Gay Ballet: Two Men Defyg Tradns the Dance World

Contents:

• HOW A GROUP OF GAY MALE BALLET DANCERS IS RETHKG MASCULY
• THE 10 MOST FAB GAY DANCE PARTI (WH ACTUAL GOOD MIC) NORTH AMERI
• GAY MEN DANCG DANCE FLOOR NIGHTCLUB STOCK PHOTOS AND IMAG
• 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
• SUNDAY TEA DANC, A PROUD GAY TRADN WORTH REVIVG
• THE 50 BT GAY SONGS TO CELEBRATE PRI ALL YEAR LONG
• ULTIMATE PRI PLAYLIST: THE 50 BT GAY SONGS

HOW A GROUP OF GAY MALE BALLET DANCERS IS RETHKG MASCULY

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.

THE 10 MOST FAB GAY DANCE PARTI (WH ACTUAL GOOD MIC) NORTH AMERI

(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.

GAY MEN DANCG DANCE FLOOR NIGHTCLUB STOCK PHOTOS AND IMAG

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. This was the domant narrative the 1990s, when only a few male dancers were openly gay. “My inty as a gay man has many layers, ” Lidberg adds.

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

Johnsey, who male pronouns, says he and others felt harassed bee “we don’t live up to some mascule ial of what a gay man is.

Whi tells me about a letter he received om a woman who thks her young son is gay. “I wrote her back and said that was me — headstrong ltle effemate gay kid, ” Whi says. Even though was gay people who vented hoe mic and pneered dis, gay parti haven't always been the bt plac to hear good mic.

After the early days of hoe, sometime the 90s, good DJg was supplanted by good club promotg and sudnly you were far more likely to hear 15 different Deborah Cox extend vol mix a gay club than a Frankie Knuckl-spired set.

SUNDAY TEA DANC, A PROUD GAY TRADN WORTH REVIVG

Wher good gay mic no more.

Thanks to s like GaysHateTechno there's more awarens than ever about the ntributns gay people are currently makg to qualy dance mic. Sure, thgs have gotten a ltle ls queer recent years as Rhonda has grown to one of LA's domant party brands, but 's still the bt place the cy for polysexual hard Regulars: ol gays, regular gays, ol straight people, and three dus bomber jackets who showed up to Los Globos thkg was trap night. The Scene: Takg place at the cy's monthly Hot Mass party, and wh a tagle like "Ptsburgh's dance mic rager for homos and iends, " you n expect 150-300 mostly male, revelers wh (or probably whout) towels prerly wrapped around their waists.

THE 50 BT GAY SONGS TO CELEBRATE PRI ALL YEAR LONG

Inspired by the gay scen of yteryear and s own pulsg dis/hoe soundtrack, this is London's most famo gay night, transplanted to the regulars: Rints Jam Hillard, Jim Stanton, Le Howard, and Severo and guts like Ldstrøm and Hercul & Love +1: Cht hair and somethg shy. The scene: This wasn't always a gay party but thanks to Mar Diaz, is now. 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 jt like a lot of today's showmanc are ncted, many of the Bandstand boppers were harborg a big secret: They were gay.

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 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. “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.

ULTIMATE PRI PLAYLIST: THE 50 BT GAY SONGS

”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 dancers.

One young performer was dangled down an elevator 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.

And while more openly gay performers are fortable takg the stage the days, 's good to know we've always been there—even if silence. Related | Gallery: Gay BalletFor all s pageantry, licy, and ostensibly queer-iendly elements, ballet--be the settg of ABT or Jofey Ballet School, which Hill attends--n also be a tradn-bound microsm of the wir world's opprsns. Basilly, 's an credibly homophobic look at somethg that should be celebrated.