In light of tragedy: To the weekend and the dancefloor

Look out at the crowd at Tomorrowland, and you'll see flags from Pakistan and Iran waved side-by-side. Remember that dance music was the soundtrack for gay clubs which were (and still are) grassroots sanctuaries for those who felt like outsiders everywhere else. The power of music is undeniable, and in a time when everything seems so unsure, it's sometimes the only reminder of what is sane and true.

Moving forward, there's no way to know what will happen. It seems obvious that we as a people are heading into a dark, trying time. More tragedies will occur. More innocent people will probably die. But what we can't do is let go of what makes us happy and what makes us human. We can't be scared into fearing what we love.

If a nightclub floor or a ticket to a show can serve as a safe space or a sanctuary and can make you forget about the woes of work and the stresses of life, I encourage you to head out to dance, sing and live with your closest friends and family.

Enjoy it - not only because we can, but because we must.

[Illustration: Paul Arsenault]

[Tomorrowland Photo: Marc van der Aa]

Valerie Lee is Mixmag's US Digital Editor and stands strong with Orlando and the LGBT community. Follow her on Twitter here