Throughout its illustrious eight-year history, Winter Party's reputation as one of the most prestigious circuit soirees in the world has grown exponentially. In recognition of the event's spectacular popularity and as a tribute to its many generous benefactors, the Dade Human Rights Foundation will break the mold this year to further enhance what many consider to be the perfect party.

On the afternoon of Sunday, March 10, Winter Party will proudly present its first superstar tag-team of dueling DJs. Circuit sensations Lydia Prim and Manny Lehman will take turns in the DJ booth to provide an uplifting mélange of music that will saturate South Beach's sandy shores and sunny skies as thousands of revelers frolic and dance just a few feet from the Atlantic Ocean. Lydia will get the party started at noon with Manny wrapping things up just as the sun descends behind Miami's magnificent skyline. During the transition, the divine duo will entertain the masses with a two-hour dueling set designed to showcase their individual talents while uniting their distinct styles in a sonic showdown of epic proportions.

Lydia Prim

Lydia Prim began her musical career back in 1989 playing the Southern club scene. She has since stormed the circuit with high-profile gigs in almost every major city across the United States. But it was in 1999 at the Folsom Street Festival's closing party in San Francisco when Lydia's career truly took off. Her playful personality and soulful musical style - both of which incorporate a distinctive "butch edge" - brilliantly complemented Folsom's masculine nature and helped catapult the Billboard-reporting DJ to the upper echelon of vinyl virtuosos.

The number of female DJs may be steadily increasing, but it can still seem like an intolerant male-dominated industry at times. Armed with a sharp wit, keen sense of humor and practical perspective, Lydia has learned to make playing for predominantly gay male audiences work to her advantage. "You're always going to encounter prejudice in some form, so just try to find a way to deal with it," she advises. "You can actually turn it around so it does more good than harm. Use if for fuel instead of baggage."

Lydia may be based in Birmingham, Alabama, but her constant traveling keeps this entertainer's horizons broad and ever-changing. Besides her residency at Atlanta's Blu and regular bookings in New York City - initially at Twilo and now at SBNY - Lydia's phonographic prowess has captivated crowds at numerous community-building dance events across America including, among others, Hotlanta River Expo in Atlanta, Southern Decadence in New Orleans, White Party in Palm Springs, Fireball in Chicago and Blue Ball in Philadelphia. The fashion industry also witnessed Lydia's remarkable skills firsthand when she played the 2001 Fashion Cares event in Toronto for an audience of 6,000. Also that year, Lydia completed her first compilation mix CD, "Keep On Movin'," for Centaur Music's Global Groove series. Her hard work has also earned her much praise along the way including the honor of being chosen as the Best DJ of 2001 by the readers of TheCircuitDog.com.

Manny Lehman

During his early years in New York City, Manny Lehman used to peddle records at a store called Vinyl Mania to then-aspiring DJs Hex Hector, Junior Vasquez and Victor Calderone. Now he's producing his own music and working on projects for some of the industry's most successful artists like Madonna and Janet Jackson. Manny eventually landed a position as Director of Dance Promotions at A&M Records where he discovered and later signed dance diva CeCe Peniston to the label in the early 90s. As executive producer of her debut single, "Finally," he helped create one of the quintessential club anthems of the decade. Based out of Los Angeles since 1989, Manny teamed up with promoter Jeffrey Sanker to work on a number of ventures that ultimately led to his breakthrough DJ performances at 1999's Palm Springs White Party and Black & Blue Montreal.

Voted First Runner-Up for Best DJ of 2001 by TheCircuitDog.com readers and as a fellow member of the Madtizzy Productions family (both Manny's and Lydia's careers are managed by George Dellinger), Manny Lehman is the perfect candidate to share the spotlight with Lydia at Sunday's beach party. And he couldn't be happier about the opportunity. "Playing the Winter Party has been a longtime goal for me," he says. "And to support the Dade Human Rights Foundation is an honor."

