This year, we start out better prepared for our three-day dance holiday in the hills of Spaarnwoude. Instead of dragging along all our camping gear from home only to end up with stakes and poles flying every which way, we reserved a Heineken tent in advance for a few tenners. We even get to keep it as a souvenir. Nice! The fine festival folks went ahead and pitched it before our arrival. The tent comes ‘furnished’ with mattress and sleeping bag. Our friend drops us off at the Kiss & Ride car park a stone’s throw from the entrance. We see the advantage of our recently purchased UDC Member Card straight away as hordes of people flock to the festival grounds. Using the special Member’s Only entrance, we’re inside in just a few minutes and ready to check in at Holland’s most swingin’ campsite.

After unpacking our gear we head for the campsite supermarket to do the necessary shopping. The campsite fills up quickly, and everywhere we look there are people setting up their home away from home for the weekend. There’s a great vibe and the neighbours trade us a carton of readymade Screwdrivers for a few hits of a joint. It’s important to get the festival weekend off to a good start, right? When the first beats start rumbling off in the distance a little after one, the adrenaline starts to surge. In a few short minutes we arrive at the festival grounds. Logistically speaking, this festival runs like a Swiss watch. Remember that other festival, where it took like a half an hour to walk to the grounds? God, that was a nightmare when you remembered you’d left the new stash of drink tokens back in the tent...Here it’s no big deal. You can buy food and drink tokens at the campsite, which is the plan for sure on Saturday when things will be crazy busy.

With a maximum of 15,000 people allowed in, the festival is not as huge today as it will be tomorrow during the famous Saturday. Keeping things on a smaller scale today means keeping things more intimate and friendly. We talk to a few people who have got tickets for today only; their plan is to leave tomorrow to catch a day of the Extrema festival down in Brabant. However, most are here to spend three days roaming around the wonderland known as Dance Valley, far away from the everyday world. Once again, it’s amazing how many people from outside of Holland have flocked to the festival. Dozens of nationalities are represented, and some visitors even made the 24 hour plane trip from Australia to be here. To think that anyone could complain about the 20 minute shuttle bus..

As always, we circle the most interesting names in the programme we just scored, well aware that we pretty much never stick to any kind of plan during Dance Valley. I mean, who’s going to hurry all the way to the other side of the festival when you’re totally into a set by someone you’d never heard of? After passing through the entrance gate we take a moment to check out the all too often overlooked entrance area. Living legend Rob Boskamp instantly gets us in the mood with a set of sensual and groovy house, and the first beer of the day tastes twice as good. We get on the dance floor, tentatively trying out our moves. A proper warm-up is crucial if you want to make it through a marathon event like Dance Valley. After 45 minutes it’s time to check out the rest of the festival, and we head for our next stop, dancing all the way.

Entrance
10:00 11:30 Macey
11:30 13:00 Rob Boskamp
13:00 14:30 Sylverius
14:30 15:30 Raymundo
15:30 16:30 Melvin Reese

Agoraphobics, the socially handicapped and the chronically depressed will be completely healed after this weekend. The friendly and warm atmosphere will make even the biggest pessimist see the glass as half full. At Dance Valley, all it takes is a smile or wink to strike up a conversation with a stranger. It’s enough to prompt you to spontaneously decide to throw out the webcam and IM when you get home. Everything is so much more fun here, in person. Before we realise what’s happening, the driving techno beats pull us into the eternally fantastic Electronation tent. The line-up during both days in this area alone is worth a weekend ticket. When the sweat starts to pour down our backs it’s time to pop outside for some fresh air and to re-hydrate.

Electronation
13:00 13:50 Dax & Clockwork
13:50 14:40 Eva Maria
14:40 15:40 Dion
15:40 16:35 Nuno Dos Santos
16:35 17:40 Nauta & Pablo Lamberti
17:40 19:10 Thomas Schumacher
19:10 20:40 Dominik Eulberg
20:40 22:15 Dr. Lektroluv

It’s also time to get something into our rumbling stomachs. We opt for that festival staple, the big greasy pancake, and soon we are fully fuelled and good to go for at least another few hours.

