ArtsQuest, a Bethlehem staple for community events, hosted a series of events called “Come Dance With Us” throughout the fall and winter. Celebrating the empowering success of various women in pop music, the series cultivated a space where members of the Lehigh Valley community were able to let loose, dance, and meet other locals with the same interests as them. Each of the events in this series highlighted the music of different women in pop music, such as Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Sabrina Carpenter. In addition to centering music made by women, the “Come Dance With Us” series featured DJs Cathy Ritter and DJ Sakura, two local women. With this series, ArtsQuest celebrated women within our region like these two DJs and global phenomenons who are shaping new trends in the music industry.
Southsider attended one of the events on November 22nd when ArtsQuest hosted the Chappell & Charli Night, the third installment of the “Come Dance With Us” series. The party was hosted inside the ArtsQuest center from 7:00 to 10:00 PM and was free for all attendees. Chappell & Charli night offered the vibe of a dance club with low lighting, colorful spotlights, and loud, vibrating music. There was no age requirement for gaining access into the party, although it was geared primarily towards young women. This, coupled with free entry, provided all members of the local community access to a celebratory night of fun.
Entering the ArtsQuest Center, attendees found that the event was set up around the Williams Brew Stage and had a large dance floor. The space was open and inviting, allowing everyone to feel comfortable joining the other dancers. On the dance floor, there were plenty of locals who beckoned for those sitting at tables to join the fun, emphasizing the welcoming atmosphere of the Chappell & Charli night. Additionally, there was a bar close to the DJ’s area that offered specialty cocktails, local craft beer, and non-alcoholic options. DJ Sakura spent the entire three hours cycling through a wide variety of pop music, pairing throw-back songs such as NSYNC’s 2000 hit “Bye-Bye-Bye” with recent hits such as Charli XCX’s “365.” Blending pop music from a variety of decades likewise introduced everyone to new music and sparked conversations between new people.
While DJ Sakura played a wide variety of pop music, the Chappell & Charli night specifically centered the music of pop icons Chappell Roan and Charli XCX, both of whom reached a new level of global success in the last year. Their popularity was so pervasive that the summer of 2024 was fondly dubbed Brat Summer, which honored the impact of Charli XCX’s newest album BRAT. While Brat Summer specifically refers to Charli XCX’s success, it also indicates how influential women in pop music have become in 2024. In addition to Charli XCX’s success, Chappell Roan also skyrocketed to fame over the summer. Chappell Roan’s album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess from 2023 became popular after she released a single titled Good Luck, Babe! These two pop musicians quickly became icons, and specifically catered to women and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Their music simultaneously sparked an interest in positively centering women in the music industry, and in doing so encouraged women across the globe to share in joy, pride, and positivity.
ArtsQuest’s “Come Dance With Us” series continued the queer, feminist positivity that Brat Summer prioritized. Women in the music industry, such as Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Taylor Swift, and Sabrina Carpenter, work hard to encourage all people to embrace who they are. By celebrating these women who have continuously embodied authenticity and challenged restrictive expectations for women, ArtsQuest provides welcoming spaces for all members of the Lehigh Valley community and allows them to take pride in themselves no matter the time of year.
While the final “Come Dance With Us” event was hosted by ArtsQuest on December 13th, there are plenty of upcoming events that also empower women through easygoing fun and community support including another performance by DJ Sakura on April 18th for another night of music, this time ’emo’ themed.
To learn more about upcoming events hosted by the ArtsQuest Center, visit ArtsQuest.