If you've attended even just one circuit event in the past several years, you've surely already experienced Manny's high-energy audio alchemy. Consistently stellar performances - featuring "an aggressive hodge-podge of anthem vocals and tribal beats" - have entranced legions of dance floor disciples around the world making Manny one of the biggest (and safest) draws on the gay party circuit. He's also found his way into the living rooms of his fans via the 4Play Records' continuous mix CDs "A Night In Orbit," "Circuit Sessions" (Volumes 1 and 4), and his latest release, "Experience," which features an original production with Sara Vegas called "Can You Feel My Love."

When he's not traveling the globe, practicing kickboxing or watching "Will & Grace," Manny works on developing new acts. One particularly promising artist is a 17-year-old solo female vocalist whom he believes could be the next Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston. Upcoming performance highlights include the White Party in Palm Springs, Memorial Day in Pensacola and Gay Disney in Orlando. He also holds monthly residencies at Crobar in Miami, Velvet Nation in Washington, DC and, his latest triumph, Roxy in New York City.

For more information on Lydia and Manny, please visit www.madtizzy.com.

Victor Calderone

Introduced to New York nightlife at the impressionable age of 15 by his older brother Cesar, Victor Calderone quickly developed an intense passion for dance music that would form the foundation for the Brooklyn native's remarkable career. After dabbling in the music business for several years, Victor went into the studio in 1996 to create his first solo record, "Give It Up." This signature hard-house anthem and its explosive follow-up, "Beat Me Harder," both topped the Billboard dance charts, unleashing the meteoric Calderone phenomenon. His calendar soon began filling up with gigs on Fire Island and at New York City nightclubs Limelight and Life which eventually led to his career-defining residences at Roxy in New York and Liquid in Miami. Then, just when he thought things couldn't get any better, Madonna called in 1998 and asked, "So, do you want to remix my first single?"

Beginning with "Frozen," the lead single from Madonna's acclaimed "Ray of Light" album, Victor has remixed a total of ten records for the Grammy-award winning artist. The success he achieved through his work with Madonna ultimately led to remix projects for some of the world's top recording artists like Gloria Estefan, Bette Midler, Destiny's Child and Sting. Sting was so impressed with Victor's interpretation of "Desert Rose" that he recently recruited him to work on songs for his next album. Although most of his time in the studio lately has been dedicated to Sting's music, Victor has completed new remixes for Sheryl Crow ("Soak Up The Sun") and Savage Garden front-man Darren Hayes ("Insatiable") as well.

Victor's studio work may have jump-started his career, but it's his live performances that truly showcase his boundless energy and mastery of the turntables. Victor understands and appreciates the importance of continually evolving as an artist and, while he still enjoys remixing and playing select mainstream records, audiences will notice a distinct difference in his future live sets. Relying less on the diva house vocal anthems that dominated many of his past performances, Victor has reinvented his musical style and will now treat listeners to an edgier and more progressive sound.

On the evening of Sunday, March 10th, you can experience the multi-talented master of musical manipulation and his turntable wizardry for yourself when Victor joins forces with famed promoter and party producer Mark Baker for an electrifying 10-hour party at the dramatic Ice Palace Film Studios in Miami. Lighting guru Ross Berger will be on hand to supply visual stimulation throughout the night with performance art extravaganzas courtesy of Power and Circuit Mom. Be sure to pace yourself throughout the week because this intense event is going to require your full attention and utmost energy for optimum enjoyment.

The Ice Palace Film Studios Party will also celebrate the launch of Victor's new website, www.victorcalderone.com. He also spins monthly at Crobar in Miami and Stereo in Montreal, every other month at Tribal Sessions in Manchester, England, and at special engagements in New York City and around the world. Please visit www.markbakerpresents.com for more information on this event.

Monty Q

Hometown hero Monty Q took his turn a couple years ago playing the Winter Party and mixing its annual CD. This year he returns to the Winter Party roster for the weekend's kick-off dance party, Noche Tropical, on Thursday, March 7th at Liquid (formerly Shadow Lounge).