Sure, the new NL Club-area is worth visiting for the programme, but this tent also has a swimming pool, which acts like a magnet for the sexiest guys and gals, who have gathered in the refreshing water. The hot beats turn the wettest dance floor of the festival into a wave pool, with the water crashing over the edge of the pool. After taking part in this one of a kind water ballet, we go outside to dry off in the warm sun and breeze. Stretched out in the grass is great way to chill out, but it’s even better for people watching. See and be seen is definitely the most popular pastime at Dance Valley. Looking at everyone walking by confirms the miracle of creation. Our eyes pop out of our heads, which swivel on our necks as we try to take in all the beauty. This visual splendour combined with the background music, well, it’s simply proof that heaven exists…

Nederlands Club
13:00 14:00 Bjorn Know How
14:00 15:00 Born to Funk
15:00 16:00 Fedde Le Grand
16:00 17:00 Jeroenski
17:00 18:15 Mark van Dale
18:15 19:15 Marcello
19:15 20:45 Remy
20:45 22:15 Jean

We pinch ourselves and eventually come back down to earth. New York’s hero Danny Tenaglia is about to kick off a set of no less than six hours in his own Be Yourself area. Within no time, the wizard on stage has put everyone into a deep trance with his hypnotic music. Time and space ceases to exist, and we surrender without a struggle, entering his magical soundscape. Minutes, hours or maybe even years go by before we manage to break his musical spell and stumble to the exit in a haze.

BE YOURSELF
16:00 22:00 DANNY TENAGLIA

Almost but not entirely back to reality, we decide to see what the Tarot cards have in store for us and to find out what the palm reader can tell us about all of the other fantastic things the future holds. Right. That’s enough New Agey stuff for now. It’s time to head for the Hard area for a deafening wake-up call

Hard Area
13:00 14:00 Danny D
14:00 15:15 Technikal
15:15 16:30 Mark EG
16:30 17:30 Alex Kidd
17:30 18:30 JP
18:30 20:15 Lisa Lashes VS
18:30 20:15 VS Anne Savage
20:15 21:15 Organ Donors Dex n FX
21:15 22:15 K90
MC Da Silva

The droning beats and heavy bass do the trick and we’ve got our feet firmly back on the ground. Well, not literally, of course. Surrounded by complete maniacs in a packed tent, we jump around and freak out with the rest of them, and the vibe is downright brilliant. The furious seething mass of people would scare the hell out of John Q. Citizen, but here at Dance Valley this is the safest place to blow off steam and do away with all the stress from the past year in one fell swoop. When the internal organs and calf muscles threaten to collapse, it’s a sure sign to find a mellower place. Although traditionally a madhouse, the Eurogrooves tent is where the beats are decidedly slower, and this gives us a chance to give our knackered limbs a much-needed break. Still, you can practically see the steam rising from the bobbing heads on the jam-packed dance floor, the condensation rains down and the vibe is, well, horny, baby!

Eurogrooves
13:00 14:00 Airwave
14:00 15:00 Ian Betts
15:00 16:00 The Freak
16:00 17:00 Reece Elliot
17:00 18:00 Jurgen
18:00 19:00 Simon Patterson
19:00 20:00 Above & Beyond
20:00 21:00 Jochen Miller
21:00 22:15 Cor Fijneman vs Mark Norman
MC Lady Bee

The next highlight of the day is the Loveland tent, which just like last year features the most mind-blowing decor. Actually, it almost pales in comparison to everyone hanging out there.

Loveland
13:00 15:00 Dimitri
15:00 17:00 Jamie Anderson
17:00 18:30 Benny Rodrigues
18:30 20:30 King Unique
20:30 21:30 The Youngsters LIVE
21:30 23:00 Derrick Man

In the Zen master DJ Ambient Daan’s Chill area, we curl up in a hammock and sip a refreshing fruit cocktail.

