Meet Bruno.
Here we are minutes before I DJ’d for his community in Marseille, France. Bruno is a man whose dedication to conscious dance shines through in his wild moves on the dance floor (a true sight to behold!) and his unwavering, loving commitment to LibraDanse, his community of dancers. And what a community they are. On the night I played, the front door opened, and within five minutes, a stream of dancers had filled the sold out event. I could see that these dancers were eager yet tired - a state I had anticipated. Mid-October is always a tiring time of year, with daylight saving and the dwindling autumn light.
But I came prepared. I began the session with a guided meditation, helping the dancers sink deep into their bones and reassuring them that if they fell asleep during the entire session, it would be perfectly OK. I opened the set with Pure Space by Sol Rising, a super slow, five-minute track that transitioned into Hollow by OCO. Most of the dancers didn’t move until well into Hollow.
It was a bold choice - encouraging the community to embrace their tiredness when, ultimately, what I wanted was for them to dance. But experience has taught me that granting full permission to rest, followed by playing epic tracks, often inspires people to give their all. And it worked. By 28 minutes in, the room was alive - writhing and thrashing, the temperature rising, people cheering and pumping their hands in the air.
I never feel more alive than when I DJ sessions like this.
Wondering what was on the music menu? Dive into the full set and listen here!
When we finished the session and packed up, Bruno took me to a local bar where the community of dancers was waiting for us. We ate, drank, and danced some more. One of the dancers even managed to take over the bar’s sound system, and before long, a full-on dance party broke out! I was treated like a superstar, feeling so appreciated and incredibly happy to be fully immersed in yet another epic dance community.
On this last journey to Europe, I only played four gigs. Each one was for a DTM alum, two of whom are not team members. Because it was my first time bringing my daughter along, I wanted to ensure I didn’t overdo it or tire us out. Yet, when I reflect on the time I spent immersed in the dance communities created by Sabino, Carlos, Bruno, and Sophie, I realize that these experiences didn’t drain my energy. On the contrary - they filled me up.
I am filled with joy, inspiration, and, most of all, gratitude to be a part of it all. It’s a paradox of my life that I often feel most at home when far away from Canada, embraced by one of the thousands of global dance communities being birthed all over the world. I know that DTM has played a role in influencing this growth. For some communities, the connection is direct as they are built by our alumni and team. For others, it’s more indirect, a ripple effect from the work we do. This fills me with pride in the best possible way.
Here’s a little secret you may not know: community is the real reason I’m in this business. That might surprise you - didn’t I just say that DJing makes me feel most alive? While it’s true that I adore music and dance, the reality is that they are tools I use to fulfill my deeper mission: to remind humanity that our greatest resource is each other. Being together in community is how we thrive, and it’s what we will ultimately need to survive in the future we are facing.
Never underestimate the power that investing in community has in the world. No matter the numbers, the impact of community is profound. Whether you’re a dancer who shows up to be part of it, a DJ, a facilitator, or a community organizer like Bruno, what you do is vital. You are making an impact in ways you might not even realize.
Traveling not only gave me the chance to experience epic dance communities but also revealed the steady march of our species toward automation, with AI increasingly taking over spaces once occupied by people. Slowly but surely, our contact with one another is lessening, which makes our work to build community more vital than ever.
I’m reminded of Margaret Mead’s words: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” So let’s keep going, my lovelies, let’s keep dancing and being together. Let’s keep sweating, grooving, and ensuring a healthy future for humanity, one that includes epic tracks and spaces where we can connect in the full spectrum of human emotion and experience. And so it is.
Love from Bernice.
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