In 1984, while working as music director for the University of Miami's radio station, WVUM-FM, Monty began DJing at small clubs around town. It wasn't long before he was impressing the discriminating crowds at the trendiest hotspots on South Beach like Warsaw, Amnesia and Salvation. Gloria Estefan was so captivated by his live performances that she hired him to spin her 40th birthday party at her home on Miami's Star Island. It was during his residency at Score in the late 90s, though, when Monty really started to attract national attention with highly praised performances in Los Angeles, Fire Island, New York City, Palm Springs and Washington, DC. Monty continues to travel the international circuit and currently holds a residency at Miami's Crobar Anthem Sundays.

Monty's self-described "uplifting epic house sound" has also been captured on "Circuit Sonic" (Whirling), "John Blair Presents NYC's Best DJs, Vol. 3" (Logic) and "Global Groove: De?Groovy and Delicious" (Centaur). He is also slated to mix the forthcoming "John Blair on Tour, Vol. 5" compilation which is scheduled for release in late March.

Monty can be reached at DJMontyQ@aol.com.

Tony Moran

Tony Moran is sitting in the middle of his full-facility recording studio, Sound Barrier, talking about the love of his life: Music, "Yeah, you could say that music is my way of life. It's what I know. I live and breathe," says the industry veteran. And he's not joking.

Honing his songwriting, production, and remixing skills since the early '80s, Moran is just now coming into his own with a style, verve, and quality that is quite unlike anything else being heard in the world of dance music. While his hearty beats are based on the foundations of house music, he eschews the strict underground house mentality preferred by many of his contemporaries and, instead, prefers to impart his remixes and productions with a hook-laden commercial appeal that is both friendly and dance floor ready.

"My work definitely has a pop-dance sensibility," says Moran. "People know that I always respect the integrity of the song no matter how much I change it. First and foremost, I want the artist to sound great. For me, the artist should always remain the focal point." This could explain why artists have been lining up to have him restructure their songs into viable club and radio hits including Gloria Estefan, Kenny G, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and others.

Tony Moran received his musical training as a mobile DJ. Just as disco's last beat could be heard fading into the background, Moran was keenly aware of a distinctively new and refreshing sound on the horizon. In 1981, he befriended Albert Cabrera, and together they formed The Latin Rascals, whose re-edited versions of various songs spliced together were being heard on WKTU during the station's much-heralded "lunch time mix." After hearing these mega-mixes, industry veteran Arthur Baker, contacted them with an offer for employment at his recording studio, Shakedown Studios. Once there, Moran and Cabrera began editing songs for some of the pop world's major artists: Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Run-DMC, Madonna, Grace Jones, U2 and Duran Duran. Says Moran, "We created a whole new step in the record making process. As the Latin Rascals, we became known for our editing work."

Soon thereafter, Fever Records asked the duo to produce and write a song for one of their acts, The Cover Girls. "Show Me" was the result, and not only did it become Moran's first Top-40 gold record, but it ushered in the "freestyle" era of music, complete with its own roster of stars, all of whom benefited from the skillful hands of Moran. Of course, The Latin Rascals were also artists, recording the massive hit, "Arabian Nights," and a remake of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." Productions for The Fat Boys ("The Twist" and "Wipe Out") and The Cover Girls ("Wishing On A Star," "We Can't Go Wrong," "Promise Me" - all Top-10 ballads) followed.

When the bottom dropped out of the freestyle music scene, Moran started anew, discovering that the musical tides had changed, and that he had to re-build what once was. "Fortunately or unfortunately, with my freestyle background, I had developed this pop sensibility in my music. Only when I found myself within the music - and stopped paying attention to what other remixed/producers were doing - did my sound take on a life all its own."

Today, Tony Moran is a two time Grammy Award Nominee, most recently for his production work on the album "Gloria!" and he has created #1 dance hits for artists including Janet Jackson, Celine Dion and Jon Secada. "It's funny," reflects Moran, "the more success I get with records I remix/produce, the more I'm willing to test what it is I can create. It's only based on success that you can begin to experiment. Until you reach that level, people only want what they know will work for them, as opposed to giving them what you think they should have."

Tony's new CD, "Global Groove: House" is now available in stores. For more information, visit www.centaurmusic.com.

