Who Knew?

Only after going to a rock concert last night did I realize how remarkably similar that subculture is to tecktonik. There are differences, as would be expected, but there are far more similarities. Everyone is there for their personal connection to the music and when the music “drops”, everyone let’s go. People close their eyes, sing or scream their hearts out and move in any way they feel like they should be. Those who can’t fully let go (for fear of looking silly perhaps) put their “rock hand” up or pump their fists in the air. I can’t believe I overlooked this same connection to the music. A definite difference, though, is that the American rock subculture idolizes and obsesses over the musicians themselves, which can easily remove the focus from the music. In tecktonik it’s all about the music; the DJ gets props for his work, but is not really idolized in any other way.
The style is also strikingly close. Tecktonik killers and rockers (pictured above) tend to wear studded metal belts and a lot of makeup (more excessive in tecktonik). From my perspective, tecktonik clothing is much less likely to be seen anywhere in the US, therefore more foreign to me although I would assume I think this because it’s French culture. Tckers would probably look at American rockers and think that their dress is incredibly weird. Within each overarching culture (American culture and French culture), these groups are viewed as outcasts although no one within each group seems to really care. It seems that the American rock culture has more of a fascination with body modification (piercings and tattoos) than does tecktonik. Both sport characteristically abstract hair cuts (Mohawks, faux-hawks) with all kinds of color worked in.
As similar as they are, I feel as though tecktonik was created as a way to let go (and the quiet rebellious nature followed) whereas the rock subculture came about as a way to rebel and letting go came afterwards. The issue many people have with the rock culture is not found in tecktonik; rock culture seems to attract and condone drug use, alcohol use as well as teens with a lot of anger or strife (contributing to the reputation of rockers being “cutters”). Tecktonik doesn’t seem to have any of these issues. There is nothing in this subculture to distract one from the music and it’s generally a very positive and uplifting environment.
I suppose the question now is not why such a subculture cannot exist in the United States (because it evidently can though it is still outside of pop culture and the majority of societal norms) but why it can’t exist in the same positive and focused manner.

picture from google.com

Black Tarantula

Lately I’ve been finding myself defending tecktonik videos on Youtube. Basically, American kids look at it out of context and comment about how stupid it looks or how idiotic the form of dress is or how the music sucks. I've found comments such as people saying: "Tecktonik dance is made in France and France is gay so tecktonik people are fags," or "Tecktonik fucked house music up. Why did we get the worst dance style," or as simple as "looks gay". This is exactly the issue with the culture in the United States; people are unnecessarily negative and closed-minded. People don't even take the chance to understand the skill it takes to dance that way. People are also insanely misinformed; tecktonik didn't do anything to house, it simply incorporated certain aspects of the music. People fail to realize the amount of skill it takes to dance tecktonik; the movements are precise, smooth and the necessary coordination is insane. Tecktonik could never be done here since it relies on open-mindedness; no one would let go and release to the music if people sat around in clubs and denounced everything that was being done. Europe is noted for its freedom (by the United States) within its culture as a whole. Really, this is normal to almost everywhere else. The US has a weird issue with letting go and releasing judgment of others. This results in people not being able to release; I know plenty of people who think they are bad dancers and as a result, refuse to dance all together.
Techno is a joke in this country. People mock techno for being what it is. Most have a preconceived notion of what it is, what it does and how it sounds. Very few individuals take the time to listen to it, and respect it for its intricacy. People don’t appreciate the type of music that tecktonik is based around making it that much harder to image a tecktonik subculture in Boston (for example).
The beauty of this entire movement is letting go, releasing inhibitions and not being judged for that. It’s loving the music and loving the dance. It’s being completely consumed by a beat and thinking of that beat, and only that beat. It’s “trancing out” without drugs and ignoring everything but the music and effectively losing control of your thoughts; the music begins to dictate your movements. This is tecktonik. Underneath everything (clothes, haircuts, makeup, shoes) lies each tckers desire to simply let go.

Black Tarantula by Pendulum & MC Spyda

High On Life

After interviewing my Parisian friend Nab, I gained insight on tecktonik from a point of view that is more likely to understand it, that of a teenager. The essence of this culture is something completely unique, at least when it’s put into the context of the United States. As a subculture, they don’t judge people. For this reason, the queer community is attracted to tecktonik. It serves as a scene in which they can be themselves and not be judged. As well as being sexually open, the style of dance is the same way. Why isn’t this even an option in the United States? Why is it as Americans, we are so quick to judge others and shun them for their differences? It seems the reason this subculture is so open-minded lies in their love of the music. Being at a tecktonik club is not about looking at others and cutting them down about what they are not, it’s not about other people at all, it’s ABOUT the music and ABOUT the dance. It's the personal connection people form when they dance and get lost in the music; the music is what you make out of it, it's the individual experience attached. People go for their love of techno and their love of dancing to it. Being in this kind of environment allows everyone to release his or her inhibitions about dance or dress or sexual orientation and to just let go. The reason this came about was Parisians’ need to release and this open-minded subculture is what resulted. According to Nab, tecktonik is an “excuse to do whatever the fuck you want”. The surprising thing is that no one takes it too far, and even more surprising is the fact that as a movement, they shun the use of alcohol or drugs to achieve this free-ness. I can’t get over how open this scene is and the lack of judgment between tckers. Because of the focus on the music, it truly allows people to let go and be free, even if it’s only for a night.


High On Life by DJ Encore