download the release HERE.
THE CULTURE OF DANCE MUSIC: A NEW SOCIAL MOVEMENT
PART II: A CALL TO ACTION
So a movement exists. Great. And it happens to be one that centers on electronic dance music. Even better news! I could not imagine one that could be more fun and inspiring.
But what does this actually mean? Where do we take it from here? I’m not totally sure yet, but I think together we can figure out some first steps.
Here are some issues that I see in the bubble of Los Angeles in which most of us swim:
1 Live music is becoming increasingly inaccessible to youth. At no point that I am aware of has popular music been on a pathtowards being completely inaccessible to persons under 21 years of age. The short and long-term implications of this are terrifying.
2 Ecstasy is a public health issue, not an issue of music or entertainment. This drug is an issue that must be discussed and handled as a public health epidemic. Realistic, feasible policies must written in regards to it, but cannot and should not attempt to stifle an entire genre of music. Making events difficult or impossible to plan or attend is unjust, unconstitutional, and is severely dangerous to the progressive visions for our selves, our friends, our country, and the world of our future.
3 Political ambiguity, uncertainty, and a growing generational divide are increasing in magnitude each day. A decentralized youth movement with non-existent unification will be left to the devices of a conservative, out-dated, and traditional power structure that I’ll go out on a limb and say we do not want for our future. I don’t know about you, but I’d like for us to be running the future, not the same business practices that have been in place since the railroads were built.
Without coming together and standing up for something else, the music and culture that we know and love will continue their course towards being wholly synonymous with drug-use and overindulgence. Over the course of time this amazing beauty that we are all a part of will be dissolved into yet another obscured and minimally impactful wave of the rave movement.
So what do we do now? How do we get involved? Here are my first thoughts…
1 More dancing. More music. More art. More activism. We are part of an global imagined community and this movement exists in how we act, decide, and behave as individuals first and foremost.
2 “Like” the D.A.N.C.E. page on FB along and join the 6500 strong already there. Click HERE.
3 Submit and contribute to our blog by sending content suggestions and tips.
4 Stay tuned for announcements of our first initiative in the near future regarding keeping dance music events legal, safe, and accessible to music fans.
5 Email us here if you have ideas, want to get involved, or just want to talk. info (at) danceism (dot) com
6 Join our email list above [top right corner] for information about where to dance, meet new friends, and get involved.
* * *
Comments (0)