A Dance Party Strategy Guide For Virtual Burning Man (for participants)
For over a decade, the “Decentralized Dance Party” (or “DDP”) was a giant roaming street Party with no Central audio source and no Central location; created using an FM radio transmitter to broadcast music and voice to hundreds of boomboxes, carried by thousands of participants!
Our ultimate objective was to broadcast a Simultaneous Global Dance Party that would unite the entire world in transcendent celebration and earn us the Nobel Peace Prize for Partying. Seriously.
But then!
With the dawning of the pandemic, we were forced to “Decentralize” the DDP in bold new ways and began experimenting with a series of virtual Parties!
And as we began to explore this bold new Party frontier, we quickly realized that everyone in the Virtual Party could potentially be a Party Node out in the streets spreading the music to hundreds of Strangers!
As this was unfolding, the folks behind Co-Reality Collective introduced themselves and were immediately recognized as Cosmic Party Counterparts!
Over the course of the pandemic, we helped to co-create a series of supremely ambitious and innovative Parties that featured hundreds of hours of programming and a groundbreaking interactive mapping technology that brought thousands of people together during these challenging times.
From the beginning, it was clear that this was a VERY SPECIAL team of individuals who sparkled quite unlike any others and slowly, steadily, we were building towards something truly momentous.
When Burning Man 2020 was halted by the pandemic, a call was put out to the greater community to see what could be salvaged. Co-Reality Collective immediately stepped up, and have been working nonstop to develop the framework for a Virtual Burn that will as close to the real thing as possible.
SparkleVerse at Burning Man 2020 is now live and within this supremely user-friendly Open-Source framework, ANYONE, ANYWHERE has the ability to create a theme camp, share their art and showcase their creative gifts!
Want to share a workshop, yoga class, DJ set, story, performance, dance routine, spoken word, discussion, etc. with an unlimited number of new friends from across the globe?
All the info is HERE: https://sparklever.se
And free webinars provide expert training! https://sparklever.se/webinars
We hope that YOU will seize this rare opportunity to help us build what will surely evolve into a Sacred Fire Of Partying that will forever illuminate and inspire.
We will also be hosting multiple VDDPs throughout the week, including one during the main Man Burning on Saturday night!
But enough with the backstory!
Elevating Virtual Dance Parties to their highest potential is still quite an art. And so we’ve created this Virtual Party Strategy Guide!
While it’s definitely not the same as Partying in public, we’ve found that these virtual Parties can be just as fun and transcendent. And we now have the power to instantly connect with an unlimited international audience!
ELECTRONIC SETUP:
Party App: We host our virtual Parties on Zoom. It’s good to download the app in advance and we recommend joining at least 30 minutes before start time, to be sure that everything is working.
Video Portal: The bigger the screen, the better the experience. While a phone will work, we recommend a computer, or ideally a computer connected to a larger TV screen. This will allow you to see the smiles on everyone’s faces :)
PRO TIP: To be able to see up to 25 Party People simultaneously on your screen, click ‘Gallery View’ in the top right corner of your screen.
Audio: The bigger the speakers, the better the experience. We recommend using a vintage boombox, bluetooth speaker or home audio system.
Virtual Backgrounds: Click HERE for instructions on how to add fun virtual backgrounds and green screen effects to your videos. And CLICK HERE for Admiral Fiesta’s amazing virtual background collection!
Snapchat Filters: Click HERE for fun filters to convert yourself into a live-action cartoon character and more!
Batteries: Be sure that your computer and all audio and video devices are fully charged or plugged in!
PHYSICAL SETUP:
Partying is all about dissolving the ego in order to fully express and have the best time ever without any inhibitions. It is serious business and surely the most powerful force for global unification.
Our Party Manifesto AKA “The Seven Commandments Of Successful Partying” details everything required to catalyze the most transcendent experiences possible. Despite the transition to cyberspace, it remains largely unchanged!
1. CLOTHING:
Partying is all about letting go of your inhibitions. Kickstart the process by throwing on a ridiculous costume. Lead the charge and maximize the fun for everyone.
