Gay Anthem "I Will Survive" Inspires Library Of Congress Disco Party
The library is open! But will it survive?
As part of its upcoming celebration of disco culture, the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. will host a late-night disco dance party May 6 in its Great Hall, Washington Post reports.
Disco legend Gloria Gaynor, who will be interviewed on-site by Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts, will perform live at the event.
The party will commemorate the recent induction of Gaynor's 1978 disco hit “I Will Survive” into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry, a collection of sound recordings that are considered “culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States.”
“The disco era has left a lasting mark on our culture,” says librarian of Congress Carla Hayden in a press statement. “The music, the clothes, those fantastic disco balls—they are a part of Americana that new generations are still discovering and embracing.”
Gaynor's concert is the centerpiece of the library's Bibliodiscotheque, an unprecedented series of films, lectures, and events exploring the cultural impact of the disco era. The full series, which runs April 12 to May 6, will include a screening of Abba: The Movie, a 40th anniversary showing of Saturday Night Fever, a disco ball-making demonstration, and a discussion on disco fashion led by Project Runway host Tim Gunn.
All events are free, and tickets will be available beginning March 30.
Go on now, go—walk out the door and start putting together the perfect ’70s outfit!