T-Dance

A T-dance, short for "tea dance," is a daytime dance party, most often held Sunday afternoons. The name borrows from the genteel English tea dances of the countryside, but in the US gay community the tradition took on its own meaning starting in the 1950s and 1960s. Because it was illegal until the mid-1960s for New York bars to serve alcohol to people known to be gay, and police raided establishments that catered to them, gay men held tea dances outside the city, especially on Fire Island in Cherry Grove and the Pines, as safer places to gather and meet. T-dances remain a fixture of Pride events and resort towns, prized for their afternoon, community-centered vibe.