Talk to students of New York City’s rich clubbing history and they’ll tell of a time when all races and creeds partied as one, of an arcadian land where a wondrous melting pot of humanity danced together in peace, love and harmony. Storied ’70s- and ’80s-era clubs such as the Loft and the Paradise Garage loom large in such accounts, held up as examples of a long-lost Shangri-la of multicultural bliss.

A CALL TO ARMS The 718 Sessions party
beckons those searching for a diverse dance
floor.

Photo: Muema/BounceFM.Com

The only problem with these tales, as lovely as they are, is that according to people who were actually there, they are merely legends: That racially mixed Eden didn’t really exist. François K, the mastermind behind Cielo’s Deep Space party, should certainly know: He’s a veteran of both the Loft and the Garage (not to mention Body & Soul and countless other clubs and events). “You know, in the heyday of those big underground clubs, the white crowd didn’t even know these parties existed,” he says. “It was mostly black and Puerto Rican.”

According to Mr. K, these are the good old days. “There actually may be more opportunities for mixed crowds to happen today than there were back when those clubs were around,” he says. “I now see quite a few parties that get a beautiful tapestry of people.” One of those parties is ALMA, the monthly Brazilian-beat bash helmed by DJ True and Miller Cruz. “There’s no denying the international appeal of Brazilian music,” True explains. “Brazilians themselves come in every shade under the sun. But as it turns out, the audience for the music goes far wider than that. It’s popular all over the world, and every nationality under the sun comes to ALMA.”

Sub Swara, a global-breaks affair that leans toward the tablatronic sounds coming from South Asian ex-pat producers, also focuses on the sort of music that appeals to a rainbow coalition of clubbers. “Asians are represented,” Dhruva, one of Sub Swara’s residents, says, “but that’s just one part of a much larger mix. We have Jamaicans and other Caribbeans, B-boys and -girls, Burning Man heads, Latin people, junglists—really, all types. We cover dancehall, glitch hop, dubstep, breakbeat, drum ’n’ bass and breaks—the music that reaches out to everyone.

According to Danny Krivit—another vet of Body & Soul, which itself has long been one of the most mixed affairs around—it takes more than just music to attract NYC’s diverse population. He mans the decks with soulful house and classics at the 718 Sessions, a party that’s known for a highly heterogeneous crowd of dancers. “There are so many criteria that go into attracting a melting pot with a good vibe, where everyone gets along with one another,” he says. “It’s the music and the DJ and the promoter and the club; they all have to fit together to make this puzzle. And a lot of it has to do with the rapport between the DJ and the dancers.”

But an unbiased attitude can certainly be manifested through the music itself. “At Deep Space, the music we present covers as wide a spectrum as anything I’ve ever been to,” François K says. “We’ll play reggaetón or dancehall, then drum ’n’ bass or rock, then hip-hop or whatever, and I think people are sensitive to that open-mindedness and pick up on it in various ways. People feel that if everything is welcome as far as the kind of music we play, then it’s probably the same for the type of people we want to play for.”

And while there’s no denying that the majority of clubland happenings attract rather monotone partyers, plenty of soirees do reflect Gotham’s ethic potpourri: Shelter, Afrokinetic, APT’s various funk and hip-hop nights, Asseteria , Roots…the list goes on and on. And that’s how it should be. “This is an important component of what New York City is all about,” François says, “and that’s a very big part of why I choose to live here. This rich mix of people is a unique aspect of New York that makes it such a powerful place, and I’m very proud to be a part of it.”