For the organizers of Nashville’s Queer Dance Party, better known as QDP, unifying people is a precious responsibility.
Since its inception in 2012, QDP has hosted dance-party events for Nashville’s LGBTQ community. Though it’s had a few homes and a changing schedule over the years, QDP now takes place every third Friday night of the month at The Basement East. Partygoers slip on their favorite outfits, strap on their dancing shoes and leave life’s stresses behind as they head out to hit the dance floor — all for just $1.
“We just have the best partiers,” says Keith Johnson, a QDP committee member and DJ. “You can go to any other party in town, but people just have so much fun at our party. They come with the right mindset, and they have a blast.”
QDP isn’t your average gay-bar scene. The music is eclectic, with genres running the gamut from pop and hip-hop to R&B and house — partiers hear everything from Beyoncé and Robyn to Daft Punk and Prince. Personalities run the gamut too, and diversity is QDP’s strength.
Alongside Johnson, QDP’s organizational committee includes Laura Taylor, Jason Harris, Ashley Cole, Alex Caress, Rachel Rogers and Tiffany Minton. Together they maintain a mission to create, provide and foster safe spaces for Nashville’s LGBTQ community, where equality and anonymity shine.
“We just wanted to create some queer spaces,” says Taylor, a committee member and DJ. “We all love to dance and party. We all love and enjoy [local gay bars] Play Dance Bar and Tribe. We just wanted to add more to our community, especially in traditionally straight spaces.”
And it’s working. QDP has become a consistent hit, with organizers estimating an attendance of about 650 people per party. Organizers have also added four annual themed parties: QDProm, the Halloween Party, Q Year’s Eve and QDP: The Pride Party, which are often held at venues aside from The Basement East. Though the special events bump the cover charge up a bit — due to increased production and venue costs — the price is always low. QDProm tickets cost $12 in advance. Halloween tickets were $5.
“Our New Year’s party is the cheapest one in town,” says Harris, who’s also a QDP DJ.
The planning process for each event is intensive, and every detail matters to the QDP committee, whether it’s picking the QDProm colors or ensuring gender-neutral bathrooms will accommodate the ever-growing crowd. The folks behind QDP know their parties can sometimes be the only release for certain members of the community. Johnson recalls a partygoer recently sharing that his parents had rejected him after he came out of the closet.
“The first time he came to QDP was the first time he felt like he was going to be OK,” says Johnson.
Stories like those keep QDP growing and evolving. Every bit of feedback is valuable to the committee, even if sometimes that feedback is, according to Harris, “ ‘Play more Beyoncé,’ while Beyoncé is already playing.” The events are made to foster creativity, inclusion and open communication, but they’re also always about fun.
Giving back and paying the good vibes forward are an unwavering tradition at QDP. Queer Dance Party has donated to a wide array of community organizations, including Nashville CARES, Planned Parenthood, Black Lives Matter and Southern Girls Rock Camp.
Since 2013, QDP’s Pride Party, which takes place during Nashville Pride, has been the biggest party the team throws all year, topping out at 1,200 attendees last year at Studio 615. This year will feature performances by SheHaw, a comedy drag troupe inspired by, naturally, the iconic Nashville-shot TV show Hee Haw.
“One of our QDP regulars started SheHaw,” says Taylor of an attendee whose stage name is Mini Pearl Necklace. “It just seemed like a good fit, because they’re off-the-grid, DIY drag — bearded queens who are really irreverent.”
QDP’s future seems bright, with plans to possibly expand the party to more traditionally straight spaces around Nashville. Regardless of what’s next, the focus won’t change.
“We just want to keep the focus on the community that comes to the party, and the party itself,” says Taylor. “It’s not about us. The party exists because of the people that come to the party and dance.