Peter Rauhofer

Peter Rauhofer's profound talent and continual evolution have dutifully earned him the utmost respect of his peers and a worldwide reputation as one of the most prolific and influential forces in electronic dance music. On Friday, March 8, the inexhaustibly creative DJ/producer will return to Miami to play the Tropical Fever party at Level.

Peter began his illustrious career as a DJ/producer after working for many years in various capacities within the music industry. After an eight-year stint as A&R director at the Austrian "indie" label GIG/BMG Records and establishing a solid reputation as one of the top DJs in Vienna, Peter introduced himself to American audiences in 1992 under the pseudonym Club 69. He's also recorded under the monikers Size Queen, House Heroes and The Collaboration. The latter first paired Peter with Victor Calderone in 1999 to record "Do It Properly" with vocalist Deborah Cooper and for a remix of Madonna's "Skin." The Collaboration's latest endeavor, "Break 4 Love," features vocals by the Pet Shop Boys and reached #1 on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club Play Chart in November of 2001. It took the power of Madonna's "Impressive Instant" to knock it out of the top spot, a song that, coincidentally, was also remixed by Peter.

Working with artists like Madonna, Whitney Houston, Cher, Depeche Mode, Donna Summer and Jennifer Lopez has solidified Peter's status as one of the most influential and visionary artists in the music industry. His relentless talent has helped an astonishing 38 records reach #1 on the Billboard charts, earning him countless accolades along the way including a Grammy Award for Remixer of the Year in 2000.

In early 1999, Peter launched Star 69 Entertainment in conjunction with AOL/Time-Warner's London-Sire division. Boasting a stable of artists that rivals that of a major label (featuring Pet Shop Boys, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Celeda, house diva Suzanne Palmer, and underground sensation Lula; the latter three working on full-length albums due out in 2002), Star 69 has made a tremendous impact on dance floors and music charts worldwide with each of its singles released thus far. Suzanne Palmer's follow-up to the hugely successful "Hide U," a cover version of the early 90s Sound Factory classic, "Show Me" is forthcoming as is the full-length CD "Peter Rauhofer: Live At The Roxy." Peter's technical skills and personal taste in music at the moment are also showcased on London-Sire's latest "Essential Mix" compilation.

When he's not anchored to his desk or burning the midnight oil in the studio, Peter regularly puts his talent on display for live audiences at some of the hottest venues in the country and around the world. Coveted residencies at The Roxy and Limelight keep Peter firmly in touch with his audience affording him the unique honor of setting the very trends the rest of the world will eventually emulate.

Peter always appreciates an opportunity to give something back to the people who have supported him throughout the years. "I have always believed in the importance of combining my artistic life with such important issues as human rights of all manner," he says. "And I'm quite pleased to have been invited by DHRF to contribute to the Winter Party and the South Florida community."

Please visit PeterRauhofer.com and Star69Records.com for more information.

Susan Morabito

After two remarkable decades behind the turntables, Susan Morabito's musical career is as strong as ever. Her steadfast resilience and prolific performances helped break down barriers over the years and paved the way for many of today's turntable femme fatales. On the morning of Saturday, March 9th, Ms. Morabito will show the boys and girls just how she's persevered in such a competitive and demanding business when she triumphantly returns to South Beach to spin the Revelation Morning Party at Crobar.

Susan began DJing in 1982 in her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. After honing her skills playing at local lesbian bars, she relocated to New York City in 1987. Since then she has played just about every Manhattan nightclub, including Twilo, Roxy, Sound Factory, Limelight, Palladium, Pavilion on Fire Island, and the Saint-At-Large parties at Roseland. She remains a regular fixture on the party circuit both as a headlining DJ and event producer. For the past eight years Susan has produced and played "Equinox: The After Party" on Sunday night of Black Party weekend. Her motto for this year's event - which will be held at Octagon on March 24th - is, "No hype, no gimmicks, just music." Ah, remember the good old days?

Speaking of which, Susan is delighted to help DHRF "because the money goes to a good cause. I always enjoy helping raise funds for people in need. After all, this is why the circuit started in the first place."

