The dance was one of a series of experiments conducted by Fieldlab, an initiative set up by the government and the entertainment industry.
All 1,300 people at the event were divided into five groups with different rules. Some were forced to wear face masks, while others were encouraged to shout and cheer as much as possible. Everyone was equipped with sensors to monitor how much contact they had with others.
“I’m in a state of great enthusiasm,” said DJ Lady Bee, who sang at the dance, “It almost feels normal.”
The Netherlands is known internationally for its electronic dance music festivals, with the event group Event Maker claiming to be a $ 8 billion industry. An annual event in Amsterdam alone has more than 2,000 DJs in 80 clubs. Amsterdam Dance Event is still scheduled for October this year.
The hope is that Saturday’s test will help determine how events such as the dance festival could safely reopen to the crowds. The main focus was on people’s behavior and following the rules.
“In fact, we’re testing here if people are sticking to the measures we’ve asked of them,” said Pieter Lubberts of Fieldlab Events.
People won tickets to the dance. 100,000 people came in to win. Everyone had to have a negative COVID-19 test before the dance and all will be tested five days later.
Fieldlab had earlier conducted other experiments involving a business conference, a football game, and a theater show. A small number of participants tested positive for coronavirus, but there is no evidence that they contracted the virus at events.
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