I’d lived in Vancouver my whole life, but I’d never seen anything like this.

Hundreds of people coming together under the north side of the Cambie Street Bridge dressed in the brightest colours and craziest costumes: banana suits, 80s inspired office wear, workout clothes, and faux fur body suits were just a few of the attire choices. Some had chosen to bring props: workout equipment, hula-hoops, streamers and fake palm trees. Everyone was dancing like it was the first time they had ever heard music. “How are they getting away with this?” I wondered. Living in No-Fun-City, it isn’t hard to believe that this was the first thing that crossed my mind.

A good friend of mine had told me about the party. “It’s is one of the most amazing things you will ever experience,” she said, and she was right. There were people everywhere, laughing, dancing, singing. It was loud, free of charge and made me feel like the city wasn’t just an empty concrete space. This was the Decentralized Dance Party and it had transformed the city into a thriving celebration of life.

As the spell of the DDP’s intense party atmosphere faded I also wondered who the masterminds were behind this unique concept. The DDP project is the brainchild of Tom and Gary (last names withheld for privacy reasons). In 2008 Gary began working on the Decentralized Sound System. The System works by combining the seemingly antiquated technology like FM radio transmission, 1980’s and 1990’s boom boxes and 1970‘s disco mixers with modern iPods and wireless transmission technologies. They link up their digital music to the FM transmission, then set a boom box set to that transmission, and boom! A party is born.

The system has no central audio source and no central location. “All the equipment is compact, inexpensive and readily available. The DDP is based on the autonomy of the individual. With no central authority it is incredibly difficult to corrupt and impossible to shut down,” says Gary.

This group of party enthusiasts is dedicated to throwing public dance parties in public spaces, welcoming everyone into their celebration as they go. After just a few minutes at the party, I could see that the DDP had an incredible ability to bring people together, and out of their social shells. The main goal was to drop the standard of social behaviour and just have fun. You can be whoever you like and express yourself however you like, as long as it is peaceful and safe. By upholding this value the DDP creates a positive atmosphere that is impossible to destroy and gives everyone the opportunity to participate. Whether you stumble upon the party and want to let your hair down, or if you are a DDP veteran and want to put on a show of your own, everyone is welcome and able to truly be themselves.

The DDP uses social media to broadcast their “party route” in whatever city they are in and have held 15 parties in Vancouver alone, and 51 in total across North America. Their ability to rally the masses in a peaceful way can only be attributed to practice and the help of the Bananas. The Elite Banana Task Force is a group of eight dedicated party animals that are the muscle behind every event. They control the crowds, fix stereos, sell merchandise, and most importantly encourage participation and high energy. As it grows the DDP has proven to be more than just a party: it’s an interesting social experiment demonstrating that thousands of people of all ages, cultures and social groups can come together to celebrate and get crazy in our public spaces without causing any disturbance.

As for what’s next for the DDP, Tom and Gary are working towards a global celebration, in which one party will be held simultaneously across the entire world. This feat would require different technology and a lot of hard work, but somehow I know that they will succeed.

Photos by Jonathan Spooner, Words by Richenda Smith