69 Westward 14Th

Neil Greenberg, Professor of Choreography at the New School, late wrote on his Facebook page: "Another trip the lite fantastic studio bites the dust--a place amongst a lot of history." The trip the lite fantastic studio was PMT, located on the 3rd flooring of 69 West 14th Street at 6th Avenue, to a higher house Sol Moscot's.

Pavan Thimmaiah, manager of the studio, tells me the edifice was bought yesteryear Extell -- as well as it volition probable endure demolished.





Tax photograph (1940s?)

On the history there, Neil writes:

"From 1959 - 1963 The Living Theatre, directed yesteryear Judith Malina as well as Julian Beck, occupied floors 2 as well as three. Merce Cunningham had his trip the lite fantastic studio on the transcend floor, which is where Robert Dunn taught the composition classes that launched the Judson Dance Theater. In 1977 Peter Saul, who ane time danced inwards Merce’s company, taught ballet classes inwards this studio. I’ve taught here, for The New School, since 2010, as well as convey rehearsed my function hither equally well. Goodbye PMT Dance Studio. Goodbye this strong history. Soon to endure gone, simply non forgotten."


photo: Neil Greenberg

One of the studios inwards this edifice was the site of the source post-Stonewall gay as well as lesbian dance. That was 1970 as well as the trip the lite fantastic was held yesteryear the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) at a house called Alternate U.


From Come Out!, the Gay Liberation Front’s official newspaper, via Box Turtle

In a review of the trip the lite fantastic in the Come Out! newspaper, Kathy Braun wrote, "The purposes which nosotros ready out for the dances were, to render an option to the exploitive gay bars inwards the city, to enhance coin for a GLF Community Center, as well as to politicize the homosexuals hanging approximately this town."

She noted, "The records played were exciting, danceable, as well as at the correct volume. My electrical flow favorite vocal is 'And the World volition endure a Better Place'... The dancing was of the park superlative quality. Them queers tin certain milk tremble a leg... 600 people, music, lights, costumes, kissing, seductions, promises made, truths explored, conflicts, politics. Hit it, sisters & brothers."


GLF members preparing for a GLF trip the lite fantastic at Alternate U, 1970. Photo yesteryear Diana Davies, via NYCLGBTSites.

The Gay Liberation Front formed inwards July 1969 as well as used Alternate U. equally the place for many of its meetings as well as social events. Soon subsequently Stonewall, a flyer for Alternate U. read: "Do y'all intend homosexuals are revolting? You bet your sweetness donkey nosotros are. We're going to brand a house for ourselves inwards the revolutionary movement. We challenge the myths that are screwing upwardly this society."

NYCLGBTSites
reports that "Alternate U. was a complimentary counterculture schoolhouse as well as leftist political organizing midpoint inwards Greenwich Village, founded approximately 1966 yesteryear Tom Wodetski. It had several classrooms inwards a one-time trip the lite fantastic studio on the minute flooring of 69 West 14th Street."

Gay nighttime at Alternate U. included classes on: "medical, legal, demonstration, gay squatters, racism, gay history as well as literature, sexism, exploration of roles as well as identity, as well as Marxism as well as political workshop."

In addition, "Protests were organized hither against politicians as well as The Village Voice (which refused to impress the give-and-take 'gay' inwards ads), as well as meetings were held hither inwards the aftermath of the Snake Pit raid inwards March 1970."


GLF coming together at Alternate U, 1970. Photo yesteryear Diana Davies, via NYCLGBTSites.

PMT Dance Studio volition endure moving to a novel space. On their Facebook page, they wrote, "It's the halt of an era. Jan 31st volition endure the final twenty-four hours 69 West 14th Street volition endure open. Afterwards, preparations to bear witness the edifice as well as exercise novel developments, reportedly luxury high rises, volition endure underway."

Richard, the reader who tipped me off to the closure of PMT, writes, "Curious how far whatever's going to larn built is going to go, since several of the storefronts N of this edifice on Sixth Avenue are vacant -- possibly extending to Lester Bangs' one-time abode" at 542 Sixth Avenue.



Indeed it looks similar Sol Moscot is the exclusively trace of piece of employment organisation left opened upwardly inwards the building--and inwards the 3 buildings to the north. Nine storefronts convey been shuttered here. That's nine businesses, plus those upstairs, position out. And who knows what happened to the residential tenants inwards the smaller buildings.

What if nosotros had commercial rent command ane time again? Would buildings similar these endure protected yesteryear protecting their pocket-size businesses?

Meanwhile, across the street, another edifice is coming downward for some other luxury tower. 101 West 14th was built inwards 1953 equally the Greenwich Savings Bank. It was shortly decorated amongst a large mural yesteryear the creative mortal Julien Binford. After an effort to salve the mural, it has been removed as well as position into storage--making mode for the wrecking ball as well as the luxury condos.




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