a&e features
Dancing for ‘Queen’ Janet Jackson
Tyce Diorio reflects on his time with the icon as she prepares for Rock Hall induction
Janet Jackson has made innumerable contributions to popular culture, from chart-topping music to pioneering videos to memorable film roles. She’s a bestselling author, a philanthropist and outspoken advocate for racial, gender and LGBTQ equality. She’s a fashion icon, a sitcom star and award-winning writer.
But perhaps the work for which she will be best remembered is as a dancer.
From strutting alongside Paula Abdul in 1986’s breakthrough “Nasty” to her oft-imitated solo performance in “Pleasure Principal” to the militaristic “Rhythm Nation” to the mid-tempo grooves with Jennifer Lopez in “That’s the Way Love Goes” and beyond, Jackson has created some of the most iconic dance moves in modern music.
And so, as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame belatedly prepares to induct Jackson on March 29, it seems fitting to talk to one of her best-known dancers, Tyce Diorio, about her legacy and her importance to the dance world.
Diorio first came to Jackson’s attention after he auditioned and was booked for her “If” video, the second singlefrom 1993’s “janet.” album. He said mastering Jackson’s intricate choreography can be like solving a math problem.
“Every part of the choreography of ‘If’ is a masterpiece,” Diorio said in an interview with the Blade. “[Choreographer] Tina Landon is such an expert at building a piece of work around an artist, she did it so well. You know good choreography when it’s still being done 25 years later. It feels so good to do even still today, it’s still relevant.”
After the “janet.” album, Diorio auditioned and was hired for the follow-up project, “The Velvet Rope,” accompanying Jackson on a hit world tour and appearing in more videos, including the No. 1 smash single “Together Again.” He describes that period of his career as life changing, performing all over the world and on major award shows.
“‘Velvet Rope’ was a masterpiece album,” Diorio said. “The tone and message were so brave and so individualized and personal but also resonated with us on the tour. And she really pushed the envelope creatively as artists should do.”
He described the tight bond that developed among the dancers and the close involvement Jackson had in all areas of production, from the dancers’ hairstyles to their moves.
“We had tattoos, piercings, different colored hair, no one was doing all that on the music scene. Janet has always been one of those artists that was groundbreaking,” he said. “It’s so rare that an artist is so involved in a project from the makeup and hair to the choreography, she was involved in every portion of it.”
Also on “The Velvet Rope” tour was the upstart group NSYNC, which Jackson featured as her opening act for part of the tour. So Diorio knew the group’s lead singer, Justin Timberlake, who would later share the stage with Jackson during her infamous Super Bowl performance.
“When NSYNC started as opening act they were very friendly and fun,” Diorio said. “We all had a nice rapport.”
Reflecting on the Super Bowl controversy, Diorio says, “things happen.”
“I thought the Super Bowl performance was fantastic and so well designed in terms of the set and choreography and the way Janet performed with the dancers,” he said. “So for me in terms of the controversy I don’t have any thoughts on that. What happened was an unfortunate situation that just happened and we all move on from it.” Agreed.
Jackson is known for letting her dancers share the spotlight and many have gone on to tremendous success on their own, from Abdul and Lopez to Jenna Dewan and Diorio, who won an Emmy Award for his work on “So You Think You Can Dance.” Diorio is in production on his 16th season as a judge on the hit show now, which will air this summer on Fox. The LA-based dancer/choreographer, who’s gay, also recently finished shooting a film in Europe called “High Strung.”
Diorio has danced and choreographed for a number of major pop stars, going on tour with Paula Abdul when he was just 19. Later, he appeared in Ricky Martin’s video for hit song “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and danced in Jennifer Lopez’s debut tour.
But it’s his work with Jackson that remains “transcendent.”
“When I took the stage with her it was an otherworldly experience. You can’t explain it fully. There are no words. It’s transcendent. You feel like you’re in another space and time, it’s such a journey.”
It’s difficult to put into words the experience of performing on stage in front of 20,000 screaming fans — the adrenalin rush and the stamina required to pull it off night after night — and the feeling when the tour ends.
“When the tours were over it was bittersweet but I go back to my life and that’s magical too,” Diorio says. “I feel lucky in my life whether I’m in front of millions of people or not. That’s the challenge in our business, separating those moments from the rest. It’s like a chapter in one’s life. All good things come to an end.”
