Mamma Mia! How to Build a Home Disco

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Act quick! “Mamma Mia!” [GE] comes out this weekend.

The flick tells the story of a bride-to-be who’s trying to figure out which of three men is her real father and is set to ABBA disco ditties like “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” and “Voulez-Vous.”

That means now is the time to come out about that Saturday night fever you’ve kept to yourself all these years. MainStreet checked in with Village Voice columnist and former Studio 54 fixture Michael Musto, among others, to discover how you can trick out your own at-home disco and get down tonight!

THE MUSIC
“Really, it’s all about the record collection,” says Musto, adding you’ve got to play the Village People, Donna Summer and Gloria Gaynor.  Your best bet for all things disco might be ‘The Disco Box,’ a four-CD boxed set from Rhino Records (which includes standards such as ‘The Hustle’ to ‘I Will Survive'). “If you have that, it’s really all you need," says music journalist Sal Nunziato.
Price for Music:  $59.98 (from rhino.com).

THE AMBIANCE
 There aren’t many discos nowadays, which means your party will be the go-to scene.  You’ll want to model it after since-closed New York City club Studio 54, which Musto says was the place to be seen dancing.  

First, you’ll need disco balls.  A gaggle of glittery16-inch disco balls from effectlighting.com are an instant party pleaser. Deb Wasser, the self-titled 'diva' who runs New York City’s Family Disco, an event planning business that throws disco-themed kid’s parties at Club LQ in New York City, says she opts for the rainbow-lit balls rather than the glittery silver ones.  “The mirrored balls are gorgeous, but you have to have a light shining on them for the beautiful dazzling affect,” says Wasser. Also, unless you’ve got a sturdy beam in your would-be discotheque, for safety reasons Wasser recommends you get the tabletop balls instead of those that hang from the ceiling. 

You’ll need a smoke machine, too, natch.  “You need a blast at crucial moments!” says Musto.  Epartyunlimited.com’s got a mini party fogger and liters of white fog liquid for whatever those “crucial moments” may be.

If you’re disco-ing it up at home, your best bet is dancing on the rec room carpet over a wood floor.  “Platform shoes do tend to scuff up a wood floor,” Musto warns.  But Wasser says if you’re worried about scuffing, just take off your platforms and do ‘the bump’ with your feet bare. You’ll also want to do some noise control if it’s going to be a late nighter. “Sound-proof your walls – not everyone finds ‘YMCA’ that appealing,” Musto advises. You can get six panels of 4 in. x 14.5 in. x 48 in. soundproofing insulation from soundprooffoam.com.
Price for Ambiance: $413.39 ($49.99 per disco ball; $84.95 for a mini party fogger; $12.95 for fog liquid; $265.50 for sound-proofing).

THE CLOTHES
A dancing queen’s got to have the right look – and that look ain’t shy! A girl needs “something glittery, sparkly and low-cut,” says Musto.  “Disco is all about glitz, excess and self-expression, so never think less is more.” Guys will need a leisure suit a la John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever [VIA.B]. “I still have my leisure suit, which is a sad story,” Musto moans.

If your old threads don’t fit the way they used to, either, snag a new pair of yellow hip hugger bell bottoms and a lace-up bustier top from Clicket Costumes and Party Supplies. For your dancing feet, platform shoes are essential. The silver platforms with a 3 ½ heel from Costume Etc. will draw lots of attention to your feet.
Price of clothes: $78.98 ($44.99 for the bell bottoms and top, $33.99 for the shoes).

GRAND TOTAL: So what’s the total price to trick out your disco “Mamma Mia!”-style?  An at-home disco will cost least $552.35 – and that’s if you spring for one disco ball.  Mamma mia!