....or maybe its just a bunch of people who like to roll.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Sensation White
This past week, a group of my friends attended one of the biggest party circuits in the world, Sensation White. This particular festival was held in Brussels. Sensation, in a nut shell, is a enormous party usually held in a soccer arenas around the world where the best DJs and biggest house music fans come together, all dressed in white, to dance and "celebrate life". The concept of sensation white got me thinking about how we have discussed how some dances seek to unify communities. Most of the dances that we've learned about are specific to certain cultures. I feel like sensation is an example of our generations iteration of this concept. We grown up with the technology to communicate with the world and thus, are able to come together in a foreign country, with foreign people, and experience the same sense of unity with the people who have a passion for the same music and dance.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
First of all, NOT FAIR. I TOTALLY wish I could've gone; attending a giant dance event like that has always been a dream of mine.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, Sensation White's aim to "celebrate life" just about sums up the rave mentality in my mind. The emphasis in dance culture is usually on being together, spreading love, and feeling good. In fact, when the rave scene exploded in the UK in 1988-89 , the period was referred to as the "Second Summer of Love"--recalling the themes of peace, unity, and love from the original 60's hippy movement.
This new movement, of course, had no political agenda in mind; the purpose of the rave scene has always been to have fun and feel good. And, because of this apparent self-indulgence, I feel dance culture and the music it has produced has been overlooked by most critics, scholars, analysts, ect. It seems most associate the sounds and styles of house music and dance with drugs--as if that's the scene's lifeblood.
But, coming from a guy who's been obsessed with the music since age 3, I can tell you that sense of unity and love does not rely on substances. It's rare meeting a fellow househead, but, when you do, it's a strong connection. If you're a DJ like me, you've spent a lifetime collecting records and building sets. Others in the know understand that labor, have their favorite tracks, and love to share them. Good DJ's also recognize the important connection between dancer and music and how a certain vibe can be created through a mix. Likewise, a good dancing crowd trusts a DJ's direction, while also guiding a DJ's set through its response. There is a whole community based around that, though it's continuously moving out of the record shops and onto the internet.
So there's the community aspect of "love and unity". But, also, the music itself is meant to be uplifting; it's meant to move. And it's not necessarily self-indulgent, mindless FUN; I know many a house song that brings me to tears. But the themes in most house tracks (if it's not instrumental) are happiness, love, peace, and rhythm. So it's a positive message that just about anyone can understand, and I think that's why it's easy to go to a place like Brussels and fit right in with the local party people.
I guess I say all of this to show the ideas of unity and love in the dance community goes far beyond any drug-induced throw down at a club. You'll get that side of it, of course, at just about any party you go to. But, for true fans, the club scene represents a dedicated love for the music and the vibe, and a unified appreciation for the people who "get it".
...And I TOTALLY just rambled on for seven paragraphs. I'm not obsessed or anything...
I'm glad to have found someone in the class who loves this music as much as I do! I DJ as well and "get it". I fell in love with dance music when I was 16 and living in Argentina on a year long study abroad. I have been waiting since then for my American friends to come around to it. That finally happened this year. Almost everyone I know has the house music bug now. However I'm glad you have made the distinction between true house fans and the party culture it is associated with. I've been to number a shows with my new-house loving friends this year, everyone from steve angello to skrillex, and every time people ask me after "you were going crazy! how hard were you rolling?" I've never rolled, I have no issue with it, but I really don't need to to connect with the music they way they need to. I'd love to hear some mixes you've done. friend me on FB and post some on my wall if you have any online. Here's like the link to my latest mix http://snd.sc/hgySnh
ReplyDeleteAwesome mix man! What type of platform do you use? I'm still rocking the vinyl but am trying to get Serato soon. I'm ALSO trying to get mixes online in the form of youtube videos, but that venture has been postponed until the summer.
ReplyDeleteWhat I DO have is a radio show on SU's very own WERW every Monday night from 9-11 pm. It features mainly funky/soulful deep house. But there's plenty of other styles, including trance, acid, drum n' bass, and loads of technical difficulties!
Perhaps I'll get around to uploading some audio files before school's out. I have a soundcloud, but it's for my original songs:
http://soundcloud.com/chris-baugh
The friend request has been sent, man.