For most of my life, music has been more than entertainment. It's been a way to connect with people, express emotion, find release and feel fully present. Long before RISE existed, I was spending my time behind drum kits, DJ decks and percussion instruments, drawn to the energy that music creates when people come together.
Over the years, I experienced countless dancefloors, festivals, clubs and events. Some were incredible. Some felt less authentic. What stayed with me wasn't the late nights or the drinking culture. It was the feeling of connection that happened when people became immersed in music and movement.
At some point, I started asking myself a simple question:
What if people could experience the energy, freedom and release of a dancefloor without alcohol, without pressure and without needing to perform?
That question eventually became RISE.
RISE began in Folkestone as an experiment. The idea was simple: create a space where people could move freely, connect with themselves and others, and leave feeling better than when they arrived. No phones. No alcohol. No pressure to talk. No pressure to dance in a certain way. Just music, movement and the opportunity to be present.
For many people, that sounds unusual at first. We're used to being constantly connected, constantly distracted and constantly performing in some way. Even social events can sometimes feel like they're more about documenting the experience than actually living it. RISE offers something different. For a couple of hours, people can step away from the noise and simply be in the room.
At the heart of every RISE session is music. House music, soul, funk, rhythm and live percussion all play an important role in shaping the atmosphere. Music has a unique ability to bring people together without requiring conversation. It can change the energy in a room, shift your mood and create a shared experience between complete strangers. As a DJ and percussionist, I've always been fascinated by that power.
The goal isn't to create a nightclub. The goal isn't to create a fitness class. The goal is to create a carefully held environment where music becomes a vehicle for movement, connection and emotional release. That's why every playlist, transition and percussion moment is chosen with intention.
One of the things I love most about RISE is that it isn't about performance.
All of it is welcome.
We often hear people say they "can't dance". What they usually mean is that they don't think they're good enough. RISE isn't interested in whether you're good at dancing. We're interested in whether movement can help you feel more connected, more present and more alive.
RISE is also a sober dance event, although for many people that isn't the reason they first walk through the door.
Some come because they're sober. Some come because they're curious. Others simply like the idea of experiencing music and movement in a different way.
What we've found is that removing alcohol changes the atmosphere in subtle but important ways. People become more present, more connected and more aware of the experience they're having. The energy in the room comes from the music, the movement and the people themselves rather than from anything external. That doesn't mean RISE feels serious or restrained. Quite the opposite. There is laughter, celebration, freedom and plenty of joy. The difference is that people are experiencing those moments fully and remembering them afterwards. Many leave feeling lighter, calmer and more energised than when they arrived.
For us, sobriety isn't the headline. Presence is.
Although RISE began in Folkestone, the idea was never limited to a single town or venue. As the community has grown, we've started exploring how the experience could work in different environments, from workplaces and festivals to retreats, private events, community organisations and other shared spaces. The need for genuine connection, movement and emotional release isn't unique to one audience. It's something many people are looking for.
Whatever shape RISE takes in the future, the intention remains the same: to create welcoming spaces where people can move freely, reconnect with themselves and others, and leave feeling better than when they arrived. That's why I started RISE.
And that's still what drives it today.