Do not attempt to Party in normal clothing or look cool, because nothing is cool except having fun and feeling good and sharing that with others.
> Since you’re likely going to be Partying at home with all your clothes, be sure to prepare some fun wardrobe changes!
2. PROPS:
In order to take the Party to the next level, you must drag out the trampolines, pogo sticks, rollerblades, hula hoops, jump ropes, beach balls, shake weights, musical instruments and etc. Anything you can hoist, bounce off, or roll on. And share them all night long.
> This still applies, but now we’re getting ridiculous and having the best time with all kinds of household items: ironing boards, vacuum cleaners, fake plants, turning every item in your house upside down, etc!
3. MUSIC:
Next-level Partying requires the infectious, high-energy stuff that will force everyone to sing and dance. Booty Bass, Eurodance, Party Metal, Jock Jams and Choice Hard Rock. The songs people know and love. And it must also be as loud as possible. A Party is no place for conversation.
> Yep. Turn up the volume and ideally warn your neighbors in advance!
4. DANCING:
You might think dancing is hard and requires practice. Not so. Just stop thinking, let go and allow the music to be your master. You will instantly be having fun and feeling good and others will be impressed and inspired to dance also.
PRO TIP: The number one secret to dancing is just bend your knees, one leg at a time. Try it. Right now.
PRO TIP: Practice your moves and build your Party stamina with Just Dance.
If you don’t have the game, there are tons of JD videos on YouTube :)
5. BEHAVIOR:
As children, we constantly climb on, jump off, and explore everything. We want to run, scream, sing, dance, and play as hard as our bodies will allow.
We are fearlessly responding to nature’s Divine Programming, which Terminal Consumer Culture works very hard to subvert and destroy by training us to sit still and be quiet and follow the rules and dress and act identically so that we can join the labour force and reproduce another batch who will do the same.
It destroys our natural fun-seeking, creative impulses and is the reason so many are depressed and afraid to sing or dance or deviate from the norm. Overcoming this conditioning is a formidable challenge. Partying can get us there!
6. ATMOSPHERE:
Every home can be transformed into a great party venue! The first and most important step is to move your furniture to create a serious dance floor.
The atmosphere must be as crazy and high-energy as possible. Sunglasses are a great way to lower inhibitions without making the room so dark that others can’t see your costumes, props and devastating dance moves!
If you’re not in total quarantine lockdown, you can also take your phone or laptop outside and set up somewhere funny e.g. a goat farm or empty financial district. Social Distancing Parties are also an option!
7. ALCOHOL:
People drink a lot at most Parties because most Parties are boring and drinking is therefore necessary to loosen up and have fun. This is due to poor music, dull clothing, lack of props and lame atmosphere; all of which inhibit singing and dancing and living free.
But if the Party is really good, the atmosphere alone will inspire people to lose their inhibitions and freak out and drive the energy to ridiculous heights and make it an incredible experience for everyone. Creating a Party like that is very hard to do, but it should be the goal every time.
This is “Capital-P” Partying: Partying by elevating consciousness, rather than destroying it. “Forgetting Who you are while remembering What you are”
CONCLUSION:
Much more than a Party, the DDP has also been a very interesting social experiment; clearly demonstrating that by following the above guidelines, it’s possible to unite thousands of people of all ages, cultures and social groups in order to peacefully celebrate our Common Humanity.
That is why the DDP is also known as “The Party Revolution”. It is a unique force that has the power to overcome negative conditioning and unify and inspire earth’s inhabitants in ways never before imagined.
Doing virtual DDPs allows us to take this to the next level!
THE ULTIMATE VISION:
As stated above, our ultimate objective is to unite the world in celebration, especially those populations divided by wars or affected by natural disasters and win the Nobel Peace Prize for Partying.
The exact strategy required to realize this vision is continually evolving, but it will definitely involve the creation of our long-awaited DDP documentary, the activation of as many Autonomous DDP Party Cells as possible and the ignition of innumerable “Sacred Fires Of Partying”.
We hope you will join us in this bold and beautiful mission to spread love and light for all eternity! CLICK HERE to help build the Virtual Burn and HERE to join the Official DDP Mailing List :)
