The Decentralized Dance Party is headed to Burning Man for the first time in 2012.

The plan is to throw a massive, Playa-wide DDP and create a Primeval Party Moment more powerful than all which have come before.

It’s likely to be a very good time.

THE PARTY:

Together, we will create a free-roaming, Open-Source-Themed DDP, powered by over 150 synchronized boomboxes, guerrilla sound systems and art cars that will explore and interact with as many other art structures and theme camps as possible, in a full-throttle adventure that rages all over the Playa, from sunset to sunrise!

It will commence at sunset on Thursday August 30th…

And conclude twelve hours later, as the Full Moon Reaches Its Apex and the sun begins to rise on Friday morning.

The meeting point will be at the base of the (yet-unburned) Man.

HOW TO HELP OUT / GET INVOLVED:

-The Facebook event page is HERE and the Kickstarter fundraiser is HERE. Please share them both far and wide and support the Kickstarter if you are able :)

-We’re still looking for a camp to join, or we may create our own…

Please email us if your camp wouldn’t mind shacking up with Tom and Gary and a couple of Bananas (include some details about what your camp is all about).

Or email if you don’t yet have a camp and want to potentially join ours. If we get enough interested people, we will probably create one (include some details about who you are and what supplies or skills you can contribute (shower/kitchen/shade/HJs/etc).

-We are auditioning Prospective Bananas to be outfitted with Banana Suits and join our Elite Banana Task Force. Bananas will be responsible for helping us to prepare the boomboxes, chaperoning the Party and Getting Buck Wild. Either find us and volunteer on the Playa or email us a brief bio, using the subject text “BURNING BANANA”.

-We are looking for people who would like to document the Party, as well as the prep and aftermath, on photo and video. Please email if you’d like to get involved.

–Locate as Many Sweet Boomboxes as Possible, to receive and share the Party Broadcast!

–Rayovac is our battery of choice and they are graciously providing us with enough batteries to power the DDP. As such, we may have some extras to share, but definitely bring your own supply, just in case (high-quality alkaline, not dollar store ones).

-Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Mailing List (And email us with subject text “DDP BURNING MAN” to receive BM-specific mailing list updates).

-Suggestions on any aspect of the Party (locations, times, routes, collaborations, sandstorm strategies, etc) are always welcome :)

HOW TO MAXIMIZE OUR COLLECTIVE PARTY POTENTIAL:

Tom and Gary consider Partying to be the ultimate Open-Source medium.

From our website:

“Much like Open-Source software, a DDP is a peer-produced, collaborative undertaking. Everyone pools their talents and energies to create and refine an ever-evolving manifestation of their hearts’ desires. People build sound systems in shopping carts and baby carriages, construct insane backpack-borne laser light shows, crowd-surf each other up escalators, construct hilarious costumes, and perform epic dance routines for everyone to enjoy. It all coalesces into an anarchic explosion of collaborative creativity that drives the energy and excitement to unimaginable heights.”

And so,

This Party is all about creating and sharing as many unique and fun elements as possible- costumes, props, vehicles, projectors, lights, sounds, smells, dance routines, etc.

The only requirement is to get as crazy and elaborate as possible.

And so!

It’s up to all of us to blow the nuts off this Party and take it beyond Partying and beyond all comprehension. We must rally every ounce of strength, iota of energy, inch of audacity, and come together to create a Primeval Party Moment more powerful than all which have come before.

The necessary approach is outlined in The Party Manifesto.

SPECIFIC PARTY ITEMS WE HOPE YOU WILL BRING OR CREATE:

-Beach balls, mini trampolines, mannequins, hula hoops, hedge clippers, jump ropes, pole vault poles, stilts, mascot suits, birthday suits, Large Cumbersome Objects To Party With, musical instruments, etc.

-A Party Beacon, to allow people to find the Party. We’re thinking like the Bat-Signal, but instead of a bat, a boombox, or the DDP logo. Would be very rad. Please create!

-Mobile fog machines and laser light shows (that won’t blind people).

-Mobile stripper poles and Go-Go platforms.

-Mobile Sound Systems and Art Cars, but please don’t turn them up INSANELY loud in the middle of the Party, so that people can still enjoy the boomboxes without them being drowned out and so we don’t get INSANE feedback on the mic. Thanks.

THE SOCIAL STEREO:

We are also laying plans for a revolutionary new Open-Source Boombox that will communicate with other boomboxes and allow anyone to create their own infinitely-scaleable network of boomboxes, at any time, and for any purpose. We want to connect with tech-savvy people who have the skills to help us build it while we’re at Burning Man. Please email us with the subject text “DDP SOCIAL STEREO” to get involved.

THE FUTURE WILL NOT BE CENTRALIZED:

Gary is obsessed with Decentralization and Open-Source and has spent the past decade working on a plan wherein both will be strategically applied to revolutionize human existence and usher in a new age of peace and prosperity.

Accordingly, on Sunday evening, he will host a “Dialogue On Decentralization”, wherein this plan will be articulated, discussed, and further developed with all who are interested.

More details will be shared asap, but in the meantime, if this sort of thing appeals to you, he recommends you familiarize yourself with Party Safari 2012 and This Press Release.

And this recent video:

And the Decentralized Community Manifesto (click the “fullscreen” button for legibility):

The Decentralized Community logo was created by Gary while poking around with a pair of )( parentheses and an ‘ apostrophe, in an attempt to create a “little man”.

Believe it or not, This fortuitous flourish took place waaaaaay back in 2008, prior to any encounters with the near-identical Burning Man logo.

Anyhow, the DDP Ethos aligns uncannily with The Ten Principles of Burning Man (Radical Inclusion, Gifting, Decommodification, Radical Self-Reliance, Radical Self-Expression, Communal Effort, Civic Responsibility, Leave No Trace, Participation, and Immediacy) and we are very excited to see what combining the two will produce…

!~ )'( SEE YOU ON THE PLAYA )'( ~!

UPDATE: We threw the Party, met some very inspiring folks, and had many crazy adventures. It is recommended that everyone attend BM at least once in their lifetimes. Certainly a Wonder Of The World, and an experience like no other.

UPDATE #2: Gary’s “Dialogue On Decentralization” ended up evolving into something called “The #BYPASS Movement“…

UPDATE #3: And then things evolved further… (click the Doge for details):