Parallel to the Rave world is the similar but more Spiritual House World.
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It was glorious and beautiful and no person anywhere would have enjoyed "United We Funk" any more or any less than those of us who were lucky enough to attend it. A subculture within a subculture, the House scene is the confident and nurturing heart of So Cal dance. It brings us together to share in one true love for life, one creation of the perfect environment, special hours suspended in time that we can visit in our memories whenever we need to or want to. Exemplifying beauty in dance, and in music, and in humanity itself.

Hours and hours of House and Breaks in five unique dance rooms and chill outs were enough to make us forget that the world is not a perfect place and remind us that in can sometimes be just that. Everyone was in perfect accord at Club Beat Records that night, and thorough that harmony we enjoyed a deeper level of feeling. We celebrated life itself, and that the universe has been kind enough to give us bodies and minds with which to do so. We celebrated that we can feel joy from joyous music, that happiness can create happiness, and that feelings from real life are infinitely more powerful than those from reality programming.

Everyone appreciated my very presence, saying "Thank you for coming, what is your name?" with only a nod or a wink. People I already knew said "I am happy I can share this with you," with only a humble House smile. That is the smile that comes from being completely confident and content. The reserved smile you have on your face when you are trying not to crack up laughing at how great you dance. A grin that has to be kept in check because as good as you are, everyone else is just as good.




Freeze Frame ME:
An academy of dancers face the DJ, burning vast amounts of energy in homage House. Dance space is evenly divided among those who graced it with life. It is a deeply personal and emotional experience, shared with strangers.

Strangers whose eyes sometimes lock, which escalates into a competitive yet cooperative series of interactions. A series in which you show one other person exactly why you bothered bringing years of practice and new Red and White Adidas to tonight's event. A series that does not end, but is only paused until the next meeting - even if you never meet again.
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When I thought I wanted candy, a plate full of fresh fruit appeared before me, held out by a smiling party producer. Slices of Orange and Apple turned into fast burning fuel, refreshing me with water and natural sugars. Offering fruit instead of candy revealed the wholesome nature of this event.

So did the complete stranger who gave me a fresh bottle of water for no reason other than he knew it would make me happy. We were all in it together, and that made us appreciate each other. Not once did I wish a single person out of over five hundred be anywhere else. Only the right kind of people were there, or maybe it just made people act the right way.

Of course, every party has to have at least one bad viber, everyone knows that - except for the House crowd, who glide through years as examples of health and purity. House Heads are wiser, have more style, and simply know more about how to treat one another than any other clique. For a House Head, dancing is an important part of life, and for many it has been for years. Years of practice that culminate into soft, precise movements. A night full of movements that become fluid, kinetic, spiritual expression.

Spiritual expression that stopped at 5 a.m. so we could sing happy birthday to someone. I don't remember who, but I do remember what a great birthday party he had.

 


 





















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