Featuring Twelve45, DJ Shannon, Lady NiK, and Miss Hap
Saturday, January 13 – 8:00 pm to 1:00 am
FREE
In 2015, the popular London nightspot DSTRKT turned away would-be dancers at the door for being “too fat” or “too dark.” That incident, and the ensuing protests at the club, inspired playwright Jessica L. Hagan’s choreopoem Queens of Sheba, running this January at Lincoln Center as part of the Under the Radar theater festival. In solidarity with that work’s message of inclusion, you are cordially invited to stay up late and join the Queens cast on the dance floor and at the bar of the David Rubenstein Atrium to revel in movement and celebrate yourself at the Anti-Misogynoir Disco. An all-star selection of locally based DJs—Twelve45, DJ Shannon, Lady Nik, and Miss Hap—will spin an eclectic and Afrocentric mix of soul, house, pop, and Afrobeat tunes, harnessing the unifying power of music and sisterhood to carve out a welcoming space for Black women, femmes, and those who love them. The evening will also feature a short performance by the Black woman-led dance company EMERGE125.
From top and left to right: Lady NiK, Twelve45, Miss Hap, and DJ Shannon
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
DJ Shannon
Shannon Dawson is a dance floor professional. From the club to the recording booth and beyond, the kinetic native New York DJ exhibits a deep understanding of what moves people at any place or time. From 2015 to 2019, Shannon brought her unlimited exuberance and expert skills to Chongqing, China, where she lived and lit up the decks at local clubs and parties across the country. There she co-founded, owned, and operated CREAM, Chongqing’s first hip-hop–focused club. Shannon’s sound: Big and bold. Dangerous on the decks, she’s noted for her layering and phrasing, dizzying handwork, and big-time blends of hard-hitting club, classic and ghetto house, techno, global bass, breakbeat, hip-hop, and anything fiery and fun. She’s slayed the CDJs in revered New York venues including Nowadays, Elsewhere, House of Yes, and Good Room. Outside of the club, Shannon graces the airwaves of the Lot Radio and Radio Bonita. And she’s the sunny host of her own podcast Club Management, which explores music’s ability to bridge communities around the world through thoughtful interviews with such guests as TRAXMAN, UNIIQU3, Bohan Phoenix, Ikonika, and Dance Mania founder Ray Barney.
Miss Hap
Selam Samuel, aka Miss Hap, is a selector based in New York City. Miss Hap has had the pleasure of playing some of NYC’s hottest venues such as Celebrate Brooklyn, Public Records, Elsewhere, Le Bain and Nublu Studio 151. She has also made several radio appearances on the Lot, WFMU, WNYU and BBox Radio. Outside the decks, you can find her several days a week behind the counter at Record City in Flatbush for all your vinyl necessities. You can catch Miss Hap spinning around Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens and everywhere else in between.
Lady Nik
Put your stank face on and dance: Meet Lady NiK, a dynamic DJ from Harlem, NY. Through her appreciation for instrumentation and a shock value transition, Lady NiK blends global sounds and classic hits into electrifying sets that celebrate the cultural diversity in music. From local clubs to community events, DJ Lady NiK is a musical storyteller, inviting everyone to dance and join the soulful journey she creates in the world of AfroHouse, RNB, and Amapiano.
Twelve45
Composer, DJ, and Sound Designer Erica “Twelve45” Blunt is a rising force in the music industry. Erica has established herself as a sought-after DJ, performing at prominent events like Essence’s Street Style Block Party and venues such as Ace Hotel, The Highline Ballroom, Baby’s All Right, and the Brooklyn Museum. As the Resident Composer and Music Coordinator for EMERGE125, Erica has collaborated with Tiffany Rea-Fisher on several works, including After Dark, Emerged Nation, and the dance film Rights of Renaissance. She performed with the company for their 3-story takeover of the National Gallery of Art (D.C) in 2018 including a performance by Chris Brubeck, a night that set the record for highest event attendance. Returning with them in 2019, she performed alongside a classical ensemble commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing designing a soundscape that was out of this world while feeling right at home. In 2021, her composition for Emerged Nation was featured as E125 kicked off the NYC Mayor’s Open Culture Program which opened up city streets for outdoor cultural performances and events throughout the five boroughs.