Roxy NYC

:"For other people and places named Roxy see: Roxy and Roxy Theatre"

Roxy NYC (sometimes The Roxy) was a popular nightclub located at "515 West 18th Street" in New York City. Located in Chelsea section of Manhattan it began as a roller skating rink and roller disco in the late 1970s, it was founded by Steve Bauman, Richard Newhouse and Steve Greenberg then acquired in 1985 by Gene DiNino until it closed in March 2007. It even hosted a party for the famed Olympic gold medal-winning USA Ice Hockey team in 1980.

Beginning in the early-1980s, the owners began hosting dance nights. Referred to by many as the “Studio 54 of roller rinks,” it thrived as such for several years. Then, as the popularity of skating began to fade, Pat Fuji revamped the space into a dance club in 1982. Ruza Blue, a British expatriate nicknamed "Kool Lady Blue", founded an all-ages, all-races hip hop club in June 1982. Jon Baker, the future founder of Gee Street Records, worked the door. Hip hop pioneers Afrika Bambaataa and Afrika Islam began DJing there, and were soon joined by Grandmixer D.ST, Jazzy Jay, Grand Wizzard Theodore and Grandmaster Flash. [Chang, Jeff (2005). "". Picador. p. 174. ISBN 0312425791] The club sponsored MC battles, Zulu Nation gatherings, breakdancing competitions with the Rock Steady Crew, graffiti murals, and double dutch competitions. The club had a major influence on the evolution of hip hop culture over the next few years. [Terrell, Tom; Light, Alan [ed.] (1999). "The Vibe History of Hip Hop". Three Rivers Press. p. 47. ISBN 0609805037] A Roxy Bambaattaa performance was captured in the 1984 film "Beat Street".

The Roxy hosted New York City's largest weekly gay dance night, "Roxy Saturdays", promoted by John Blair Productions, which has featured many many famous deejays including Junior Vasquez, Manny Lehman, Victor Calderone and Peter Rauhofer. Artists such as Cher, Madonna, Beyoncé, Bette Midler, Chaka Khan, Yoko Ono and Gloria Gaynor have all performed at the Roxy.

A documentary entitled "Roxy: The Last Dance" premiered in 2008, co-produced by Gene DiNino and Red Thread Productions.

Roxy had stopped for several weeks in the fall of 2006, but resumed operation once again on December 2, 2006. The club closed their doors for good on March 10, 2007. The Roxy will eventually be demolished in order to make room for new residential apartments.

References

*Kalkhoff, Matt, [http://www.nyblade.com/2005/4-8/locallife/main/roxy.cfm "How the Roxy became the Roxy"] . The New York Blade magazine, April 8, 2005 issue.

External links

* [http://www.roxynyc.com/ Official Roxy NYC website]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/nyregion/12roxy.html Last Hurrah for a Gay Playground: NY Times article on closing]
* [http://www.nextmagazine.net/feature1435_1.shtml Retrospectively Yours: Next Magazine's retrospective look at the Roxy]