I recall, back in 2013, Heather Mangione coming to a Worcester Pride meeting, wanting to let us know about this cool queer dance party modeled after the ones she had experienced in Brooklyn. As the president of Pride, I was impressed she got to know Worcester well enough to identify key community groups and get them engaged to make the night a success. I went to the next Airspray night and was blown away at the number of people at Electric Haze.

In addition to Queer Dance Nights at Electric Haze, Airspray has hosted other events and has really pitched in and helped other community-based nonprofits. Airspray’s success is due to the fact that it is engaged with the whole community. Airspray filled a void when many dance clubs went out of business in Worcester. I attended the April event and was again very impressed by the number of people and the diversity. There were even some non-GenX/Millennials mingling, too!

Co-founders Ashley Emerson Gilbert, Heather Mangione and Ryan Williams were three young professionals living and working in Worcester who wanted an outlet to express themselves artistically and engage with friends and other like-minded members of the queer community. Hence, Airspray.

In addition to the obvious fun of a dance night, I also love the fact that this is an intentionally “queer” dance party. I know when theorists began using the term in the ’80s, people saw it as shocking, but today, it is one of the terms with which people identify. The word, as the older crowd will tell you, used to be a slur, but as an act of defiance and self-empowerment, our community has embraced it.

Tom Baker, who has regularly attended Airspray from the beginning, said, “I find Airspray is intentional in its efforts not to perpetuate this type of space, thus making a truly ‘queered’ space. I shout out to Heather here, because I think she gets it and works to maintain this space as such.”

In addition to using the word “queer” to identify myself, I see “queering” as a verb – the process of making spaces and social relationships, and thus, society more open to diverse types of relationships and ways of being within and outside the spectrums of sexual and gender identity. Many “queer spaces” (i.e., gay clubs) simply seek to maintain certain power dynamics of whiteness, maleness and cisgenderness.

The great news is that it is not just loved by the people dancing; even the Electric Haze owners love Airspray!

“I love Airspray, and I’m so glad the team brought it to Electric Haze because it’s truly what I envisioned when I thought of what I want to see in my club. Diversity, community, openness, positive conversations, creative environment – it has it all! And then to have that same community travel in between different businesses and different event parameters keeps it interesting and connects the different places in Worcester,” said Victoria Mariano, one of the owners of Electric Haze.

Heather Mangione said, “Worcester is a vibrant place to live that has a lot to offer! We’ve been going strong for a few years now. As the co-founder of this amazing and energetic group, I could have never predicted that so many people would come together and help build an open, visible queer community in Worcester.”

Mangione said Airspray loves to collaborate with various cultural institutions in our city. It’s so important for them to celebrate and bring our community into the wonderful spaces we have in this city. Organizers want to hear what members of the queer community want from Airspray. Please email them at AirsprayWstr@gmail.com.

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John Trobaugh