Adventurers! So. It’s, uh, been a time. We’re not gonna be out in physical space for some time, but this October we’re gonna be cooking up some witches’ brew, putting on our robes, welcoming the spirits into our houses and dancing with the skeletons and vampires. YES: HALLOWEEN VIRTUAL SOBER QUEER+LGBT DANCE PARTY TIMES 🧛🦇🎃🔮👻🖤

PLUS! PLUS PLUS PLUS! We have sourced some extremely exciting spooky and QLGBT prizes and our tickets this time include a RAFFLE ticket, with everything going to support the excellent Books Beyond Bars. It’s been a particularly terrible year in which to be incarcerated in the UK, and Books Beyond Bars are making things a bit better by sending books to incarcerated QLGBT people LOOK AT THESE PRIZES!!!: https://twitter.com/CYOA_Ldn/status/1307638290615599104

So. New rules, we count ‘em:

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, but we please ask anyone who can afford it to buy a paid ticket: all the proceeds go to Books Beyond Bars, and yr ticket will automatically enter you into the raffle full of incredible prizes.

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. Fancy dress is not obligatory but absolutely is encouraged 🧙

5. We will still be playing some of our usual femme-supremacist dancedancedance numbers, but also mixing in a lot of spooky tracks! We don’t have the equipment here to mix in real time, so we’ll be mixing in advance: if you have any requests, get them in in good time!

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 still run quite an early ship! We’ll have music and all the dancing from 8pm 'til 11.30pm, with a break at 10.30pm to announce raffle winners. 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. Robyn. Janelle Monáe. Le Tigre. Rihanna. Ladytron. Huggy Bear. MIA. Au Pairs. Lizzo. CRJ. 2NE1. Pet Shop Boys. Missy Elliott. &so on. Here's some playlists from past nites to give you an idea: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cyoaldn/permalink/1258236664327904/. But for this one, also a lot of spooky songs to keep the Halloween atmosphere going!

- 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 will 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 except during chat after.

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. The announcement of winners will be transcribed by our moderator. We unfortunately do not currently have capacity to transcribe chat in the time proceeding the dance party.

While a club nite 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 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 everyone after so long SOON!