At a silent disco, the room may be quiet, but the dance floor is alive. Dozens of people twirl around in near silence, each lost in their own world of music of their choosing. Behind the oversized headphones and flashing lights lies something bigger—a celebration of inclusivity where everyone, no matter their sensory needs, can enjoy the dance floor. Silent discos have taken place at Austin City Limits, on cruise ships, and even at the most elaborate birthday parties. For people who are hard of hearing, sensitive to loud noises, or neurodivergent, it is so much more than just some headphones and a DJ.
One of the biggest attractions of silent disco is the lowered volume, according to DJ Cory Baum, who frequently DJs B’nai Mitzvahs, a coming-of-age celebration for Jewish children. Without any music blaring through speakers, Baum noticed that it had become a common option to increase accessibility at loud events, and he noticed a huge rise in silent disco popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It started out as a way to accommodate needs,” Baum said. “We had one kiddo do [silent disco], and she had sensory issues and was partially deaf. The loud noises really gave her headaches, and so we were able to integrate that into the party.”
For 14-year-old Jace Chen, who is easily overwhelmed by lots of noise, sound accommodations can be a really important factor in determining his comfort levels at a party. He explained that he once tried silent disco on a cruise ship, and he found the atmosphere very enjoyable.
“I think the reduced noise level of a silent disco really does help me feel more comfortable and safe,” Chen said. “I can’t speak for everyone, but I definitely had a good time, and I think from what I saw, other people did have fun as well.”
While it started out as an option for accessibility, Baum has noticed silent discos becoming something everybody loves to participate in. He stated that it is helpful when a party has a wide range of people since it allows participants to curate the music they want to listen to through their own headphones.
“When there’s music coming out of the speakers, you have one option, but when it’s coming out of the headphones, you have three options,” Baum said. “What’s also really cool is that people make requests, and if I get one for a slow song, or an old person song, typically you’ll lose the kids from the dance floor … With silent disco, you can really provide the experience for each person, and they don’t have to leave the dance floor; they can still stay there and celebrate.”
Jenn Bildersee, the mother of two teenage boys, ended up choosing to have silent discos for both of their bar mitzvahs. According to her, it really helped people come out of their shells on the dance floor.
“I think that people who are a little shy or even have social anxiety and don’t feel comfortable dancing in front of other people feel more comfortable dancing with silent disco,” Bildersee said. “I think if everybody’s listening to the same music and you’re dancing kind of funny or off the rhythm … you stick out if it’s just one song playing for everybody. But if everybody has their own headsets, you don’t really know what anybody else is listening to.”
Whether it’s chosen to help out people with social challenges or just to appease groups with wildly different music preferences, Baum believes that silent disco is growing in popularity. From parties to music festivals, and beyond, silent disco has taken off throughout states, age ranges, and event genres.
“[Silent disco] gets brought up in situations where you might have a neurodivergent kid,” Baum said. “But it really shifted into this experience where everyone feels like they can listen to what they want to listen to.”
