Valentine variety

The WAWA Show and more for dancers and
romancers this weekend

LADIES FIRST: Amanda Mabro (c) and WAWA collaborators

by LINA HARPER

Heart-shaped glitter dove kids and cherub-faced dance enthusiasts can take pleasure in the fact that this Valentine’s Day’s choice parties might just make them feel like swathed bairns of love this season. From local indie talent at neo-vaudeville event We Are Women Artists to lock-and-key exchanges at an early Mec Plus Ultra party, the Mirror rounds up some of this year’s romance dances.

This Saturday and Sunday, the We Are Women Artists (WAWA) festival will be celebrating its fifth year of showcasing emerging local talent, and as founder and singer-songwriter Amanda Mabro says, “It’s not just about celebrating women artists”—though she is quick to note the trajectory of her career has stretched out in large part because of the exposure the fest has given her.

“Essentially, the intention of the event is to bring together established artists and artists that are just beginning, in a supportive environment, an inclusive, welcoming context.”

This welcoming context is also full of hot ladies. To that end, the first night, on Saturday, Feb. 13, is more of a comedy thing at Centre St. Ambroise and is hosted by nerd-darling comedienne DeAnne Smith, with performances by Eman, Jess Solomon, Queen: the Improv Troupe, Not the Band and the Dirty Little Spoons. Doors are at 8 p.m., admission is $10.

On Sunday, Valentine’s Day proper is the classic WAWA Show at la Sala Rossa—“a neo-vaudevillian sort of thing where we celebrate variety and spontaneity,” says Mabro. Hosted by Miss Sugarpuss, the show—which Mabro says will be “full of surprises”—features Mabro, singer Elsiane, NYC’s electronic pop artist NLX, contortionist Andreanne Leclerc, breakdancer JoDee Allen, DeAnne Smith and more. Doors at 8 p.m., admission $15.

KEYED UP: Montag

Disco and darkness

In its second year is the DFA Disco Dance Party Valentine’s Edition, an I Love Neon and High Food collaboration, at le Belmont at 10 p.m. on Saturday. The frisky dance party celebrates the making of love with a side dish of disco-electro featuring DJ sets by Andy Butler from Hercules & Love Affair, Seb Diamond, Phil Ad and DJ Duvall.

For the grown-up lovers, style and a good beat are proposed at the Velvet Speakeasy in Old Montreal. A little swanker and explicitly sensual, Dans le noir: A Naughty Velvet Valentines promises surprises, and fresh electro and dance beats for its stylish scenester clientele. Aiming for a sexy Cirque de Boudoir feel, where queer kids go when they want to dress up and play, Dans le noir is hosted by boys-about-town DL Jones and Cirque de Boudoir’s Davidé. Music comes care of La Touch DJs Tobias Haynes and Perron. This party is strictly 21 and over, so bring ID.

On Sunday, head to the out-of-Village but still very gay Mec Plus Ultra gathering. The twice-monthly party plays host to a Valentine’s Day event of epic velvet-heart proportions with the early-evening Unlock Hearts party. Actual keys and locks will be handed out to boys who wish to catch the twinkling eye of other boys. Homoerotic partygoers will be serenaded by music from local minimalist artist Montag, DJ Frantastik and B’ugo. That’s at le Belmont, with doors at 7 p.m.