From D.D's to Y.Y. to Park 97 to Muse: Dance Club Spaces and the Construction of Class in Shanghai, 1997-2007

This article explores the development of an internationalised dance club scene in Shanghai between 1997 and 2007, focusing on four clubs. It examines how clubs have become a conduit for dance and music to enter China, while also exploring how both local and international clubbing practices are negotiated. The roles of owners, managers, DJs, and patrons in constructing the clubbing experience are discussed as well as the tendency for clubs to promote social and sexual interactions between local and overseas Chinese and foreigners. Clubs also provide separate and distinct cultural and social spaces for these groups to create their own social and class identities.