Last year, Diorio received an unexpected call from Jackson’s team, inviting him along with many of her previous tour dancers to a reunion in L.A. and a blockbuster performance of “Rhythm Nation” at the Hollywood Bowl. The performance — part of her “State of the World Tour” — can be found on YouTube. In it, dancers from all of her previous tours take the stage to recreate those iconic moves. Then Jackson took time to introduce each dancer to the audience.
“Which artist would do something like this? There’s no one else who could pull this off,” Diorio recalls. “It was magical, we were all blown away. Being on the stage, we came together so seamlessly. We all knew each other, we were so inspired and motivated, an awe-inspiring moment. It only happens once. One for the books.”
Asked to name one Jackson song he’d like to choreograph, he said “Runaway.” His favorite choreography to perform? “Throb.” The hardest to perform? “Rhythm Nation.” What’s more stressful — performing on the “Oprah Winfrey Show” or “Saturday Night Live?” Oprah. “Because it’s Oprah!”
Diorio says it was an honor to dance for Jackson because she chooses all of her own dancers personally.
“Working with Janet and her being who she is, it’s something special … so you feel so special if she chooses you,” he said. “To the dance community she’s such an icon and such a queen. It was my absolute dream to dance for her.”
To say that Jackson’s career is in resurgence mode would be an understatement. In 2015, she released “Unbreakable,” her seventh No. 1 album, making her only the fourth act in music history to chart No. 1 albums in four consecutive decades (along with Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen and U2). She followed that with the “Unbreakable” tour, took a break to have her son, Eissa, then launched her massively successful “State of the World Tour,” which played 76 dates across North America and two recent shows in Japan. She was last year’s Billboard Icon Award recipient, then picked up several more awards in 2018, including the Icon Award at the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards; the Inspiration Award at the MNET Asian Music Awards; the MTV Europe Global Icon Award and the Impact Award from Radio Disney, to name a few.
In August, she debuted a new single, “Made for Now” with Daddy Yankee, her 20th No. 1 Billboard Dance single; a Spanish version spent a month atop the Mexican charts. In December, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced she would — finally! — be inducted on March 29. And earlier this month, Jackson announced a 15-date Las Vegas residency called “Metamorphosis” beginning in May and will co-headline the U.K.’s Glastonbury Festival in June.
Given all her success, fans and critics have wondered why it took the Rock Hall so long to induct her. Jackson was first eligible in 2007.
“The important part is that she is being inducted now,” Diorio says. “It doesn’t always make sense, you have to keep doing what you do. In terms of Janet, it’s so great that she’s being honored in this way. Everything has its right time.”
Indeed, but others have speculated that a combination of the Super Bowl scandal and other less apparent factors led to the delayed induction. Perhaps Jackson’s most prominent cheerleader for Rock Hall induction is Mike Litherland, who has worked since 2012 to get Jackson into the Hall. He started a Facebook page that year titled, “Induct Janet Jackson into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame,” which has more than 120,000 followers. Why does he think it took so long for the Hall to induct her?
“I blame the nomination committee from years and years ago,” Litherland said. “It still had that ‘boys club’ mentality. Thankfully, the R&R Hall of Fame Foundation completely overhauled their nomination committee in 2015 and brought in fresh, smart, music industry experts. They eliminated some of the dead weight and injected that new blood into the mix. They added several key women as well — previously there were only a handful of women. I think that had an incredibly positive impact.”
Litherland was in his car when he heard the news about Jackson’s induction.
“As soon as I heard Janet’s name, I leaned back a little in the car seat and just beamed from ear to ear,” he said. “And I have to admit that I got a little teary-eyed. It feels good to finally have Janet’s induction come full circle. I’m beyond thrilled for her because she’s so deserving of this honor.”
He’s attending the induction ceremony and hosting a pre-party, as well as an after-party featuring DJ Aktive, Jackson’s touring DJ. For information and tickets, visit the #InductJanet Facebook page.
Fans of other artists yet to be inducted have reached out for advice thanks to the success of Litherland’s social media campaign for Jackson. He’s heard from fans of Duran Duran, Whitney Houston, Carly Simon, George Michael and others hoping to emulate his success. So what’s next for Litherland’s campaign?
“I took a bit of a break from the #InductJanet social media pages after the induction announcement,” he said. “I just needed to take a breather. It’s tons of work and I’ve committed a lot of time, energy and money to the movement along the way. Ultimately, I think I’ll continue and just run it as a general Janet fan page since the Rock Hall focus is now officially behind us.”
