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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 7, 1979)
Page 12 THE BATTALION WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1979 New York ‘elite' abandon roller disco And now, roller discos United Press International NEW YORK — To do all this ca reening around, risking life and limb on roller skates in a posh disco, a party of socialites wore cocktail dresses and tuxedos. There was a man in a superman cape and two men in matching la vender jumpsuits. There were celebrities galore of the stage and screen variety, as well as the not-so colossal stars of New York City disco action. The self-conscious, like Neil Terk, Holly’s date, settled for jeans like many of the less trendy folk who seemed to have enjoyed themselves just as much a lot cheaper in a roller rink in Greenwich Village. But to be with the “in” crowd up town, where dress seemed all im portant, Candee Rogow wore $25 black Lycra slacks with sequined tux stripe, a $45 black blouse with flam boyant red sequin design, and $130 indoor-outdoor skates she bought that morning at a new roller disco boutique in Macy’s. All this colorful garb was nothing compared with the lighting — or noise. When an $80,000, 36-speaker sys tem blares, people don’t talk. This makes interviewing difficult. Taking notes is worse in what is claimed to be “the most powerful laser lighting system in the entertainment industry.” Still, one remembers. Like trying to get up off the floor amid dervish like dancers on wheels whirling at 20 mph. Judy Lynn, who with her partner, Bob White, operate a skate rental concession in Central Park, said rol ler disco had its origin on the sidewalks of Venice, Calif, and at Brooklyn’s Empire Rollerdrome. “Isn’t this fun?” shouted Gloria Marti, my date. “Get with it. Move with the beat.” I tried. One leg went one way and the other in the opposite direction. The rest of my body took off in dif ferent directions. Melanie Shorin, 23, in blue blazer and beige skirt, was tottering along. When told of my purpose, she shouted an apology, then grab bed my shoulders to remain up right. “Can’t help you. Reporter, too.. Doing, same, story.” The site of this disco event was Xenon, which is ordinarily just Xenon Owner Howard Stein, sipping champagne in his office, said he got into the roller disco gambit “to give a very fickle and bored elitist New York audience another diversion.” another Manhattan disco where exclusivity is ostentatious. From would-be customers clustered out side, burley attendants choose those to be admitted through the red vel vet entrance ropes. The chosen are allowed to pay $12 to get in. An annual membership — $150 to $350, escalated according to age — assures being chosen and gets you in for $10. Drinks start at $3. Owner Howard Stein, sipping champagne in his office, said he got into the roller disco gambit “to give / ISCOUNT.S. COLIPQM THIS COUPONSOOD FOR UP TO 50c WORTH OF DR$tN&i&ND 10% DISCOUNT ON DRY CLEANING WHEN YOU WASH AT the jpiaiifiyi VALID 8:00 A.M. TIL&6&i£i& ONE PER CUST. ^EXPIRES FEB. IT ^7$;, “AGGIElrAN&S FINEST & LARGEST WA&HATERIA’ MS* 81 MACHINES AIR CONDITIONED : : 3702 S. COLLEGE KscounV.s, coupon GREENHOUSE dub & game parlor Disco dancing Games Exotic drinks NEVER A COVER CHARGE FEATURING TONIGHT JODY PAGE GUITARIST & SINGER 8-12 P.M. Briarwood Apts. 201 Hwy. 30 Briarwood Apts. Colle ★★■A A A A A A A ****** ige Station 693-97814c A A A A A A A A An* Applications for MSC Lead ership Positions now being accepted MSC Officers - deadline February 9 MSC Committee Chairmen - deadline February 23 Applications available in the Student Programs Of fice, Room 216 of the MSC. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * JUNIORS If you have completed 75 hours as of Jan. 1,1979, and have a minimum GPR of 3.25, you are eligible for membership in the Senior Honor Society. CAP & GOWN (soon to be affiliated with National Mortar Board, Inc.) General Orientation Meeting Feb. 8, 7 P.M. 601 Rudder. Information sheets will also be available from Feb. 5-16 in 216 MSC, 108 YMCA, and the offices of Dr. Koldus, Academic Deans, and Dept. Heads. