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D3.3.1
synergy
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Once, a boy in a
desperate dilemma called a girl he didn't know because he
desperately needed
someone to listen to him. He chose her for some instinctive reason.
He felt he could trust and depend on her although they had never
said more than five words to each other as they swiveled amongst
shared friends on the dance floor.
Sensing this trust, the
girl vowed to herself that she would never let this boy down, ever. She would
always do her best to help him, love him and inspire him. She would
believe in him because he believed in her.
Now, both of
these children loved to dance and to 'feel it' -- feel the energy of
the rhythm flow through them. And, oddly enough, even before they
came together, they knew of the place.
One of the earth's few
mystic power points, the kind sought throughout the centuries by
pagans and witches, as well as heroes and kings, was located between 10th and
11th Avenue, off'a 27th street. It
was then called The Sound Factory.
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One weekend the boy had really had it and needed to
get away.
He needed to feel what life, as he desired it, was all about.
He needed to 'feel it.' He called the girl and made her agree
to go to New York with him for what the two would later dub
the 'free-spirit pussy weekend'.
When they got to the Factory, they were, each in their
own way, set free.
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When the music stopped that
night, or maybe it was a few Factories later, a queen stamped
her feet and yelled, 'Lovebreak, Bitch!" at Junior, the
DJ. This one in all her fabulous glory was not ready to go.
This one, Girlina, still needed to dance, to 'feel it'. Others
around the floor joined in with the stomping and the catcalls.
Junior gave them their eighteen dollars worth and threw on Lovebreak.
I can't really explain what happened, but people broke loose.
All around the floor, people ran the runway, kicked their feet
high and spun. Some stranger picked the girl up. With his hands
around her waist, he spun her completely upside down and around.
As he threw her in the air, her inner thigh caught on the metal
of his zipper, gashing her leg open. However, she felt no pain.
It was as if there was no longer any shade, nor any bitterness
and when all the children left The Factory that morning, they
sang and danced as they bounded down the streets of Manhattan
out to the pier.
The girl could feel the rhythm of the city in tune with her
mind and her body. On that floor, through Lovebreak, she had
broken through. All the love that was in her broke through and
she finally let it out: She was white, she was female; she was
poor; she was trash and she was proud. From that day forward,
she saw the world differently -- positively. There was no where
for her to go but up. |
I can't speak for the boy, but something similar happened because
he had the same glow, the same inner strength.
Upon returning to Boston, they had to return to their 'real
lives.' The girl however was determined to retain her identity,
an identity she had fought her body for through eight long hours
of hard dancing.
In addition to their classes, the boy had to work the door at
a club on Lansdowne known as Axis Tuesdays. If you have ever
worked at a club, you know what I mean when I say -- it can
get really boring.
To help him enjoy the nights he had to work, the girl would
doll herself up in high club gear, leave her nanny job in Brookline
and roller-skate on down to the club.
To remind him of their factory weekend, she yelled at Darren,
the DJ, when the music stopped one night, "Lovebreak, Bitch,
and stomped her foot. The DJ had no idea what the hell she was
going on about, but the boy roared with laughter and made the
DJ put the music back on quietly. He joined the girl on the
floor and encouraged her to dance.
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For him, she did.
For herself, she did.
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The
vogue queens in the corner saw this and joined in.
The next week the DJ brought Lovebreak. The boy began encouraging
everyone to go out there and do whatever it was inside them
to do.
About a month into this, the manager gave him a microphone and
a raise. With a Harper's Bazaar in his hand, he started
yelling the names of clothing labels and commanding all different
kinds of people to twirl their best improv on his make believe
catwalk. He was all about sharing the extremely positive feeling
that the two of them had found with all kinds of people. |
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This
went on, week after week for a great many months thereafter.
Eventually, however, time passed and things, of course, must
change.
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The boy, a year ahead of the girl, moved to New York. The girl
became more involved with her writing, hoping to finish her
first book before graduating and moving to New York to join
him. In addition to her actualizing her dreams and aspirations
in her art, her real life had become quite hectic and extraordinary
enough without her needing to go out dancing and make-believing
all the time.
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Recently, I took a break from The Anthology and I returned
to Axis Tuesday. I couldn't sleep and wanted to get dressed
up and go raise some hell. Yes, to 'feel it'.
The weekly event at Axis had became so popular, actually drawing
the company of passing celebrities and rock stars - that when
the boy moved, they decided to find someone to take over the
mic versus ending the party's long rein. As I walked in the
door - I noticed something was out of sorts. And this bad
vibe only became worse as the night progressed. That is why
I am writing this.
The new person doing the calling, actually came out and pushed
people off the floor to make room for himself and his 'stars'.
Granted these guys weren't the most coordinated, drunk European
boys, but they were out there first. They were trying to let
loose and they were trying to have fun and there was plenty
of room to dance on other, not as well lit, parts of the floor.
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This bothered me very much because the runway we created was
for everybody.
It
was meant to get everyone out on that dance floor on a Tuesday
night instead of just lounging at the bar. We wanted each and
every person who attended the party to be able to go home feeling
like they had actually been somewhere and done something.
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Honestly, not everyone can walk the best, or look the
best or be the best. That's impossible. People can only
be themselves and that's what it's all about.
Last Tuesday, those people weren't allowed to discover
new things about themselves because someone else had to
have an attitude. I don't think those boys will be so
eager to put themselves out there to be insulted like
that again any time soon. My heart went out for the one
who turned painfully bright red as he hauled his ass off
the dance floor - and all this, just because some bitchy
queen decided they weren't cool enough to be seen in her
space.
Don't you love people who have to belittle others and
show how important they are in the social stratagem by
putting others down? Aren't they cool? I think they are
so cool that they bring tears to my eyes and make me sick
to my stomach.
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It truly was a misery. This is why there are so few true
originals out there making the world a better place. We
so thoughtlessly kill the sensitive along with our own
sensitivities.
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I was actually ashamed that I had ever had anything to do with
it.
That type of repression is not what I'm about.
I called Andre and Girlina today and asked them to remind me
what runway was all about so I could remind myself and those
who care to know.
runway is really positive visual effect. the positive
energy inside everyone, all types, coming out through what you
do. it is what is inside coming out to play. --Andre
it's all about feeling it and swirling it sugah. runway is
a positive thing. it's deep down inside. it just comes out.
It's not competitive. Its' not like vouge-ing. it's not about
attitude or shade at all. runway is about everyone. come
together with it. --Girlina
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When I go out
to play, I want everyone, especially those I don't know,
to have fun along with me.
I thrive from their energy.
The word for a shared bonding of positive energy is synergy.
I've said this before and I'll say it again: attitude is
for the insecure. |
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Original Color Photographs for Synergy - Martin Meyers, Boston, MA - 1993
Original Clothing Design - Tom Meus, Boston, MA - NYC - 1993
Images of Girlina used for Synergy Artwork were first published
August 11, 1995 on the cover and centerfold pages of Next Magazine:
Photo - Michael Wakefield, Make-up - Scott Andrew, Glamour
- Candis Cayne & Girlina
©2001
AnyaHard.com - Synergy was originally published in Boston, MA - June 21, 1993 as the
weekly installment of Semi Intellectual Thoughts By Miss Tonya for IN Newsweekly's nightlife and entertainment supplement,
IN Boston.
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