Nita Aviance

Nita Aviance (née Ben Nahum; born 1981[1]) is a dancer, percussionist, jazz singer, DJ, music producer, actor, and a member of The Carry Nation along with fellow DJ/producer Will Automagic. Aviance is also half of two other production teams, BOOKWRMZ and Brooklyn Is Burning, as well as a member of the production team Pyramide. In the late 1990s, Aviance left Rochester for New York City where he joined the legendary House of Aviance, "one of the major houses in the city's ballroom and vogue scene."[2][3][4] Aviance is one of the prominent DJ/producers of New York City's LGBT nightlife and have worked in various cities around the world as a DJ including London, UK where his record label is based.[5][6][7][8]

Nita Aviance
Birth nameBen Nahum[1]
Born1981 (age 38–39)[1]
OriginRochester, New York, USA
GenresHouse, Dance, Electronic and Soul
Occupation(s)dancer, percussionist, jazz singer, DJ, music producer and actor
Years active1990s–present
LabelsBatty Bass
Associated actsBeyoncé, Scissor Sisters, Le1f, The Carry Nation, Will Automagic, DJ Sammy Jo, Adam Joseph, La'Mady, Linda James, Jonny McGovern, Erickatoure Aviance, and House of Aviance.

Aviance has logged remixes for various artists including Beyoncé, the Scissor Sisters, Le1f, Will Automagic, and Adam Joseph.[3] According to Mix Magazine, Aviance and Will Automagic are regarded as "veterans of the ever ebbing and flowing New York nightlife scene, having begun working together after being introduced to one another by fellow DJ Michael Formika Jones in the early 2000s."[9]

Early life and education

Aviance was born and grew up in Rochester, New York which he left for New York City to pursue his education. He attended New York University, and whilst in New York City, joined the legendary House of Aviance as a dancer/drag artist in the 1990s. Having made a name for himself with one of the most prominent ballroom and voguing houses of New York, he turned to full-time DJing.[5][10] [2][3][11][12] He took his name Aviance from the House of Aviance—as common with all house members within the ballroom community.[13]

Aviance is a trained percussionist, jazz singer and dancer.[4]

Career

Aviance started his professional DJ career in the early 2000s.[10] In 2003, he met Will Automagic (née William Lynn[1]) at the Opaline Area 10009, a nightclub on Avenue A in the East Village of New York City which is now defunct, through fellow DJ and drag artist Mistress Formika (DJ Michael Formika Jones[9]).[5][9] The duo started asking each other to guest-DJ gigs, and in 2012, Aviance suggested to Automagic that they make a record together. Their collaboration led to the creation of The Carry Nation and the release of the "percolating dance track" This Bitch Is Alive, which led to a record deal with Batty Bass, a label based in London, United Kingdom.[5][6][8] Since joining the House of Aviance, Aviance has both worked solo and as one half of The Carry Nation and is a well established artist in his own right.[11][14] Some of his other classic tracks include The Queens,[6] remix of XiViX's Urgent,[11] as well logging remixes for various other artists including Beyoncé, the Scissor Sisters, Le1f, Will Automagic, and Adam Joseph.[3]

Aviance's sound helped transform the East Village's Opaline Area 10009 into the ultimate dance party of the early 2000s.[5][9][4] It was during the Opaline days when Aviance along with DJ Sammy Jo (the Scissor Sisters official tour DJ[15]) formed the Downtown DJ Coalition as a musical alternative to the mega-clubs. In late 2006, Aviance and Gant Johnson founded their weekly party Tubway at New York City's underground dance den, mr.Black. From a small soulful, living-room-style party, Tubway evolved "into the most raucous Saturday night cross-section of New York nightlife." His residency at Tubway brought praise from nightlife personalities and brought in guest appearances from renowned internaltional DJs like Tom Stephan, AC Slater, Junior Vasquez and the UK's Horse Meat Disco. Aviance is a four-time Glammy Awards winner for Best DJ (the award for nightlife personalities in New York City[16]), and Tubway was voted by Paper Magazine as the best party in 2008.[4] As of 2020, Aviance holds a residency at the awardwinning WESTGAY.[17][4][10]

Aviance was part of La'Mady, a transgender rap group that included Linda James and fellow House of Aviance members, Erickatoure Aviance and Koko Aviance. The group collaborated with Jonny McGovern in his 2006 album Jonny McGovern Presents: This is NYC, Bitch! The East Village Mixtape.

Aviance also appeared in the 2015 American independent drama film Ekaj (as club DJ), written and directed by Cati Gonzalez. He also appeared in the 2020 documentary Filterswept (as self), written and directed by Rosa Costanza.

References
  1. The New York Times, Defiant on the Dance Floor: L.G.B.T.Q. Night Life in New York, 2017 by Jeremy Allen (20 June 2017) (retrieved 3 August 2020)
  2. Vice (magazine), We Asked Two Quintessential NYC Queer DJs About the Art of the All-Night Set by Steve Weinstein (November 20, 2015) (retrieved 3 August 2020)
  3. Resident Advisor, DJ Nita biography (retrieved 4 August 2020)
  4. Beatport, Nita Aviance's biography (retrieved 4 August 2020)
  5. New York Times, The Carry Nation, a Downtown D.J. Duo, Drums Up a Hypnotic Beat by Michael Musto (28 June 2017) (retrieved 4 August 2020)
  6. Out (magazine), Nightlife Queen Sussi Reigns in The Carry Nation's New Lo-Fi Video by Chris Thomas (14 June 2017) (retrieved 3 August 2020)
  7. Queerty, The dead stripper from “Rough Night” exposed; new music from The Carry Nation; look who’s twerking by Derek de Koff (18 June 2017) (retrieved 3 August 2020)
  8. Salkind, Micah, Do You Remember House?: Chicago's Queer of Color Undergrounds, Oxford University Press (2018), p. 284, ISBN 9780190698447 (retrieved 3 August 2020)
  9. Mixmag, 6 PARTY CREWS REDEFINING THE GAY UNDERGROUND by CHRIS CARUSO (15 JUNE 2017) (retrieved 3 August 2020)
  10. Nita Aviance biography [in] House of Aviance (official site) (catched) (retrieved 4 August 2020)
  11. New York Post, LGBTQ DJs share their favorite Pride anthems in mega playlist by Chuck Arnold (26 June 2020) (retrieved 3 August 2020)
  12. On Point With: DJ Nita Aviance [in] Thotyssey (24 July 2018)
  13. Trebay, Guy; Credle J. (January 12–18, 2000). "Legends of the Ball: Paris Is Still Burning". The Village Voice. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  14. Occupy The Carry Nation [in] The Standard (NEW YORK-LE BAIN), 16 September 2015
  15. Vibe with Scissor Sisters Tour Dj Sammy Jo (30 August 2008) [in] Resident Advisor (retrieved 4 August 2020)
  16. Quohnos Mitchell, Next: On the Verge- Kevin Aviance, p. 106, Vibe, October 2000
  17. Time Out Magazine, Westgay at Westway (slide show) (retrieved 4 August 2020)
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