Chill
13:00 15:00 Saaf
15:00 16:30 John Key
16:30 17:30 Jerome
17:30 18:00 Loonaloop
18:00 20:00 Ambient Daan featuring Suus
20:00 22:00 DMT ZEON

After indulging in a massage, we get ready for the stunning finale, starring none other than Britain’s very own The Prodigy. We even have time to catch the last bit of The Crystal Method. The Americans live up to their reputation as a live act to be reckoned with. The headliners shake the festival grounds to the core, with everyone bouncing around as if the field’s one big trampoline.

LIVE STAGE
19:30 20:45 Phillipo
20:45 22:15 The Crystal Method
22:15 23:30 PRODIGY LIVE

Worn out and gasping for air, we slowly make our way to the campsite. It’s past midnight, and everyone’s been partying like it’s 1999. No matter, most of the campers are not at all ready to call it a night. We meet a couple that had bought a Friday ticket but decided to add another day and a half to get a Saturday ticket—along with a Heineken tent. The late-night Dance Valley programme has something for everyone and we eagerly dive into the thick of it. The night café is packed and the throbbing trance prompts a few tireless souls to start dancing. Strangers sit down together, resulting in friends for life…or at least a night. In the Silent Disco a little further down the way, more than 1,000 people are on the dance floor, headphones clamped to their ears. There’s a choice between two different styles, so as you can imagine, it’s a pretty hilarious scene. For everyone who can still see straight, the night is young. Hmm, we seem to be having a little trouble with our vision. We decide to go find the campsite.

Silent Disco
0:00 2:30 Tony Cha Cha
0:00 2:30 silent disco dj
2:30 4:00 Danny D
2:30 4:00 silent disco dj

Neighbours who aren’t already acquainted soon become friends. Sitting outside the tents, people share a drink and talk about the past 12 hours. Some study tomorrow’s schedule and try to decide when to set the alarm. A few tents down, a tipsy Italian trips over one of the hundreds of tent ropes. He manages to get back up and continues his search for his temporary home. Not an easy task when facing a sea of thousands of tents that look exactly the same. A couple that can hardly keep their hands off each other quickly duck into a nearby tent. Everyone within a 30-metre radius soon learns that while the tents may be waterproof, they certainly aren’t soundproof. It’s so fun hanging out; nobody wants to go to bed. It’s getting light out and we decide to do something sensible for a change. The second day of Dance Valley is set to erupt in just six hours, and the last thing we want is to stagger around the dance floor like a couple of zombies. We put our earplugs in – a lot of people are already up – and are ready for a few hours of sleep.

Redbull Art Break Area
13:00 15.30 DJ Rockid & DJ Original
15:30 17:00 Ruby Wax
17:00 18:30 Philip Young
18:30 20:00 Raymundo
20:00 22:00 Franklin
Breakdancing Oneofakind

Day two: Saturday in the Valley of Dance
Morning has long since broken by the time we wake up to the loud music that even our earplugs can’t block out. We stick our bedheads out of the tent only to see two aerobics instructors doing their thing on top of a Hummer parked on the campsite. It’s no hallucination. The people making their way to the showers frown at the spectacle and rub the sleep from their eyes. Big surprise that nobody’s in the mood for a morning workout after having already spent five hours – or more-- dancing the night before. Rise and shine, Holland! A friendly Japanese guy hands passes on a leftover breakfast box. We decide to skip breakfast. Who can think of food right now? We didn’t get much sleep, but a new Dance Valley day awaits. We wisely agree that we can sleep in once we’re back in civilisation. Meanwhile, the Saturday line-up is once again to die for. We jump in the shower, throw on some clean clothes and start day 2 looking good and feeling fine.

After a few cups of coffee and rolls, we are back roaming the festival. There will be four times as many visitors today, so a second field of tents has been opened. Sure, it means more ground to cover, but hey, it also means more areas and more artists. We go for a ride on the Ferris wheel, which takes us far, far up and over the tents. The view of the entire festival is fantastic.

