Space to Play

We "play" for 2 very important reasons

WE PLAY FOR 2 REASONS

Dimension is a playground for grownups. 

In fact, the word “play” might be the best one-word definition for what psytrance festivals are all about. That’s because research shows that play serves 2 important purposes in our lives – we play for 2 very different reasons – and both of those reasons align perfectly with the purpose of Dimension.

Play, of course, is for enjoyment, revelry, and entertainment; that’s the purpose of play we’re all most familiar with. 

Yet children and adults also engage in play when we imagine and act out different ideas, identities, or possibilities as a way of experimenting with what could be . . . a way of asking “what if?”

Alice O’Grady, Senior Lecturer in Applied Theatre, University of Leeds, UK, writes, “The function of play is linked to learning, development and socialisation and as such is useful to us in a number of contexts. Play infiltrates and infuses our lives to such an extent that it becomes implicated in all spheres of human activity, from the cultural to the spiritual, from the sacred to the profane. As such, it is pertinent to the analysis of electronic dance music cultures, particularly those that have the ethos of spirituality, transformation and transcendence embedded within their aesthetic.”

EMBRACE THE PARADOX OF PLAY

The dual nature of play means it’s both lighthearted/frivilous and purposeful at the same time. It’s silly and significant. 

We play to to let go and indulge in carefree enjoyment. We also play to learn and grow. 

We play to escape, reinforce familiar patterns, and retreat into comfort. We also play to push boundaries and inspire change. 

This paradox, where play serves both as a release and a means of reflection, reimagination, and social critique, is incredibly valuable once we start to really embrace it.

The culture of Dimension celebrates this tension – this dual nature of play being both things at once. On one hand, Dimension offers an exciting break from our daily routines and stresses. Yet at the same time, our experience in the play space of the festival can help us face and negotiate the realities of our lives and the worlds we’ll return to afterwards. 

STRUCTURED AND FREE

We’ve looked at what play is and what it’s for – its function – that it’s not just about escaping reality but also exploring new ways of living and being within reality.

Let’s now consider the different forms play can take, what play looks like, and how it works. 

French sociologist Roger Caillois writes that all expressions of play fall on a continuum between extremes. One extreme, which Caillois calls paidia, is play that’s spontaneous, unstructured, chaotic, and carefree. The other extreme, ludus, is structured and rule-based – play that requires skill, patience, and effort. 

We find both extremes (and everything in between) at Dimension. There’s juggling, fire dancing, aerial acts, and other carnival-esque performances that take great dedication and precision to master. At the same time, there's plenty of loose, unstructured improvisation . . . whether that’s freeform dancing, socializing, or just wandering about the psychedelic wonderland of Pixie Dust Hollow, taking it all in. 

This blending of talented, artful exhibition and uninhibited freeform fun makes the festival both visually dynamic and deeply interactive, meaning we’re amazed by what our senses take in and we also feel encouraged to join in and play our part.

PLAYING OUR PART

Beyond the skillful performances, another parallel between the worlds of theater/carnival and the play space of Dimension is the fantastical costumes and disguises many of us choose to wear, often drawing inspiration from otherworldly or mythical beings like fairies, angels, and aliens.

How we choose to present ourselves in the play space ties to our reasons for being there and the dual nature of play.

As we leave our regular routines and enter the play space, our usual roles and rules are suspended. We enter a world where imagination is set free to explore possibilities. Rather than rigid norms, we find encouragement to explore new ways of thinking and express different aspects of ourselves more freely, expanding our perspective on how we might live in a more fluid and open-minded way. 

We’ll unpack this idea more in future posts, but our explorations in the play space go beyond individual undertakings to a collective experience that involves shared understandings and deep feelings of connectedness. This is important because in the special, temporary play space that feels separate from normal life, the collective energy and sense of community and connection can lead to profound moments of openness, freedom, and transformation.

After the festival, we feel compelled to bring those positive feelings, new perspectives, and newfound abilities to connect back with us into our everyday lives. 

In short, our experience in the play space shapes not only our personal identity but also how we relate to the world and others around us.

A NOTE TO THE UNINITIATED

If you’re new to Dimension or the psytrance party scene, maybe you’ve clicked around our website and seen some of the colorful outfits, fire dancing, and other ways we express ourselves. 

From the outside, the play space can seem a little intimidating.

You think, ‘Well, will I have to do all that if I attend? Do I need to completely change my appearance or pick up certain acrobatic skills before I can even set foot in a place like that?"

No, you don't need to buy an elaborate costume, paint yourself from head to toe, or become a fire dancer to experience the benefits of the play space we’ve been discussing. 

All you need to do is show up.

Now, it might be a good idea to get yourself a few items of clothing that you think could represent parts of yourself you don't get to focus on or express in your everyday world. But once you take the steps to get yourself to the festival and enter the play space for the first time, we believe the experience you’ll have will more than make up for any apprehension or intimidation you may feel.

Our hope is you'll come to view the play space as we do: a safe place to fully and freely explore so you can return to your everyday world with a newfound sense of what could be.

SOURCE

O'Grady, Alice. (2012). Spaces of Play: The Spatial Dimensions of Underground Club Culture and Locating the Subjunctive. Dancecult. 4. 86-106.