Our last message was pretty heavy, but fortunately today’s is all about fun. We have some great announcements for you.
Last week, we promised a theme (you might have seen it on Substack yesterday!) Some of you were pretty close on your guesses…
Without further ado:
DashCon 2’s Theme Is: A Royal Ball
(We like to think we’re funny.)
Your Ballpit Queen is returning to court, and the people must celebrate! Ball pits, raffles, and other upcoming carnival games abound at DashCon 2. We are hosting small-scale gaming/jestering with LVLUP Games in their all-day games room, and large-scale games with trivia (and kahoots!) in some of our panel spaces. More information on those is coming next week. Naturally, our clowns will play the part of our dear court jesters.
A Queen’s carnival would not be complete without some good old-fashioned blood sport. Her two bravest soldiers, from far corners of the Realm, come to duel for her honour. Strange Aeons and The Muppet Joker fight—duel—joust—in the name of the Ballpit Queen. The winner, they who triumph in the Pit, will be given the honour of a public knighthood.
This glorious event will open the evening’s final festivities: The Royal Ball, a celebration of knighthood.
Who will win the title: Sir Croaker, or Sir Strange…?
What kind of music is played in DashCon 2’s Royal Court?
Anything and everything. We’ll be taking suggestions and hosting polls on our Tumblr, and the playlist will be visible to the public. One of our Co-Founders thinks it would be very funny to have one (1) “All I Want For Christmas Is You” in the queue, hit shuffle, and play Mariah Carey Russian Roulette.
Realistically, we expect a mix of pop, folk, rock, EDM, and some waltz music, because we wouldn’t have a Royal Ball without one.
But wait: I don’t know how to ballroom dance!
Would you like to learn?
We’re very proud to introduce our first confirmed panel: Professional Ballroom Dancing, presented by The Burnt Courthouse!
The Burnt Courthouse is a dynamic, multi-award-winning, queer cosplay duo; breaking down barriers and preconceived notions about what a married cosplay pair “should” look like. Made up of Dat Ashe Cosplay (he/him) and Court’s Cosplay (they/them), both are passionate about cosplay, ballroom dancing, and stage performance, sharing their love of these, whether solo or together, while guesting, educating, and performing at both conventions and online! Outside of cosplay, Ashe and Court are always open to educating curious and respectful minds about their respective experiences with their disabilities, gender identities, and more! In terms of ballroom dance, the two have primarily studied dance styles in American Smooth and American Rhythm categories, but the two especially enjoy dancing hustle and salsa! At conventions, they teach Slow Waltz and Hustle!
Ashe and Court will be offering ballroom dance lessons to as many people as we can safely fit in a panel room. Their lesson will conclude right before the closing ceremonies, so you can put your newfound knowledge to the test.
You can find The Burnt Courthouse on Instagram @ the_burnt_courthouse, Ashe at @ dat_ashe_cos on Instagram and TikTok, and Court at @ courts_cosplay on Instagram and TikTok.
Get ready to dance!