Micro-genre: Electo-Swing

Swing music, or simply swing, is a form of popular music developed in the United States that dominated in the 1930s and 1940s. Prior to the development of swing was the era of prohibition in the American 20s. During prohibition people would make their own underground alcohol which was said to be so strong that it had hallucinogenic qualities. 

The concept for this project centres around the idea of drawing parallels between then and now with this reemergence and modernisation of the genre into 'electro'-swing. Dali's surrealism of the 40s pared with the historical context behind the development of swing, encompasses this idea of distorting a civilised elegant 1930s dinner party into a psychotropic experience. The idea of a 'Mad Hatter's Banquet' is for the aesthetics to mirror the quirky costumes and set designs of modern festivals - linking to the modernisation of swing that encompasses the genre electro-swing. Additionally, the design will draw influences from the 1930s interpretations of Alice in Wonderland, as well as the many visual representations of Mad Hatter's tea parties could contribute and inspire the design decisions of a more formal pastiche interpretation. 

Thus, the idea to stage this banquet that would've taken place in the era of swing but through the eyes of the subjects themselves. The end result will be a weird and glorious production that captures both the roots of swing and the contemporary touch that has brought it into the forefront of the electronic music scene of current.

Prohibition meant alcohol in the 20-30s was very dangerous. Homemade alcohol called hooch or moonshine was so strong that it was said to have hallucinogenic qualities. 

1941 Newsreel. Surrealist artist Salvador Dali designs and hosts a party held in the Bali Room of the Hotel Del Monte, Monterey, California. The event was titled Night in a Surrealist Forest and it was a fund raiser to help European artists displaced by the war.

Dali is a great case study when considering surrealism ad vibrant qualities that could assist the development and production of the final event. His use of distortion through personifying animals, as well as mis-sized representations of objects and things to warp perception and scale, and present this alternate worlds within a real one.