At the Romy & Michele Saturday Afternoon Tea Dance at Club Cumming

Photos and interview by Stacie Joy

Every Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m., Club Cumming on Sixth Street hosts the long-running "Romy & Michele's Saturday Afternoon Tea Dance" — a no-cover, pop-forward hang built around friendship, community and the occasional Post-It request. 

The weekly party is helmed by East Village resident DJ Bright Light Bright Light (Rod Thomas), who has been spinning the tea dance for nearly a decade and brought it to Club Cumming when it opened in the fall of 2017. 

We stopped by on a recent Saturday and asked Thomas a few questions about why he named the event after the 1997 comedy "Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion" (which co-starred Club Cumming owner Alan Cumming), how Post-Its became part of the dance-floor ritual, and why hosting this gathering in the East Village still feels a little magical.

How did the Romy and Michele Tea Dance come about? 

I chose the Romy & Michele's Saturday Afternoon Tea Dance name because I love the film so much. I thought it would be fun to do a silly, lighthearted tea dance whose name lets you know it's about having a blast with your friends, whatever anyone might think, and that it's deeply rooted in a love of pop culture. 

So people can request songs on a Post-It (in the film, the leads, Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow, claim they invented Post-Its), and it's a nice way to make people feel like they can hear their favorite songs in a warm, friendly space. 

When people are requesting songs on Post-Its on the wall, they see what others are requesting, and it's an easy icebreaker. I've seen people laugh at some song choices and get so excited if someone's requesting the same song as them, which happens! So it's been lovely seeing friendships form over the years. 

For me, music is all about connection and community, so being able to run an event that helps create and nurture community is a real proud moment for me. A real joy!

Why does hosting this event in the East Village matter to you? 

Before I moved to NYC, the East Village was like a holy grail of pop culture history to me — seeing it in films like "Party Girl" especially — and all the music history I'd hear about. It feels amazing to be part of this area of the city. It's so creative and so full of life.

You can follow the Romy & Michele Party Instagram account here.