Adventurers! Dracula darlings! Batty babes! Skeletons, out of yr closets!
** I'm gonna stick a heads-up at the top: Zoom needs a computer. We've found before that even if you connect it to the best speakers in the world, Zoom audio through a phone is rendered genuinely, monstrously unlistenable.
Here at CYOA we're still locked away in a crumbling tower; the fires of hell rage outside and pestilence reigns, but we still wanna have a lil' sober party for everyghoul who is not up for superspreader clubs and wants a lil dance in their front room (or in a cemetery where you've set up a lil sound system, or in an abandoned maze in which you have unexpectedly awoken, or etc. etc.)! We'll have a little time for chats in the first half hour, and then music will begin at 8:30pm.
The unearthly season means unearthly playlists - honestly, listen to the last few years' mixxes, they're frank-enstein-ly masterpieces if I'm being humble:
2020 https://tinyurl.com/cyoahalloween2020 / 2021 https://tinyurl.com/cyoahalloween2021 / 2022 https://tinyurl.com/cyoahalloween2022 / 2024 https://tinyurl.com/cyoahalloween2024
It's a public event and plz, invite anyone you'd like to see!, anyone who needs it!, anyone who'd appresh it!, but we're keeping it pretty low-key so after the initial announcement our goblins will give a wee reminder beforehand and that's us for promotion.
A reminder of the dealio from last time we ran an online event:
1. We’ll be running this on Zoom. Book a ticket, and we’ll send a link to join in the day of the party!
2. CYOA will ALWAYS be free for those who need it. However, there's horror in the real world to attend to and we're asking that if you can afford it, to donate to the Sameer Project who are providing emergency support to Palestinians facing ethnic cleansing: https://chuffed.org/project/149178-sameer-project-x-mass-displacement-campaign. (P.S. Zionism comes under the racism clause below - if this is you, fuck off.) Alternatively, we include donation options with tickets (but outsavvy takes a small cut).
3. The SOBER part of the sober queer+LGBT dance party is still paramount. Most of the reasons ppl need sober spaces are still absolutely true for online spaces, so please respect that and don’t drink or take other intoxicants before or during.
4. It's Hallowe'en and we super love and appreciate fancy dress!, but we love and appreciate even more ppl being comfortable in their skins. So wear fancy dress, wear glam, wear pyjamas, you will be appreciated!
AND, the usual:
CYOA is a queer+LGBT dance party for ppl who want a nite without alcohol/intoxicants - welcoming ppl of all genders & sexualities (& none), all ages, all bodies & characters!
We're dancing to blood-curdling bops until the early hours, and by early hours we mean babes, ppl are old and ill and we're getting in bed before midnight. We'll have a wee quiet chatty bit from 8pm-8.30pm, and then music thru to the end. People are welcome then to stay around and chat/quietly message their crushes from the dance floor/etc.
- Why sober? Queer+LGBT spaces, as well as clubs generally, are often heavily centred around drinking, & sometimes we need alternatives. Ppl have lots of reasons for wanting space away from alcohol&c. Mebbe you can't drink/take intoxicants, for yr health or because of recovery. Mebbe you don't partake, whether for effects/taste/price/any no. of other reasons. Mebbe intoxicated spaces feel less safe to you - & while everyone's responsible for what they do under the influence, alcohol & drugs can make ppl less safe in many ways. Mebbe you just want to try dancing sober, without the pressure of intoxicant-oriented spaces, or bc the nite before was hard & you want a break.
For many ppl, the presence or absence of alcohol/intoxicants is a basic accessibility & safer space issue. Please respect that: however lovely you might be when not sober, it may be a serious issue for others. Because of this, please don't drink/take drugs before coming - sorry, but you won't be welcome. You can have fun without, promise. & if you really don't like the thought of dancing sober, please remember there are *loads* of spaces that already cater to you on that front, & very few for the ppl for whom the opposite is true. However, please also be aware that some people may appear intoxicated due to medication or medical conditions, and no assumptions should be made about anyone's state.
- What music does CYOA play? Music to dance to. Femme pop, glittery electro, shouty riot grrrl songs &c. But this time, with an eerie twist! Check the mixxes above for an idea what!
- Accessibility:
1. We will have a safety moderator (Sara, who will have “moderator” in their username) who will be monitoring chat, and if you have any problems please message them.
2. You are welcome to have video on or off. We may sometimes feature people dancing on the main video: if you do not want this, please put “(do not feature)” in your username or message the moderator.
3. Mics will be kept off at all times during dancing.
4. While some fun lighting behind you when dancing is lovely, please ensure you avoid anything strobing.
5. If anyone acts inappropriately towards you, please contact the moderator and they will be removed.
6. We will transcribe lyrics once our playlist is finalised and make these available to follow along.
While a dance party isn't for everyone, & isn't any basis for a utopian project, & while we recognise totally "safe spaces" do not exist in this society, CYOA is committed to doing whatever is reasonably possible to make things as safe as possible. Sexual & other harassment won't be tolerated, & nor will transphobia, body policing, misogyny, racism, disablism, or turning up intoxicated. We want everyone to feel able to express their genders & sexualities however they wish without fear of harassment. We want celebration of different bodies & personalities. We don't want cool clubs, & we don't want cool-of-uncoolness clubs. A lot of how this works out in the details is up to you!, but if there's anything making you feel unsafe or uncertain, then a) on the night, let the moderator know, & b) we'd be happy in advance to discuss in private or public what can be done to help/mitigate - send a message to Angelica (DJ Riot Star).
Thank you once again to everyone who's danced and supported us for so long, thank you to everyone who will come and dance, so much <3 and we're excited to see people again after so long SOON!