This spring Susan will visit our nation's capital for an engagement at Cherry 7 where she'll preside over the official after-party at Platinum on the morning of April 28th. Jive & Circumstance, her monthly tea dances in New York (now held at SBNY), ensure that the woman who likens the progression of her musical sets to that of a night of sex (foreplay, peak, climax and cuddle) stays in touch with her hometown crowd throughout the winter months. You can also catch Susan's handiwork on any number of CDs including Centaur's "Global Groove: A New Groove" and "Pride 2001" as well as Whirling Records' "The Black Party," "Equinox," "I Love To Dance" and "Ocean Drive."

Please visit Susan on the Web at SusanMorabito.com.

Julian Marsh

Winter Party veteran DJ Julian Marsh won't have to travel nearly as far this year for the pool party he'll be spinning at the Surfcomber host hotel on the afternoon of Saturday, March 9th. After 10 fruitful years living in New York City, Julian moved to Fort Lauderdale in 2001 where, in addition to exploring his new tropical surroundings, he will concentrate on music production with fellow DJ Mike Graylen.

Like so many of his peers, Julian's career began quite by chance when he first DJ'd a party in a friend's one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan. A promoter for Limelight just happened to be there and the next thing Julian knew he had a residency at the infamous nightlife sanctuary. Stints at Barracuda and Splash followed as did frequent bookings around the country.

Julian first flexed his remix muscle back in 1996 with Lonnie Gordon's "If You Really Love Me" (FlipIt). He has since worked with the artist on a number of other projects and remixed records for Whitney Houston, Shannon and Dolly Parton. When Boy George's "When Will You Learn" was nominated for a Grammy award, Julian was truly "blown away" as the song was only available in the U.S. at the time on event-sponsor Centaur Music's 1998 Winter Party CD, which was both compiled and mixed by Julian. He has since forged a close relationship with Centaur that has spawned numerous compilation CDs including five in the Global Groove series alone.

After Winter Party, you can catch Julian in Honolulu where he'll play the Volcano Party before making his way back across the U.S. with gigs in Washington, DC, Orlando and Provincetown.

Please visit Julian on the Web at JulianMarsh.com.

Abel

Most circuit connoisseurs would agree that it just wouldn't be Winter Party without DJ Abel. For more than 20 years, Abel Aguilera has called South Florida home, and he has entertained locals and visitors alike during much of that time with stellar performances at many of the area's most renowned nightclubs. At the forefront of South Beach's extraordinary revitalization in the early 90s, Abel played a key role in transforming the once-deteriorating retirement community into the American Gay Riviera and helped secure Miami's place on the international party circuit map.

Abel's signature blend of Latin-influenced tribal beats and high-energy diva vocals were showcased along with his remarkable technical stealth throughout the 90s during his residences at the legendary South Beach nightclubs Paragon and Salvation. It was also during this time that Abel began collaborating with Chicago-based DJ/producer Ralphi Rosario under the moniker Rosabel. Together they have remixed records for Gloria Estefan, Donna Summer, Hannah Jones and others. The prolific production duo also breathed new life into the Debbie Jacobs-Rock classic "Don't You Want My Love" and reintroduced Jennifer Holiday to the dance floor with their remix of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going." Abel has also dominated the dance charts as a solo artist with his singles "Control" and "Bang the Drum," both of which are featured on 4Play Records' "Circuit Sessions 00.2 and 6," respectively. He also mixed the "Party of a Lifetime" compilation for the label.

Salvation may be closed at the moment to undergo extensive renovations, but the club will soon reemerge with a new name and interior just in time for Abel's highly-anticipated performance at the Tropical Heat party on Saturday, March 9th. Two weeks later he'll return to the venue to spin the Winter Music Conference kick-off party. Then it's off to New York City to headline Alegria at Sound Factory during Black Party weekend before storming our nation's capital in late April to wrap up the Cherry 7 festivities in grand style.

