third part of the triad: homemakin in the club
1
The DMV has a rich house scene with many Black women at the forefront. Catherine Harris, Rita Burns, Kini Sullivan West, Sherri Joyner, and Mother Love figure prominently in this project, but are just a few of many at werk.
I conduct a close analysis of digital ephemera, collect testimonies of dancers, DJs and promoters that together with my field research make it possible for me chart a sprawling history of house in the DMV, folding in significant sites like Malcolm X Park, Eaton Hotel, and the Clubhouse.
2
House music and dance culture has clear roots in the Black church tradition, incorporating elements such as call and response, the preached word, and shoutin.
3
House music is made for dance and therefore, the relationship between dancer and the DJ (what I call kinesonic symbiosis) is paramount.
Catherine Harris (DJ Housecat), curator and co-organizer of House on the Waterfront, 2025.