Jackson will be inducted by Janelle Monae at the ceremony held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The other six 2019 inductees are: The Cure, Def Leppard, Stevie Nicks, Radiohead, Roxy Music and The Zombies.
a&e features
Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more
Amy Madigan’s win in the supporting actress category puts her in serious contention to win the Oscar for ‘Weapons’
From Chelsea Handler shouting out Heated Rivalry in her opening monologue to Amy Madigan proving that horror performances can (and should) be taken seriously, the Critics Choice Awards provided plenty of iconic moments for queer movie fans to celebrate on the long road to Oscar night.
Handler kicked off the ceremony by recapping the biggest moments in pop culture last year, from Wicked: For Good to Sinners. She also made room to joke about the surprise hit TV sensation on everyone’s minds: “Shoutout to Heated Rivalry. Everyone loves it! Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it!”
The back-to-back wins for Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein and Amy Madigan in Weapons are notable, given the horror bias that awards voters typically have. Aunt Gladys instantly became a pop culture phenomenon within the LGBTQ+ community when Zach Cregger’s hit horror comedy released in August, but the thought that Madigan could be a serious awards contender for such a fun, out-there performance seemed improbable to most months ago. Now, considering the sheer amount of critics’ attention she’s received over the past month, there’s no denying she’s in the running for the Oscar.
“I really wasn’t expecting all of this because I thought people would like the movie, and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys! I mean, it’s crazy,” Madigan said during her acceptance speech. “I get [sent] makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she’s a sex icon also, which I didn’t go too deep into that one.”
Over on the TV side, Rhea Seehorn won in the incredibly competitive best actress in a drama series category for her acclaimed performance as Carol in Pluribus, beating out the likes of Emmy winner Britt Lower for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Pluribus, which was created by Breaking Bad’s showrunner Vince Gilligan, has been celebrated by audiences for its rich exploration of queer trauma and conversion therapy.
Jean Smart was Hack’s only win of the night, as Hannah Einbinder couldn’t repeat her Emmy victory in the supporting actress in a comedy series category against Janelle James, who nabbed a trophy for Abbott Elementary. Hacks lost the best comedy series award to The Studio, as it did at the Emmys in September. And in the limited series category, Erin Doherty repeated her Emmy success in supporting actress, joining in yet another Adolescence awards sweep.
As Oscar fans speculate on what these Critics Choice wins mean for future ceremonies, we have next week’s Golden Globes ceremony to look forward to on Jan. 11.
a&e features
Looking back at the 10 biggest A&E stories of 2025
‘Wicked,’ Lady Gaga’s new era, ‘Sexy’ Bailey and more
Although 2025 was a year marked by countless attacks on trans rights and political setbacks, the year also saw brilliant queer artists continuing to create art. From Cannes and Sundance Award winners now vying for Oscar consideration to pop icons entering new stages of their careers, queer people persevered to tell their stories through different media.
With the state of the world so uncertain, perhaps there’s no more vital time to celebrate our wins, as seen through some of this year’s top pop culture moments. While there’s no collection of 10 stories that fully encompass “the most important” news, here are some events that got the gays going:
10. ‘Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo’ wins big at Cannes
The Cannes Film Festival has become a crucial start for films hoping to make their way to the Oscars, and first-time director Diego Céspedes won the top Un Certain Regard prize for his intimate western “The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo.” The film is set in the ‘80s and is intended as an allegory for the AIDS epidemic. Seeing a film that unpacks vital queer history win one of the most coveted awards at Cannes has been a huge point of pride in the independent filmmaking community.
Since the film bowed at Cannes, it has been selected as Chile’s Oscar entry in the Best International Feature race. Speaking with The Blade during the film’s AFI Fest run in October, Céspedes said: At first, I was kind of scared to have this campaign position in the times that we’re living [in] here. But at the same time, I think the Oscars mean a huge platform — a huge platform for art and politics.”
9. ‘The Last of Us’ returns for an even gayer season 2
While the first season of The Last of Us gave us one of TV’s most heartbreaking queer love stories in the episode “Long, Long Time,” Season 2 doubled down on its commitment to queer storytelling with the blossoming relationship between Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced). The show expanded on the pair’s relationship in the original video game, making it perhaps the central dynamic to the entire season. That unfortunately came with more homophobic backlash on the internet, but those who checked out all the episodes saw a tender relationship form amid the show’s post-apocalyptic, often violent backdrop. For their performance, Ramsey was once again nominated for an Emmy, but Merced deserved just as much awards attention.