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * for the a very fickle and bored elitist New York audience another diversion.” The “elitists” got bored quick. Shortly after our visit. Xenon went back to just another plain old disco, leaving the roller field to less expensive competitors like Village Skating just off Washington Square in Greenwich Village. By this time, Gloria was enamored of the fad and at Village Skating we risked life and limb again. There was none of the laser lighting or super amplifiers in this basement emporium. It is situated in a former warehouse where scores of less status-conscious young people filled the hall in a scene re miniscent of a Toulouse Lautrec painting. It’s where the clerks, writers, artists, secretaries and con struction workers go. Here, teen-agers and young adults hustled like mad on skates. In addition to those in jeans, some were shirtless in overalls. Others wore athletic shorts and T-shirts. Dramatic costumes were few. You could talk above the heavy- beat disco music and the lights were such that you could still see where you were going and practice your skill — or try to develop some. The young people were delighted to give us some tips and the em ployees were pleasant and quick with advice and assistance. “Aren’t the personnel nice?” said Gloria. “Much less snooty.” Unlike the disco, the place was booze less. It also was highly afford able — $4 admission; $1 for rather battered skates. For that, you also got entertain ment — a volunteered performance by three young couples who call masses their group The Villagers and dance on skates with more dynamic exuberance than some of the profes sionals Xenon had on hand to show how it all should be done. Village Skating owner Dick Clammar, who opened the place a year ago to give his kids and others in the neighborhood a place to go, said it was tough sledding at first. “If we had 15 skaters on a weekend, it would be good.” Now, he said, the crowd filling his small floor showed how roller disco has caught on. Back at Xenon, Linda Fudge, 26, and her husband, Gary, 23, a pro fessional skating team, said roller disco is coming in around the coun try, but mostly at less costly roller rinks like Clammar’s. “We demonstrated it at a rink owners’ convention in Kansas City in October. They were all enthusias- “Until a month ago, 1 hadn’t skated in 30 years,” admitted ac tress Polly Bergen, a bit breath less. “Then I started at a rink outside Los Angeles that a group of actors, writers and producers rent on Monday nights. I love it. ” tic and are getting into it. The Fudges have demonstrated roller disco from Chicago to Grand view, Mo., and Otumwa, Iowa. Rol ler disco is giving new life to the rinks, Linda said. “Until a month ago, I hadn’t skated in 30 years,” admitted actress Polly Bergen, a bit breathless. “Then I started at a rink outside Los Angeles that a group of actors, writers and producers rent on Monday nights. I love it.” Liberal AND religious — can’t we be both? You are invited to attend an organiza tional meeting of TAMU student reli gious liberals, Sunday, Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m., Room 145, MSC. Speaker: Rev. Bob Hill, on “Why I Am a Small-c Christian.” Have A Cultural Affair With The Houston Chronicle. Enjoy many fine art and book reviews. Drama, motion pictures, music and television news too. Indulge yourself in a few of the finer arts. Read The Houston Chronicle. 1/2 price for students, faculty and staff. Entire semester for $6.80 (Feb. 7 - May 11) Call 693-2323 or 846-0763 to start HOME or DORM DELIVERY immediately. Houston Chronicle News you can use. what’s up Wednesday ri Irt BASEMENT COFFEEHOUSE: General meeting and auditions* J p.m. “ E.E. STUDENT WIVES CLUB: Barbara Denton, a respresentalj of Mary Kay Cosmetics, will speak at 7 p.m. in Room 115-E,Zacli Engineering Center. All E.E. student wives are invited. HILLEL CLUB: Will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Hillel Foundats Building. ACT CLUB: Planning of the spring Agriculturalist and a discussioj ii CJ press room responsibilities at the Houston Stock show will bel* r in Room 007, Reed McDonald Building, at 7:30 p.m. FIT APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications for the EITEi; should be in Austin today. STAMP CLUB: A collection of worldwide stamps will be presei and discussed at 7:30 p.m. in Room 502, Rudder Tower. BRIDGE CLUB: Will begin playing at 7:15 p.m. in the MSC.Cl monitor for room number. Everyone is welcome. ( Unit NEW Y ne. cherr >d to cur Ter, say It of the lical Aj repc