Why Ya'll Gagging Tho: Black Queer and Trans Origins of Club, House and Techno Ft. Deborah Conton

And disco and every other offshoot and derivative therein. Argue with my mom, who was there and could tell you. Black queer and trans people were forced to build space, shelter and sanctuary in the dancerie so we could all be free…follow us and Deborah Conton (@deeeebo_x)as she leads us through cultural memory, history, place and legacy. Part 2 coming soon!! Deborah Conton is an Atlanta native and Brooklyn resident actively involved in the club scene in Atlanta with many nights spent on the dancefloor, listening to Club Classics and House Music. She continues to create movement-based work for the Liberation of Black bodies. Her work led her to stage solo pieces for Movement Research (Judson Church), Performance Mix Festival, That's What She Said!, Sisterhood Summit, and the Center for Performance Research in Brooklyn via dance residency in 2020. She has also performed at Joe’s Pub and SummerStage, under the guidance of The Illustrious Blacks. She is part of a Brooklyn-based dance collective known as Afro Mosaic Soul. This collective threw events with Ian Friday and The Illustrious Blacks, known as Libation in New York City. She is also a part of the Dancing Black Bodies Project via Ladies of Hip Hop, which sheds light on Black Women in the club, Hip Hop, and other Black Social Dance movements. House Music was the catalyst that led her deeper into her spiritual practice. She is also a practitioner of Isese Lagba, a tradition based out of Nigeria and also an Ifà practitioner. This work has led her to do collective work under the moniker of Dee Spark Tarot and create an Oracle deck that expands outside of divination work and mentorship. She is also in the process of launching a Tarot Deck this upcoming Spring 2023. Venmo: @ deborah-conton PayPal and Zelle: [e-mail] Cashapp: @deesparktarot1 @deeeebo_x @deesparktarot - Divination and Spiritual work @afromosaicsoul - Dance collective I am a part of https://we.tl/t-hL0QKDgrUt - footage from House In The Park Atlanta, Labor Day 2021 https://we.tl/t-QNVduDIITn - Praise dancing at Adult Skate, MJQ https://we.tl/t-hhitJQn2XC - Ash Lauryn spinning at Public Records https://we.tl/t-A0o0azE3iq - (First photo: Club Shelter party with Chicago DJ, Ron Trent spinning, 3rd photo from the Frankie Knuckles exhibit in 2021, Kerri Chandler and Merlin Bobb - nightlife legends, and a 2nd photo from House In The Park, Atlanta). White Racist Backlash Against Black Music During Disco Era: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jul/19/disco-demolition-the-night-they-tried-to-crush-black-music Intro Music: BPTBH by Patience sings Outro Music : Apathy Happy by Benjamin Earl Turner