Ephemera from DC Cowboys Dance Company, a performing arts organization for gay men founded in 1994. Collections of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, Archives Center. LGBT Collection (NMAH.AC.1146, box 34).

DC Cowboys Dance Company (1994-2012), was an all-male, gay, non-profit dance company based in Washington, DC.[1] Their mission was to provide free[2] dance entertainment to raise money to provide services to people living with HIV/AIDS, as well as for AIDS prevention programs.

History

The DC Cowboys Dance Company, an all-male, gay dance company, performed around the world from 1994 to 2012. They provided jazz-style, dance entertainment spanning several musical genres (contemporary, country, club dance party, pop, to classic Broadway.) Kevin Platte, founder and Artistic Director, started the dance company in August 1994 after seeing a similar troupe in California. In 1996, Platte added a charitable element with a mission to provide free entertainment to any HIV/AIDS charitable organization. Over the years, the company raised funds for HIV/AIDS organizations by sharing the profits of their calendar sales.[1]

Performance highlights included America's Got Talent television show, season 3, NBC, semifinalists (2008);[3] the Closing Ceremonies of the Gay Games VII at Wrigley Field in Chicago (2006); The Sziget Festival in Budapest, Hungary (2009–2012); Dales' Great Getaway television show, ITV London, England (2012); The Podge and Rodge television show, RTE, Dublin, Ireland (2010).[1] They were an Arts grant recipient from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts (1996).[4]

At the time of their closing, they had had 82 dancers, or "cowboys", and raised thousands of dollars with 455 performances.[5] Their last performance was at the DC Pride Parade in 2012. The National Museum of American History's Archives Center acquired their records in 2013.[1]

Reference List

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Guide to the DC Cowboys Dance Company Records" (PDF). National Museum of American History, Archives Center. Archives Center. November 18, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  2. ↑ "The business of performing at Pride". Washington Blade: Gay News, Politics, LGBT Rights. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 2015-06-06.
  3. ↑ "DC Cowboys Got Talent—And Maybe a Reality Show?". 10 September 2008. Retrieved 2015-06-06.
  4. ↑ "The DC Cowboys Take Off Their Clothes to Raise Money for Charities - Gay Lesbian Bi Trans News Archive - Windy City Times". www.windycitymediagroup.com. September 2003. Retrieved 2015-06-06.
  5. ↑ "DC Cowboys Become American History". Metro Weekly. August 15, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
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