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Glowsticking is a form of dancing with glowsticks or other glowstick-like instruments that share the same qualities: durability, consistency in light, safety to toss around, and the material of which they are made, often a soft and pliant plastic.

History and culture

Although glowsticking has roots in the 1980s underground rave scene, it has since become a separate cultural phenomenon that can be found throughout the general electronic dance music world, and is becoming popular in the twirling and dexterity play communities.

Forms of Glowsticking

Glowstringing

Glowstringing involves spinning glowsticks on shoelaces or cords, sometimes borrowing movements from yo-yoing or martial arts. Glowstringing is similar to freehand glowsticking, and both activities borrow various moves and ideas from one another.

Freehand

Freehand is defined by the steadily growing body of concepts and moves. Some of these concepts include tracing, taps, throwing, as well as interdisciplinary dance skills borrowed from common funk style categories. Freehand glowsticking typically borrows from many other dance styles such as liquid dancing as well as having its own unique set of moves.

Traces are the act of dragging the glowsticks over one's body. An example of a common trace is the stomach trace, which includes dragging the glow sticks over one's stomach to create a circular pattern.

Another example of a basic movement frequently used in freehand glowsticking is the figure eight-- quite possibly the most well known, albeit not the most common move in the intermediate and more advanced levels.

Criticism

Some rave promoters have banned glowsticks from events, especially those taking place in confined spaces, due to the space required to glow stick and the potential danger of striking other rave goers. In 2001, the DEA tried but failed to ban glowsticks and other items from dance parties, calling them "drug paraphernalia"

See also

• Popping
• Twirling
• Flicker fusion threshold

References

1. Government's War on Raves Went Too Far, Louisiana Court Rules (8/24/2001)

• Freehand and glowstringing tutorial videos

• Articles lacking sources from April 2008