TAMU ROADRUNNERS: Final preparations for the Valentines:| e wa! |. |' Run and final dues payments will be made at 5 p.m. inG ce 1 White Coliseum. Be ready to run. TOWN HALL: The Blackstone Magic Show will begin at 8:15p. Rudder Auditorium. Its 20 ims, in le can it and t SOCIAL DANCE CLUB: Will hold group lessons in country & we fhe rep ern, disco or ballroom dancing 7-8:30 p.m. in Room 266, G.Hoi ;jka of White Coliseum. ffiota m STUDENT AGGIE CLUB: Will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Letter pi in si> Lounge. All interested students are welcome. Iment i SPORT PARACHUTE CLUB: Will meet at 8 p.m. in Roonii; ^ ' Rudder Tower. , r ii PLACEMENT OFFICE: Graduating seniors who wish to intenn f urrenl for the following companies may begin signing up today forinti j nce () views on Feb. 21: Airesearch Manufacturing Co., American^ ^ a f ter in Austin, American Microsystems Inc., Army Material, Bell Si . ye£ terns, Cent Power & Light, Conoco, Joske’s of Dallas, “{either; Engineering & Manufacturing Div., Standard Oil of Indiana, Ta L Eastern, Texas Instruments (Sherman), U.S. Navy, U.S. Sli |) ur j n j, Coip. Worthington Compressors Inc. I ec j f u ts and h t-'L J I 10 P a t I hursday ‘ POLITICAL FORUM: Bob Kupperman, a military scientist fori L [ | ruj U.S. Arms and Disarmament Agency, will speak on “Puttiif* Leash On Terrorism” at 8 p.m. in Room 701, Rudder Tower TAMU HUMAN FACTORS CLUB: Barry Tillman, a HumanFactld not Analyst, will speak on “Human Factors in the Design of Militi Seance Vehicles” at 8 p.m. in Room 342, Zachry Engineering Centei | TAMU EMERGENCY CARE TEAM: Will meet at 7:30 p.m il 1116 .. 11 Room 504, Rudder Tower. CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST: Walter Bradley will spell “Love, Sex and Dating” at 7 p.m. in Room 510, RudderT( Everyone is welcome ROTERACT CLUB: Will meet at 7:30 p.m. in Room 308, Rui Tower. nnt, METHODIST STUDENT MOVEMENT: A study on charisma* ^ will be held in Room 350, MSC, at 7 p.m. J| ^ TEXAS SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS: Engins ‘ ing registration” will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Room 103, Zacls L^| ia BASKETBALL: The women’s team will play Lamar University* Health p.m. in Beaumont. CEPHEID VARIABLE: “Them,” in which James Arness battles ants that overrun the world, will be shown at Sand 10:30p.m.ini Basement Coffeehouse. Admission is 50 cents. (G) S.i Cent* ufacti ires laatinj PLACEMENT OFFICE: Graduating seniors who wish to intervi ' n . for the following companies may begin signing up today forint ^ ^ views on Feb. 22: Airesearch Manufacturing Co., Arizona Pul Service Co., Conoco, Core Laboratories, Crawford Russell,Dc ea ] s . < ell, Moore Products Co., PPG Industries Inc., Price Waterhousf * s ' 111 Co., J. E. Sirrine Co., TRW Systems, Turner Collie & Braden,l' P l ' K 1 " Navy, Wrangler Jeans. Hescap F riday escap iht be r nnair ending its conv DEADLINE: For applying for degrees to be awarded in May istoi s j? The $8 fee is to be paid in the Fiscal Office, Coke Building, i SWIM TEAM: The women’s team will swim against the Universit) Arizona and LSU here at 7 p.m. Ipf' c Fe AGGIE CINEMA: “Three Days of the Condor,” a high tension thrill | concerning the C.I.A. and international conspiracy, start! f Robert Bedford and Faye Dunaway, will be shown at 8 p.m Rudder Theater. (R) MIDNIGHT MOVIE: “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,’ a two bank robbers caught out of their element when the Old WI closes at the turn of the century, starring Paul Newman, Rob Bedford, and Katherine Ross, will be shown in Rudder Thealt (PC). PLACEMENT OFFICE: Graduating senior who wish to interviewl the following companies may begin signing up today for interne 1 on Feb. 23: Aramco Services, Capital National Bank in AusS | Tjr Dandry, Div. of Northern Telecon, Data Point, Dresser Industri 1 Oilfield Products, Ferguson Enterprises, Hallmark Cards, fe Ingersoll-Rand Inc., Lockheed Missiles & Space Co., Marathon! [ Co., NCR Corp., PPG Industries Co., Rolm Corp., Santa!; Drilling Co., Southern Pacific Trans. Co., TRW Systems,Tun j Collie & Braden, U.S. Gypsum, West Texas Utilities. ssss ERFEC 'n Bee We have the thickest burgers in towt NOT 1 / 4 lb, NOT Vs lb, NOT y 2 lb BUTP lb. I TRY ONE FOR YOURSELFI Dead Solid Perfect 102 Church St. 846-0720 Open Tues-Sun 11-8 A&M Gene Yickt M$r