“Cha Cha heels” Jeanie Tracy will turn up the heat at “Havana Nights,” the San Diego Human Dignity Foundation’s annual gala, Saturday, May 5.

“[I] guarantee when I perform at an event called ‘Havana Nights,’ it will get you to move something,” quips the voice of such smash hits as Altar’s “Party People,” which made Billboard’s No. 1 in late January. Tracy is well-known for her circuit anthems “Cha Cha Heels” and “The Power,” both results of her collaboration with Rosabel, the house music duo consisting of producer DJs Ralphi Rosario and Abel Aguilera.

The timeless diva has come a long way since singing in the church choir of her childhood. From there, her infatuation with music led her to study opera and piano in high school, where her teacher predicted her wonderful musical future ahead.

Since then, Tracy’s worked with Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle, Celine Dion, Santana and numerous other artists on their albums.

Thrust into the disco spotlight in the ’70s, Tracy sang for flamboyant gay disco star Sylvester, both on his studio recordings and for his live show. It was there she formed friendships with Martha Wash and Izora Armstead, Sylvester’s back-up singers, better known as the Weather Girls and Two Tons of Fun.

“I had some of the greatest times of my life with those girls. Being able to sing with a wonderful group of singers opened the door for me to many of the many great things I have had happen in my career,” Tracy recalls. At her performances today, audiences are guaranteed to hear “It’s Raining Men,” a song the disco scene made and the gay community has kept alive.

Tracy’s work with Sylvester opened the door for her own solo career. She released her first album, Me and You, in 1982. It has a softer, more R&B sound than her earlier disco work and features Sylvester in all his glamorous glory on “I’m Your Tracy,” the most popular single on the album.

But with Sylvester’s death in 1988, Tracy decided to put her recording career on the backburner to do more theater work.

The break didn’t last long, however. Soon Tracy was back in action, flying to New York City to work with her friend Martha Wash, with whom she recorded the track, “It’s My Time.”

The lyrics “It’s my time to live again/it’s my time to stand up and shout,” Tracy says describe how she was feeling at that time after taking her break.

In the ’80s, she appeared on the TV show “Star Search,” where she placed number one in the female vocalist category for six weeks, making her a household name around the world.

“It was one of those times in my career that I wondered what I am doing and what I’ve gotten myself into because I was so nervous,” she said of her appearance on the show. “But when I look back, I am thankful for those who believed in me because it catapulted me to where I am.”

And where is that? Curtis Mayfield, Celine Dion, Michael Bolton, Tevin Campbell, Kenny Loggins and Natalie Cole have all used her fabulous vocal talents through the years.

Her voice is also heard in commercials and television shows. She’s the voice of “Kimmie the Cat” and “Bantu the Snake” on the PBS children’s series “Kangaroddy.”

“It’s great to reach this audience,” she laughs, “but there have been a few times I’ve had to be reminded of who I am talking to. I have to remember this snake isn’t supposed to sound too sexy.”

But that won’t be a problem at Havana Nights, where she anticipates her flamboyant attire and energy will captivate the gay audience. “It’s flamboyancy in my outrageous outfits and style on stage that generates good feelings and good times around me. The gay community has been my fan base for years, and I am very grateful to them for supporting me,” she says.

For tickets and more information about Havana Nights, call 619-291-3383 or visit www.sdhdf.org/havananights. Bacchus House, a sponsor of the event, will host the official Havana Nights afterparty with DJ Eddie X from 1-10 a.m.