8. ‘Emilia Pérez’ sparks controversy
Jacques Audiard’s genre-bending trans musical “Emilia Pérez” proved to be an awards season juggernaut this time last year, winning the Golden Globe for Best Musical/Comedy. But when the lead star Karla Sofia Gascón’s racist, sexist, and homophobic old tweets resurfaced, the film’s Oscar campaign became a tough sell, especially after Netflix had tried so hard to sell Emilia Pérez as the “progressive” film to vote for. Mind you, the film had already received significant backlash from LGBTQ+ audiences and the Mexican community for its stereotypical and reductive portrayals, but the Gascón controversy made what was originally just social media backlash impossible to ignore. The only person who seemed to come out of the whole debacle unscathed was Zoe Saldaña, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress over Ariana Grande.
7. ‘Sorry, Baby’ establishes Eva Victor as major talent
Back in January at the Sundance Film Festival, Eva Victor (known by many for her brand of sketch comedy) premiered their directorial debut “Sorry, Baby” to rave reviews, even winning the Waldo Salt Screening Award. Victor shadowed Jane Schoenbrun on the set of “I Saw the TV Glow,” and seeing Victor come into their own and establish such a strong voice immediately made them one of independent cinema’s most exciting new voices. A memorable scene in the film sees the main character, Agnes (played by Victor), struggling to check a box for male or female, just one example of how naturally queerness is woven into the fabric of the story.
Most recently, Victor was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in the film, and she’s represented in a category alongside Jennifer Lawrence (“Die My Love”), Jessie Buckley (“Hamnet”), Julia Roberts (“After the Hunt”), Renate Reinsve (“Sentimental Value”) and Tessa Thompson (“Hedda”). The film also received four Independent Spirit Award nominations overall.
6. Paul Reubens comes out in posthumous doc
While Paul Reubens never publicly came out as gay before passing away in 2023, the two-part documentary “Pee-wee as Himself” premiered back in May on HBO Max, giving the legendary comedian a chance to posthumously open up to the world. Directed by Matt Wolf, the documentary explores how Reubens found his alter ego Pee-Wee Herman and why he kept his private life private.
The documentary won an Emmy in the Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special category and remains one of the most critically acclaimed titles of the year with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. Also worth noting, the National Geographic documentary Sally told the posthumous coming out story of Sally Ride through the help of her long-time partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy.
5. Lady Gaga releases ‘Mayhem’
Lady Gaga entered a new phase of her musical career with the release of Mayhem, her seventh album to date. From the frenzy-inducing pop hit Abracadabra to the memorable Bruno Mars duet featured on “Die With a Smile,” seeing Gaga return to her roots and make an album for the most die-hard of fans was especially rewarding after the underwhelming film releases of “House of Gucci” and “Joker: Folie à Deux.” Gaga has been touring with The Mayhem Ball since July, her first arena tour since 2018. She even extended her tour into 2026 with more North American dates, so the party isn’t stopping anytime soon. And Gaga is even set to make an appearance next May in “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
4. Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande perform at the Oscars
While “Wicked: For Good” didn’t quite reach the heights of the first film, we will forever have Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s breathtaking live performance that opened the 97th Academy Awards. The pair sang a rendition of “Over the Rainbow,” “Home,” and “Defying Gravity,” paying proper homage to the original 1939 “Wizard of Oz.” Even non-Wicked fans can’t deny how magical and brilliantly staged this performance was. With both Erivo and Grande up for acting Oscars last year, they’re hoping to repeat success and make history with consecutive nominations. Either way, let’s hope there’s another live performance in the making, especially with two new original songs (The Girl in the Bubble and No Place Like Home) in the mix.
3. Indya Moore speaks out against Ryan Murphy
Indya Moore has consistently used social media as a platform for activism, and in September, posted a 30-minute Instagram live speaking out against “Pose” co-creator Ryan Murphy. Moore claimed that Murphy wasn’t being a true activist for trans people. “Ryan Murphy, we need you to do more. You need to address the racism, the violence, and the targeting of people on your productions, Ryan Murphy. You do need to make sure trans people are paid equally. Yes, Janet did the right thing,” Moore said. Murphy was also back in the headlines this year for the critically panned “All’s Fair” and the controversial “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” starring Laurie Metcalf and Charlie Hunnam.
2. Cole Escola wins Tony for Best Leading Actor
Few pop culture moments this year brought us together more than Cole Escola winning a Tony award for “Oh, Mary!” the Broadway show they created, wrote and starred in (we love a triple threat!) Escola made history by becoming the first nonbinary person to win a Tony in the leading actor category, and seeing them excitedly rush to the stage wearing a Bernadette Peters-inspired gown instantly became a viral social media moment.
