The dance music community looked a lot different even just nine years ago. Ecstasy was public enemy number one, the R.A.V.E. Act hadn’t yet been passed, and EDC was still in Los Angeles. The new documentary The Last Dance from Le Liu, coordinator, recruiter, and trainer for the S.F. Bay Area chapter of DanceSafe.
The 100-minute independent film began as a video blog series for the harm reduction organization, but eventually grew and turned into a retrospective and analysis of dance music culture throughout the years that you can see below. Brief interviews with ravers past and present, as well as news footage and promotional materials from DanceSafe, give a pretty good overview of what it was like to rave nearly a decade ago.
If you’ve ever wondered about kandi culture, the demonization of MDMA, and the contribution of dance music to the zeitgeist of growing youth, this is as good a place to start as any. 
Le Liu is not affiliated with Insomniac Events.
