Jordan Hearns

When I'm Dancing, I Forget About Everything Else is a mixed media project that explores the importance of clubbing and raving as intense processes which foster self-expression and individualism. The project represents the individualised experiences of those featured, through a discussion of their origins within the culture, significant moments of transcendence in clubbing spaces, and the influence that clubbing and raving has had on their lives. Photographs, transcribed interviews and an original musical score are presented alongside fragments of interviews with the clubbers.

Q: That vibe is really amazing. When I went, it was the first time I truly felt free in a club, without fear of being stared at or judged. It was such a pure energy, so wholesome, so loving. You don’t get that at many parties.

A: Yeah, I feel like, to be honest, it’s actually has a had a fucking huge impact. Clubbing has had a very big impact on my life as it goes. I think for me, I’ve always been kind of outgoing and happy to meet people and do all those things, but I think the connections that I’ve built with my friends who I party with or y’know.. the people that you meet when you’re clubbing and all of those sorts of different things. I think that level of connection is something that you don’t obviously experience in a day to day. And I think for me, just having that kind of, y’know, meeting through mutual understanding that you’re all there to kind of express yourselves. You’re all there to experience this different energy that you don’t experience in your day to day..

Q: It’s totally unique in itself. Speaking of Jigsaw, can you shine a light on why it’s so important to you? In terms of atmosphere, and the energy in that space when it’s most powerful? What makes Jigsaw different to everywhere else?

A: I think part of the charm of Jigsaw is its.. I don’t know.. it’s not like a normal space. I think there’s definitely a sense of hedonism there, and transgressive-ness. This isn’t a criticism at all, because it’s probably in part because there’s no official security guards in the way that security, in my experience, in other nightlife venues around Dublin police behaviour and change the atmosphere into being surveyed, which is never a nice feeling. It’s just not a nice feeling on a night out, and it also feels condescending and infantilising to have some kind of figure in a reflective jacket [govern you]. I know they present it as a health and safety thing, but invariably what it actually is is [you] being reprimanded for what you’re wearing, or what you’re not wearing.