Carlos Mejia
Mr. Anderson 
Journalism I
Jan. 30, 04

Lights, music, dance…

Lights flashing, ground trembling, you feel the adrenaline flowing through your veins. The ground trembles, and you find yourself in motion and in a state of trance.
Although this sounds synonymous to the effects of drugs, drugs are not the cause. It’s a rave.
Mainstream raves began in the mid-to-late 1980s as a reaction to the ever increasing popularity of radio play mainstream music and the regular nightclub scene. Rave parties were usually held in old abandoned buildings and warehouses. What made these rave parties different than clubs and house parties is their secrecy and music. Most rave parties were held in undisclosed locations that were only made know to the public at the last minute. They were not advertised and the only way to know about them was by word of mouth. 
It is believed my many "Ravers" that the first rave involved the Baby Boomer at Woodstock in 1969, and their children who were raised with nonviolent discipline manner. They experimented with drugs and alcohol and often disagreed freely with their parents especially on the subject of the Vietnam war. 
In the early 1980's as computer became more advanced and the synthetising of electronic sounds became widely available electronic music dominated rave scenes. Although raves frequently occurred in the United States they became a hit in Europe.
In the 1990's raves became a global phenomenon. In 1994 , the Criminal Justice Bill was passed as the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act which contained several sections designed to slow down the growing free-party and anti-road protest movements (sometimes charecterised by ravers and travellers). 
	Sections 63, 64 & 65 of the Act targeted rave music, defining it as 'wholly or predominantly characterised by the emission of a succession of repetitive beats'. These sections give powers of arrest to police if they suspect people are preparing to hold a rave (2 or more people); waiting for a rave to start (10+); actually attending a rave (10+). Section 65 lets any uniformed  cop who believes a person is on their way to a rave within a 5-mile radius to stop them and direct them away from the area - failure to comply can lead to a maximum fine of £1,000.  This caused the number of rave parties to decline and become much more secretive. Many rave parties today are held in adequate venues and with proper permits. 
	The openness and welcoming nature within the rave community is said to be refreshing in a world filled with judgementalism. 
	According to "Ravers" a rave party provides a few hours of escape and relaxation along with a sense of openness with similar-thinking ravers. Ravers try to be, or at least show that they are happy and fun and avoid negativity or physical confrontation. 
	" I do not encourage the use of drugs but I love dancing, I believe that dancing itself its a way to cure many things in peoples lives, stress, love, money problems, its a way to get away from it all and truly get to know yourself. In many times ravers characterize this as being in a trance as in meditation.Many serious ravers I know are overall happy people, Its far beyond just dance, Its the ability to loose yourself go beyond the limits of your body and society itself. Dancing reveals all the mysteries that music conceals and there is no stopping, I am exited to see what the future generations will bring and how far they will get" John Richard aka: LiquidFLow  said. Rave parties have for long been known as unlawful parties of drugs and alcohol, but times change. A new breed of "ravers" is on the rise. These "ravers" have begun an underground  revolution ,the purpose: to unite mind, body and soul and become one  through dance. To many it is like being a shaman, whom for hundreds of years ago were believed by different cultures and tribes to have superhuman abilities connections with the gods through singing and dancing. 	
	Rave parties have for long been known as unlawful parties of drugs and alcohol, but times change. A new breed of "ravers" is on the rise. These "ravers" have begun an underground  revolution ,the purpose: to unite mind, body and soul and become one  through dance. To many it is like being a shaman, whom for hundreds of years ago were believed by different cultures and tribes to have superhuman abilities connections with the gods through singing and dancing. 
Now its a trend spreading over to thousands of teens all over the world 	and there is no stopping.