Originally built in 2014, improved yearly, for the Monks of Funk Burning Man camp.

The Dance Church project began not as a vision of a project, but rather of the project experience.

Can we design a project experience that leaves every member of the community fulfilled and better off than when it started?
 

The biggest motivation of this project was to make every part of the process (conceptualization, fundraising, fabrication, assembly, use) as much of a community-building opportunity as possible.  This inspiration came from involvement over the years in many aggressive projects, where a tunnel-vision focus on the end goal and extremely hard work led to awesome creations, but completely neglected the effects of unnecessary stress on the team.

Design Prompts

• Open and welcoming framework for individual creative agency
• People are creative in vastly different ways. How can we create opportunities for ALL types of creativity? Graphic design, fabrication, interior design, event planning, project management, collaborations with other communities
• How can we avoid ill feelings arising from innocent mis-estimations of capabilities and time that come from learning experiences?
• Can we transform traditionally painful phases of the project into the most enjoyable ones? Identify pain points as opportunities - Design process, Assembly lines, Prototype testing and failure analysis, Setup and strike

The Dance Church offered this in many ways:

• Organize community around fundraisers and an IndieGoGo Campaign
• Creative canvas for the wide variety of skills throughout the camp - graphic design, architecture, fabrication, spiritual workshops
• Amish barn raising - Enjoyable assembly process that doesn't require specialized skills, so the entire community can participate
• Inspiring community space to celebrate our passions and share them with others