Lars-Peter Anderson

With college degrees in both music and dance, it's really no surprise that Lars-Peter Anderson chose to become a DJ. After getting his start at Cleveland area clubs, Lars-Peter picked up and moved to sunny South Florida where he quickly established a reputation as a rising star in the dance music community. On the morning of Sunday, March 10th, Lars-Peter will take the helm at the space formerly known as Salvation where he'll be reheating the restless revelers leftover from the previous night's Tropical Heat party while serving up a scrumptious selection of delectable tunes for those who want to get a head-start on the afternoon's beach party.

It was during Winter Party's 2000 Annual DJ Showcase that Lars-Peter first caught the attention of party promoters and club owners. A residency at Salvation followed which led to acclaimed performances during Miami's White Party and last year's Winter Party weekends, as well as a residency at Heaven in Orlando. Lars-Peter is also working with Billboard-featured artist Brice producing original music and is further enhancing his resume with several notable remix projects.

The DJ who describes his music as "never predictable yet always danceable" says that "as a South Florida resident it's a real privilege to be able to support DHRF, and I feel it's a great way to give back to the community. It's especially important to me this year in light of the battle we are facing with the September ballot [initiative] to repeal the Miami-Dade Human Rights Ordinance."

Lars-Peter can be reached at larspeter@mindspring.com

Tracy Young

Can life get any better for Miami-based DJ/producer Tracy Young? Since her circuit assault began just a few short years ago, Tracy has racked up remixes for Stevie Nicks, Pet Shop Boys, Enrique Iglesias and Cyndi Lauper, released her first compilation CD, "Inside My Head: A Progression Into Trance" (SFP Records) and traveled the world performing at circuit parties and special events as far away as Prague and Australia. Oh yeah, there's that Madonna thing, too.
As luck would have it, Madonna just happened to be partying at Bar Room in South Beach on New Year's Eve of 1999 where Tracy was bringing down the house. Club owner Ingrid Casares introduced the two, and before she could say "you must be my lucky star," Tracy was on a flight bound for New York City where she was slated to spin at the movie premier party for "The Next Best Thing."

It's probably safe to say that good karma and sheer luck gave way to absolute talent and ambition when Madonna asked Tracy to join industry heavyweights Victor Calderone, Deep Dish, Groove Armada, Hex Hector and Mac Quayle to remix "Music," the lead single from her 2000 album of the same name. Remixes of "Don't Tell Me" and "What It Feels Like For A Girl" followed, extending Tracy's 15 minutes of fame well into overtime. As if all that were not enough, Madonna then asked Tracy to DJ her and Guy Ritchie's wedding reception in the Scottish Highlands in December 2000.

Back on the gay party circuit, Tracy joined legendary DJ Warren Gluck to spin last year's Winter Party and to mix the official 2001 Winter Party CD (Centaur). This year DHRF proudly welcomes back the charismatic DJ on the afternoon of Sunday, March 10th, when Tracy will spin from 5:00-11:30pm at Jeffrey Sanker's Tea Dance at Billboard Live.

Recent remix credits include Shakira's "Whenever, Wherever" and Pink's "Don't Let Me Get Me." Tracy is also in the studio mixing SPG Records' next compilation, "Circuit Party, Vol. 7." The continuous mix double-CD will include a new song Tracy wrote and produced called "Ferosh" with feisty vocal accompaniment by Alan T. Post-Winter Party circuit stops include the Palm Springs White Party and Gay Disney in Orlando.

Please visit Tracy on the Web at DJTracyYoung.com.

Eddie Elias

"This is a great opportunity to be part of such a fabulous event so early on in my career," says Eddie Elias, one of the circuit's freshest faces behind the turntables. In just two short years, Eddie has landed prime gigs on Fire Island, played Salvation's closing party, and shared DJ duties with Roland Belmares at Alegria's President's Day party at Sound Factory in New York City. He'll be returning to Miami for Winter Party where he'll mix things up on the morning of Monday, March 11th, at the space formerly known as Salvation. Not bad for a newcomer who is just happy to be able to concentrate on building up his DJ career. If he's really serious about following in the footsteps of his mentor, Victor Calderone, it sounds like we'll be hearing a lot more about this up-and-coming DJ in the future.

Eddie can be reached at LGranata808@aol.com.