All For Alegria & Alegria For All

Universal Alegria - Decor from Alegria’s 10 year history (clockwise from top left) the trademark globe; giant pumpkins on Halloween; the swimming pool.
 
New York at the dawn of Alegria was a very different place. Many of the city’s biggest clubs were beginning to shutter and the golden age of circuit parties was dying. But Brazilian-born theater producer Ric Sena had a creative vision to bring a sexy excitement back to dance floors. Now, 10 years later, his party attracts thousands of revelers from around the world to dance the night away to top house DJs beneath had-to-see-it-to-believe-it décor and alongside some of the hottest men in the world.
 
To celebrate he’s throwing an anniversary party Labor Day Weekend with DJs Hector Fonseca, Ralphi Rosario and Abel. We chatted with Sena about Alegria’s evolution, that famous decor and the city that made it all happen.
 
In 2000 you came here from Brazil as a theater producer. What led to throwing dance parties?
I didn’t know anybody in the theater industry here and my boyfriend, David, at the time brought me to a lot of circuit parties. I met DJs at these parties. I had a friend in Brazil [who] was famous for her parties. So I started to help her.
 
My boyfriend pointed out that what we were doing [in Rio] was different from anything else he’s seen in the U.S. When the Millennium March came around we organized a benefit event. There were 800 people there. I got really excited about the event. I came up with the name Alegria.
 
Tell us about the very first Alegria in New York.
Susan [Morabito] used to DJ on Gay Pride Sundays but her party was cancelled [in 2000]. When I heard that, I rented Sound Factory for Gay Pride Sunday. There wasn’t any other party that Sunday so it went really well. I [started throwing] Alegria whenever there was a holiday weekend or long-weekend. No one else was doing this.
 
And the response was strong?
It started out big very fast. In February 2001 we [had] 400 people and by May it was 1,500. By 2004 we were selling tickets to people in 48 states. People were coming from Europe and Asia just to attend the party.


Did the change of venue have a lot to do with that?
When I moved to Crobar, the expectations were pretty high. Crobar [was] a larger space, whereas Sound Factory [was] very limited. The ceiling heights and other specifications at Crobar allowed me to bring things into the club that people [hadn’t] seen inside a club before.


Speaking of décor, it’s very central to your parties. Is that influenced by your theater past?
Yes, and everything comes from Brazil. The people that build these things are amazing. These are the same people that build the floats for the Brazilian Carnival Parade.


How do you get it all here from Brazil?
People don’t realize how much energy and work goes into it. [You have to] design something three months ahead of time that takes a month to build, and having it shipped takes another month. It has to go through customs in Brazil and in the U.S. There are so many things that can happen throughout the process.
 
What are some of your favorite Alegria parties?
There were some that were very special, like the Batman party. I dressed up Abel as a penguin and he was part of the show. Also, when I did the prison [party] in 2004. I put in prison cells and changed the look of the club completely. That party opened my mind and convinced me that I could do anything I wanted and transform the look of the club.
 
What can we expect at the Anniversary Party?
The theme of the party will be New York because I don’t think Alegria would be a success anywhere else. I’m happy that I started this in New York.
 
Any surprises you can let us in on?
There will be a surprise artist the party, but I will never announce anything. Even if Madonna would come to one of my parties I would never announce it. I could use it as a way of selling tickets but I prefer to use it as a surprise.
 
Will the Nokia be your new permanent home?
I will do some events at the Nokia Theater but for Halloween the venue was taken. It’s going to be at Pacha. And then there’s a chance that Crobar is going to be open again. If that happens next year Alegria might go back and forth between Crobar and Nokia. Those are two great spaces to throw a party. And I like to change it up a bit.   N
 
Join Sena in celebrating the Alegria 10th Anniversary on September 5 at the Nokia Theater (1515 Broadway). Visit AlegriaEvents.com for more info.