The cherry on top of Escola’s major moment is the recent news that they are writing a Miss Piggy movie with Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone producing — news that also broke the internet for the better. We cannot wait!
1. Jonathan Bailey makes gay history as ‘Sexiest Man Alive’
The same year as his on-screen roles in blockbusters “Jurassic World Rebirth” and “Wicked: For Good,” Jonathan Bailey made history as the first openly gay man to be named People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive.” The fact that it took 40 years for an openly gay man to earn the title is a signifier of how far we still have to go with queer representation, and seeing Bailey celebrated is just one small step in the right direction.
“There’s so many people that want to do brilliant stuff who feel like they can’t,” he told PEOPLE, “and I know the LGBT sector is under immense threat at the moment. So it’s been amazing to meet people who have the expertise and see potential that I could have only dreamed of.” In 2024, Bailey founded the charity titled The Shameless Fund, which raises money for LGBTQ+ organizations.
a&e features
Your guide to D.C.’s queer New Year’s Eve parties
Ring in 2026 with drag, leather, Champagne, and more
With Christmas in the rear view mirror, we can turn our attention to ringing in a much-anticipated New Year with a slew of local LGBTQ parties. Here’s what’s on tap.
Pitchers
This spacious Adams Morgan bar is hosting the “Pitchers’ Perfect New Year’s Eve.” There will be a midnight Champagne toast, the ball drop on the big screens, and no cover, all night long. The bar doesn’t close until 4 a.m., and the kitchen will be open late (though not until close). All five floors will be open for the party, and party favors are promised.
Trade
D.C.’s hottest bar/club combo is leaning into the Shark motif with its NYE party, “Feeding Frenzy.” The party is a “glitterati-infused Naughty-cal New Year’s Even in the Shark Tank, where the boats are churning and the sharks are circling.” Trade also boasts no cover charge, with doors opening at 5 p.m. and the aforementioned Shark Tank opening at 9 p.m.. Four DJs will be spread across the two spaces; midnight hostess is played by Vagenesis and the two sea sirens sensuously calling are Anathema and Justin Williams.
Number Nine
While Trade will have two DJs as part of one party, Number Nine will host two separate parties, one on each floor. The first floor is classic Number Nine, a more casual-style event with the countdown on TVs and a Champagne midnight toast. There will be no cover and doors open at 5 p.m. Upstairs will be hosted by Capital Sapphics for its second annual NYE gathering. Tickets (about $50) include a midnight Champagne toast, curated drink menu, sapphic DJ set by Rijak, and tarot readings by Yooji.
Crush
Crush will kick off NYE with a free drag bingo at 8 p.m. for the early birds. Post-bingo, there will be a cover for the rest of the evening, featuring two DJs. The cover ($20 limited pre-sale that includes line skip until 11 p.m.; $25 at the door after 9 p.m.) includes one free N/A or Crush, a Champagne toast, and party favors (“the legal kind”). More details on Eventbrite.
Bunker
This subterranean lair is hosting a NYE party entitled “Frosted & Fur: Aspen After Dark New Year’s Eve Celebration.” Arriety from Rupaul Season 15 is set to host, with International DJ Alex Lo. Doors open at 9 p.m. and close at 3 p.m.; there is a midnight Champagne toast. Cover is $25, plus an optional $99 all-you-can-drink package.
District Eagle
This leather-focused bar is hosting “Bulge” for its NYE party. Each District Eagle floor will have its own music and vibe. Doors run from 7 p.m.-3 a.m. and cover is $15. There will be a Champagne toast at midnight, as well as drink specials during the event.
Kiki, Shakiki
Kiki and its new sister bar program Shakiki (in the old Shakers space) will have the same type of party on New Year’s Eve. Both bars open their doors at 5 p.m. and stay open until closing time. Both will offer a Champagne toast at midnight. At Kiki, DJ Vodkatrina will play; at Shakiki, it’ll be DJ Alex Love. Kiki keeps the party going on New Year’s Day, opening at 2 p.m., to celebrate Kiki’s fourth anniversary. There will be a drag show at 6 p.m. and an early 2000s dance party 4-8 p.m.
Spark
This bar and its new menu of alcoholic and twin N/A drinks will host a NYE party with music by DJ Emerald Fox. Given this menu, there will be a complimentary toast at midnight, guests can choose either sparkling wine with or without alcohol. No cover, but Spark is also offering optional wristbands at the door for $35 open bar 11 p.m.-1 a.m. (mid-shelf liquor & all NA drinks).
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