If you’re familiar with rave culture, you’ll be aware that dancing to electronic music is one of the most common forms of DJ entertainment. For many people, the rave is a yearly event, something that takes place outside of clubs, on weekends in public places like the streets and malls. It’s also considered a way to make new friends or experience new things. That’s the reason why many people love dancing to electronic music, they get a feeling of community and perhaps even some new opportunities as well!
While the first rave parties were organized in clubs in Amsterdam, they quickly spread to other parts of Europe, especially Russia. The most popular form of dance that was common at these parties was called ‘blaring techno’. At this time, many people didn’t even know that techno actually meant electronic music, since it wasn’t often used in clubs. Instead, people would play loud trance tracks. Today, though, there’s much more to dance to, with many styles and genres of music being introduced and created every year.
Dancing to rave music, in particular, has had a profound effect on popular culture. The term ‘rave’ itself has become synonymous with the party, which is often associated with illegal dancing and partying. It seems, however, that it’s not just partygoers who are turning to electronic dance music; instead, it’s becoming increasingly common among schoolchildren. In fact, a recent survey showed that more than half of UK secondary school pupils said that they enjoyed dancing to rave music. That’s quite a rise from a few years ago, when only a handful of pupils admitted to dancing to rave music.
One reason for the increase in popularity of dance music is that, because rave tracks are usually played at ‘raves’, many tracks now have some dance elements. In fact, they are often played at wedding receptions too! As a result, dance music has found a place in many households and is played at birthday parties and other festive occasions. This is probably helped by the fact that, whereas some dance music was once considered to be rebellious, today’s dance pioneers have embraced and promoted mainstream tastes.
Electronic dance music festivals are now growing in popularity throughout the UK. The largest is the Fete Festival in south London, which runs for a weekend. There are also festivals taking place in cities such as Newcastle, Manchester, Brighton, Leicester and, of course, London. Many people attend these festivals, attracted by the dance music, and the opportunity to mingle with like-minded people. Some even attend purely for the entertainment value, dancing to live sets rather than just DJ music.
It’s fair to say that the rise in interest in electronic music and the rave scene has come at quite the right time. Since the late ’00s, dance music has gradually grown in popularity, especially among younger people. At the same time, there’s been a growing sense of acceptance towards this music by the older generations, who have taken to it in much the same way as they’ve taken to punk, metal and techno in recent years.
Part of the reason for this change in attitude has been the marketing techniques used by some producers. Instead of concentrating on making party tunes, they’ve turned their attention towards marketing their recordings and masterminding them so they can be heard by people at home, at clubs and in social gatherings. This approach has led to the production of some superb electronic music, which has become very popular. These records can be highly energetic and fast-paced, with plenty of ‘twang’ and ‘buzz’. They’re usually well mixed and the beats are frequently repeated.
So why should you be dancing to electronic music? Well, why shouldn’t you? Whatever your age or gender, if you love to party, then this is probably the type of music you should be listening to. It’s fun and it’s happening on a massive scale now, so there’s no better time to get involved. It’s also very affordable so you don’t need to spend a fortune on tickets and entry fees, which can add up.
