February 25–March 4, 1999

naked city

Lighter Than Air

Dancin' On Air re-lights the fire of '80s music TV.

By a.d. amorosi

The year is 1981. The lifestyle fervor of disco has ended, sadly. No more decadence, double-wrap belts or three-tone sunglasses. Gone are the haunting, anthemic sing-alongs of "Born To Be Alive" and "I Will Survive." Over are the tough sugar mama days of Amii Stewart and Donna Summer. By now it's either cheerfully raining men, a DJ is saving somebody's life (how nice) or we're celebrating "Good Times."

It is into this climate of sprightly dance music, liquidy soul and pop new-wave that Channel 17's Dancin' On Air (and its USA Network sister show Dance Party USA) was born. Every weekday afternoon from April 1981 to 1987 (and from '86 'til '92 for DP USA) executive producer Mike Nise, square-jawed, newscaster-haired host Bill O'Brien and a series of on-air personalities like WOGL's Christy Springfield, WDAS' Doug Henderson and Q102's Terry Young babysat the kids at home and in-studio with the magic of watching people dance on TV. Though it seemed kitschy with its parade of silken headbands, crunchy velvet boots, scads of regrettable hairdon'ts and appearances by Duran Duran, New Edition, the Hooters, the Jets and Madonna, the show gave kids a peek into their own culture, much like its Philly-born model, Dick Clark's American Bandstand, had 30 years previous.

And when all the hosts, crew and regular dancers gather Saturday at Egypt for a Dancin' On Air reunion, it's almost certain that the song and the looks will remain the same.

"I've got three words," laughs WOGL radio host Springfield, 40, about the clothing styles on DOA: Merry Go Round!

High school kids from Maria Goretti, West Catholic, John Neumann and beyond became a savage army of piled-high flipp'd hair, streaked 'dos, weirdly asymmetrical stripes and high-rise lapels—all doing the official DOA "Air Walk" to Hall and Oates' "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" or The Cars' "Shake It Up." And Mike Nise, a one-time teacher turned commercial director/disco record producer, loved 'em all.

Nise, 52, remembers having the Philly Phanatic as an on-air host, getting hit in the face with pies annually on his birthday and telling off Madonna, making her clean up her mess after graffiti-ing her dressing room. But his fondest memories were of the music and the kids.

"I wanted every age, race and cultural makeup in there—beautiful kids not just on the outside but inside too. Some couldn't dance, some weren't physically attractive but they sparkled—ages 14 to… " He pauses thoughtfully. "We wanted to make the age limit 19 but some of the kids became so much a part of the show and vice versa, what with all the exposure and street recognition, they stayed on. They stayed too late at the prom I guess you can say."

Nise was notorious for having "44 Rules" to which DOA family members adhered: no drugs, no cutting school and don't forget to smile.

"The show had like 200 new kids every day. Add that up to five live shows a week and you've got about 800,000 kids that hit our studio's dance floor at 5001 Wynnefield Avenue. You had to have structure for them."

When I ask Nise and Springfield about the reunion, both seem genuinely enthusiastic. Nise is presently in preparation to restart DOA as a local TV show. "That's what I'm proudest of—we were successful and we stayed and will stay in Philly," he says.

And he can't wait to see who turns up on Saturday.

"A lot of these kids stayed in touch with me. A lot of the media folk have wanted me to carry on. It should be a warm, weird wonderful mix," he says.

As for Springfield, she's giddy about being there but can't figure what she'll wear.

"I just gave most of my stuff to Goodwill like a year ago. I think I still have a leopard-skin thing or two. But I don't know if I can still fit in them."

The Dancin' On Air reunion starts Fri., Feb. 26 with an on-air takeover of Fox-29's Good Day Philadelphia and continues Sat., Feb. 27 at Egypt, Delaware Ave. and Spring Garden St., 215-922-6500.