The Wake

The University of Minnesota Pure Disco Crew started out this semester as a student organization that had a vision and pair of platform shoes. Despite criticism from some students, faculty and staff, the Pure Disco Crew is out to prove that disco is not dead.

A mirror ball slowly rotates from the ceiling of Joel Bergman’s basement and a red laser beam shoots through a cloud emitted from a fog machine. Sounds of trumpets ascend in volume as it blares from the stereo in the corner.

“Alright everybody,” Bergman says. “It’s KC and the Sunshine Band. Let’s tear this floor up.”

Welcome to another University of Minnesota Pure Disco Crew meeting. At the beginning of the semester Bergman, a second year physics student, was listening to Pure Disco Volume 2 CD when it occurred to him that maybe there were others on campus like him, students who needed more disco than was being provided by the U.

“I felt like I still hadn’t found my niche on campus,” Bergman says. “When I found out that for a small fee you can start up any club you want, I knew it was time to groove.”

Bergman founded the U of M Pure Disco Crew and discovered that there was definitely interest in disco music at the University of Minnesota. After posting flyers all over campus, Bergman’s e-mail inbox was filled with messages from students eager to know more about Pure Disco Crew. Bergman set up the first meeting at Marcy-Holmes Park.

“At the first meeting I was mostly concerned with getting the interested parties together so we could discuss what exactly we wanted to accomplish,” Bergman explains.

Pure Disco Crew members threw around ideas of hosting a Disco Dance-Off at the University and possibly expanding it to a citywide and even state competition. They discussed their favorite disco artists, the misconception that disco is dead and how to deal with the negativity of anti-disco advocates. Another student group, Disco is Dead (D.I.D.), fought hard to keep Bergman and his accomplices off of the dance floor and away from polyester pants. But after all was said and done, Bergman and his fellow disco-lovers invited University students from all dance backgrounds to boogie. For the first song, he chose “Stayin Alive” by The Bee Gees.

“I thought it would be such a meaningful first song for us to have at our initial meeting because a lot of people out there are against us,” Bergman says. “So to the critics, snobs and D.I.D, Pure Disco Crew is here to say that disco is alive and doing awesome!”

After numerous complaints from neighbors who didn’t appreciate The BeeGees and Gloria Gaynor’s voice coming from the park, Pure Disco Crew decided to hold their meetings at member’s house, on a rotating schedule. The group has many plans for the future including matching member shirts and uniform platform shoes. They also hope to appear in disco dancing competitions … once they find such a thing.