SEATTLE — A pop-up dance party is helping guests time travel back to the 1960’s.
BOOTS! features two DJs spinning original 45s, accompanied by live go-go dancers.
"It's the best music. It has the most soul, it sounds the best, it's sophisticated and simple at the same time,” said Maxwell Edison, who operates the dance parties with Sarah Savannah. “Everybody loves it — it makes people happy."
In their early 30’s and 40’s, respectively, they weren’t even alive during the decade they celebrate. But Savannah said they relate.
"It's an era where everything was possible. It's an era of optimism," Savannah said. "I feel like maybe that's the comfort we're looking for right now."
Everything they spin comes from their personal collections, and many of Savannah’s records are French.
"I come from France and I feel like in Europe, there's more of a culture and there's a scene for this," she said. "I was a go-go girl before I got here. And I got to Seattle and went, 'Okay, where's the scene? Where are my people?' Only to discover that nobody was doing that."
She and Edison decided to fill the space, and crowds have continued to grow at each event. A recent pop-up inside Ronette’s Psychedelic Sock Hop in Seattle had a full dance floor of people representing all ages and backgrounds.
"The energy that transfers between the people that are dancing, and us playing the records, and the go-go girls — that transfer of energy, everybody is so happy and they're so into it, that’s the best part,” Edison said.
Savannah also believes go-go dancing is a form of expression that can represent feminism and progress.
"Go-go dancing is just awesome because it's so liberating. It's a dance that you don't have to do with a partner,” she said. "After decades of salon dancing, the '60s came on and suddenly women were shaking their bodies without choreography, without steps, without anything.”
Their song choices range from well-known anthems to deep cuts and include genres like rock and roll, soul, Latin, garage, and psychedelic.
Each dance party is free to attend, and upcoming events are announced on the BOOTS! Instagram page.
"I want them to be inspired to get into this music, personally,” Edison said. “I want them to feel like this was the best experience, we want more of this!”
“We want to keep this music alive, too," Savannah added. "We don't want this music to be forgotten."
BOOTS! also curates a Spotify playlist for anyone who wants to groove remotely.
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