Jeffrey Sanker, the premier producer of gay extravaganzas, is the founder of L.A.-based White Party Entertainment, Inc. I talked with Jeffrey about the White Party 3D Experience, which takes place April 6 through April 9 in Palm Springs, Calif., with Grammy-winning superstar Mary J. Blige as the headliner.
White Party Palm Springs is the largest gay dance music festival in North America. This year, it expands into a whole new dimension, with music lovers, partygoers, DJs, and performers from every corner of the globe converging for the ultimate spring escape, set against sun-drenched mountain vistas and spectacular desert skies. Building on his reputation for assembling the best, cutting-edge shows and booking breakthrough talent, including Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, and Jennifer Lopez, Sanker has set his sights on raising the bar even higher. "White Party 2012 is going to be a 3D experience," said Sanker. He described "bigger and bolder LED and visual displays and immense stage and platform structures designed to stretch the limits of your imagination. The only lenses needed are your shades."
Sanker's passion for parties began during the early '80s in New York City. Working at such legendary locations as Studio 54, Palladium, and Private Eyes, he fine-tuned his skills as a promoter and special event producer. He has also hosted parties for numerous celebrities over the years. After moving to Los Angeles in 1987, his innovative technique of using landmark venues for trendsetting, themed events was credited for breathing new life into the L.A. scene. Since then, he has worked with all the hottest and trendiest venues and nightclubs in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Miami.
When asked what his personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Sanker stated,
As a gay man, I believe in civil rights for everybody. It's kind of a hot topic right now, and I personally support HRC [the Human Rights Campaign] in every way I can. You know, financially, physically, I attend their dinners and all their functions. I go to all the Prop 8 rallies and gather signatures and sign petitions myself.
Jeffrey lives in California, so when asked what his reaction was to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling that Prop 8 is unconstitutional, he said, "Well I'm so happy they found it unconstitutional, because it is. I think the struggle for equal rights for all of us in our community has gone on for so long, for over 50 years. I was excited to finally see this opinion to be stated so eloquently. I was really very pleased."
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For information on White Party Palm Springs 2012 events, tickets, and hotel options, visit jeffreysanker.com.
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