By Sharon Oliver
Contributing Writer
BOSTON – Time to pull out the platform shoes, bell bottoms, dust off the mirrored ball and hustle on down to television station WGBH’s disco dancing contests and their Disco Dazzler dance marathon.
Dance contests
Imaginatively speaking, that is. People of a certain age could not escape the days of disco during the 1970s and for many, it was fun while it lasted. The folks at Boston’s WGBH TV channel even saw a way to marry the popular genre with dollars by sponsoring dance contests.
For those who may not remember, the station’s show “Dancing Disco” featured a series of dance-offs which were telecast live at Kenmore Square’s Boston-Boston discotheque on Saturday nights at 8:00 p.m. After that, five of the 40 winning couples went on to compete in the “Disco Dazzler” five-hour dance marathon fundraiser at the Lansdowne Street club which was televised. Some of the artists lending their talent to the beat during the time included disco queen Donna Summer, the J. Geils Band, Love and Kisses and naturally, the Village People.
Fans reminisce
Disco Dazzler had many contestants as well as fans, some of whom had plenty to say, including mentions of dancing the night away at Boston-Boston.
Georgi Aiello wrote:
“I love this! Spent lots of nights dancing at Boston Boston/Lansdowne St.
I don’t remember the floor being lighted though.”
Paul Sullivan recalled:
“Billy Williams was the king of disco. Women waited in line to spin the floor with him. I believe he worked with helping out John Travolta.”
Deidre Ann Nota added:
“That was a great place to go dancing!”
Tommy Cross remembered:
“Son of a gun. I was there that night. Wow. Wow, blast from the past.”
Boston-Boston’s management donated the club for the dance-offs and contestants in Disco Dazzler were sponsored by companies, individuals, viewers inside the club and those at home who pledged cash to Channel 2 in the name and number of their favorite dancing duo. Disco style ability outweighed endurance when it came to determining who took home the grand prize of $1,000, second prize of $500 or third prize of $250.
Celebrities dropped in
New York City’s Studio 54 founder Steve Rubell was once asked to leave Boston-Boston disco for wearing jeans at one of its Disco Dazzlers. While the famous entrepreneur may have gotten the boot, another New Yorker was a cherished fixture at Disco Dazzler in 1978. Sally “Disco Sally” Lippman was a legend at Studio 54. The then 77-year-old widow decided to live life to the fullest after her husband’s death and found joy on the disco dance floor. Lippman was a regular at Studio 54 in her sequin dresses, feather boa and tiara but she would also dance her way up to Boston for a good time at Disco Dazzler. She continued attending disco parties and events up until her death at age 81.
The dancers were not the only ones who caught the attention of viewers. When asked by Charlie Stewart if disco was good for one’s health, the “Disco Podiatrist” suggested any exercise is good for anyone. There was also the famed couturier Alfred Fiandaca who had a disco fashion show and whose simple advice for those agonizing over the proper disco wardrobe was to “do your own thing.” One memorable moment occurred when Meat Loaf volunteered to dance with Danielle Torrez if someone would pledge $100. According to a story in The Boston Globe, Dale Dorman whispered something in the singer’s ear, to which Meat Loaf replied, “You’re right. She’s worth more than that. $200!”
“Disco Dazzler” was a fundraiser for WGBH but it began as an instructional disco dancing series “Disco Dancing,” which ran for two years locally before hitting the national market.
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