELGS," BANDSTAND STAR ARLENE SULLIVAN WR HER MEMOIR, BANDSTAND DIARI. "I KISSED A GIRL, AND I LIKED !”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BANDSTAND BUTED PHILALPHIA 1950 AND TOOK ON S FAIAR FORMAT TWO YEARS LATER. IN ADDN TO APPEARANC BY BIG POP STARS OF THE DAY, SULLIVAN'S ON-SCREEN ROMANCE WH KENNY ROSSI WAS A HUGE DRAW FOR THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ROSSI WAS STRAIGHT—BUT SULLIVAN, MANY OF HER FEMALE -STARS, AND MOST OF THE YOUNG MALE DANCERS WERE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SULLIVAN, 74, WROTE DIARI WH RAY SMH, ANOTHER DANCER WHO WAS CLOSETED DURG HIS BANDSTAND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“THE ONE THG THAT REALLY SHOCKED ME WAS THAT THOSE BOYS WHO WERE 14 AND 15 AND 16 WERE SLEEPG WH EACH OTHER," SMH TOLD THE NEW YORK {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AT THE TIME, BEG OPEN ABOUT THEIR SEXUALY WOULD HAVE MEANT THE END FOR THE YOUNG PERFORMERS WH STARS THEIR EY. SULLIVAN SAYS BANDSTAND HOST DICK CLARK KNEW MOST OF THE ST WAS GAY, BUT WAS TERMED TO KEEP UNR WRAPS FOR THE SAKE OF THE SHOW.GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THERE WERE EVEN ALLEGATNS THAT CLARK NDUCTED WCH HUNTS, SENDG PRODUCTN STAFF TO RTENHOE SQUARE, AT THE CENTER OF PHILALPHIA'S GAYBORHOOD, TO SEE IF ANY OF THE YOUNG STARS WERE THERE. BUT OVERALL, THEIR MEET-UPS REMAED A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“IN OTHER PARTS OF THE UNTRY, IF YOU WERE A GAY KID GROWG UP, YOU WERE PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE TOWN WHO WAS GAY,” SULLIVAN SAYS. “BUT... WE WERE LIKE A LTLE FAY TOGETHER, AND WE ALL HAD SOMETHG MON, AND WE ALL STUCK TOGETHER, AND THAT MA EASIER FOR .”MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DPE THAT SENSE OF MUNY, THE SHOW'S STARS—GAY AND STRAIGHT ALIKE—WERE TARGETED PHILALPHIA, AND EVEN PHYSILLY ATTACKED SOME S, JT FOR BEG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“WHEN I ED TO WALK DOWN THE STREETS OF PHILALPHIA AND BE REGNIZED, I’D BE LLED A ‘BANDSTAND F*GGOT,’” DANCER FRANK BRANCC TOLD THE NATNAL ENQUIRER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONCE WHEN SULLIVAN AND ROSSI VISED ANOTHER SHOW REGULAR NORTH PHILALPHIA, "WE WERE LEAVG HER APARTMENT AND WERE HEAD TO THE EL, AND I HEARD R DOORS SLAMMG, AND I LOOKED BACK, AND ALL THE GUYS WERE G UP THE STEPS, AND THEY STARTED BEATG UP ON KENNY,” SHE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I WAS TRYG TO H THEM OVER THEIR HEADS WH MY POCKETBOOK, BUT THEY JT WOULDN’T GIVE UP. FALLY, WE GOT AWAY AND JUMPED OVER THE TURNSTILE. THEY WERE HURTG HIM. IT WAS HORRIBLE.”MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY IMAGLOS ANGELES - APRIL 1960: HOST OF THE TELEVISN SHOW 'AMERIN BANDSTAND' DICK CLARK APPEARS A SCENE WH MICHAEL CALLAN OM THE MOVIE 'BEE THEY'RE YOUNG' WHICH WAS RELEASED APRIL 1960. (PHOTO BY MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIV/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ANOTHER TIME, A DANCER WAS THROWN ONTO THE SUBWAY TRACKS. ONE YOUNG PERFORMER WAS DANGLED DOWN AN ELEVATOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT FOR THE GAY KIDS, THE ABE AT HOME WAS WORSE: WHEN ONE DANCER'S PARENTS LEARNED HE WAS GAY, SHE TOLD THE POST, "THEY PUT A DRKG CUP ONT OF HIM AND SAID, ‘THIS IS YOUR CUP, AND YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE WHO WILL E THIS CUP.’" ANOTHER WAS THROWN OUT OF THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THANKFULLY WE'VE E A LONG WAY SCE THOSE SAD DAYS. AND WHILE MORE OPENLY GAY PERFORMERS ARE FORTABLE TAKG THE STAGE THE DAYS, 'S GOOD TO KNOW WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN THERE—EVEN IF {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

No, this is about the ballero — my word for him — I met and what he reprented to a lonely gay kid Southern California 1984, a kid who had never before met another gay person. Somethg about his movement told me he was gay, and I felt he was dancg not only for himself but for me. (I showed the clip to a gay iend, who said, “That basilly sums up my relatnship wh my boyiend.

Shortly after “Not Our Fate” premiered, Jt Peck, Cy Ballet’s rint choreographer, further challenged ballet’s genr norms when he adapted the woman’s role the pas ux at the heart of his 2017 “The Tim Are Racg, ” pairg Stanley wh Daniel Applebm, a 32-year-old gay soloist wh the you didn’t know much about classil ballet, you might thk ’s an obv home for queer artists and narrativ, but ’s more plited than that: Ballet, of urse, has always had gay dancers and choreographers and homoeroticism, but ’s an artistic disciple shaped by tradn. Masc Femme Butch KweenThere’s a hashtag for everythg on Instagram; when you type #gayballet, you will e across men tights and trag shorts, and eventually you might fd Jam Whi, most likely bare-chted wh a large scratch tattooed on his ribs. For the choreographer Lar Lubovch’s 2015 productn of “Othello, ” Whi didn’t want to waste the opportuny of workg wh a gay llaborator — his Iago was fed wh what he lls “queer rage.

ReprentHarper Watters, 26, is many thgs: acclaimed Hoton Ballet soloist; son of two former llege profsors; host of a backstage chat show lled “The Pre Show” on his YouTube channel; a black gay man om New Hampshire now livg Texas; a lean, ventive artist who danc wh the eedom that om knowg who you are; a vourer of pop culture. In many ways, this uld be a live-stream of two young gay men gettg ready for a night out at the bars, but over the urse of the 16. Drsed as a swan hunter, Watters talks to the mera a butch tone and says he and Stark are about to go out and do “boy thgs” like scg women and fightg, but then they lgh and return to their natural voic — distctly, unapologetilly gay — and clarify, “a different kd of boy thg.