Suspended high in the air, we get a good look at the swarming masses down below. It’s like a giant human ant farm. Back on terra firma, we take a peek in the Circo Loco tent, where a whole slew of excellent artists have brought party island par excellence Ibiza to Spaarnwoude. The minimal techno immediately puts us in the right mood, and within an hour we no longer feel the muscle fatigue from yesterday. Ready for a bite of lunch, we shuffle to a food stand and next thing you know we’re kicked back on the grass, enjoying our ham sarnie and the colourful parade of party people passing by.

Circo Loco
10:00 11:00 Andrew Grant
11:00 12:00 Fabrizio
12:00 13:30 Luciano
13:30 15:00 Clive Henry
15:00 16:30 Guido Schneider Live
16:30 18:00 Cirillo
18:00 19:30 Loco Dice
19:30 21:00 Matt John Live
21:00 22:30 Tania Vulcano

This year, Rotterdam’s Ferry Corsten is hosting his own L.E.F. tent for the first time. He’s invited a number of big names that prove to be music to many Dance Valley girls and boys’ ears.

L.E.F.
10:00 12:00 Joeri
12:00 13:45 Frost & Maron
13:45 15:45 Ronald van Gelderen
15:45 17:30 Judge Jules
17:30 20:30 Ferry Corsten
20:30 22:00 Agnelli & Nelson

In the Global Area, which we’ve already checked out and given the thumbs up, host and techno superstar Carl Cox has put together an absolutely killer programme.

Global
10:00 12:00 DJ Hal
12:00 13:30 Jack de Marseille
13:30 15:00 Monika Kruse
15:00 16:00 Trevor Rockcliffe
16:00 17:30 Cristian Varela
17:30 19:00 Michel de Hey
19:00 21:15 Carl Cox
21:15 22:30 Trevor Rockcliffe
MC Stretch

Newcomer Subliminal Sessions has vanguards like Harry ‘Choo Choo’ Romero and Erick Morillo lined up, and as expected their soulful dance attracts a well groomed and good looking crowd.

Subliminal Sessions
10:00 12:00 Alexander Koning
12:00 14:00 Jorge Jamarillo
14:00 16:00 Jose Nunez
16:00 18:00 Harry "Choo Choo" Romero
18:00 21:00 Erick Morillo
21:00 22:30 Sebastian Ingrosso

The Concept area upholds the tradition of serving as a meeting point for technoheads, who are supremely sorted this edition of Dance Valley.

Concept
10:00 11:00 Sandrien
11:00 12:00 Joris Voorn
12:00 13:30 Jesper Dahlbäck
13:30 15:00 Blake Baxter
15:00 15:30 Technasia LIVE
15:30 16:30 Bryan Cox
16:30 18:00 Darren Kay
18:00 19:30 Juan Atkins
19:30 21:00 Geatano Parisio
21:00 21:30 Secret Cinema Live
21:30 22:30 Paco Osuna
MC Paul T

Although there are no less than 14 areas set up today, in late afternoon we head towards the magical big valley. That’s where we plan to spend the rest of the festival day. We take time to stop by the LG-sponsored half pipe to watch the world’s top skaters perform gravity-defying stunts during an official competition.

Like some futuristic Route de Compostela, walking to the place that puts the valley in Dance Valley feels like a pilgrimage, and we run into loads of friends. As always, the vibe is amazing and the best DJs in the world put in an appearance. A loud cheer erupts from the valley every so often, with everyone screaming their heads off. As dusk falls, we can really dig the light and laser show and the temperature reaches boiling point. Thousands of feet dancing to the beat shake the ground. After the grand finale by trance god Armin van Buuren, dazzling fireworks shoot off in all directions.

Mainstage
10:00 11:00 Miss Nine
11:00 12:30 Stef Vrolijk
12:30 14:00 Max Graham
14:00 15:30 Danny Howells
15:30 17:00 Hernan Cattaneo
17:00 18:30 Mauro Picotto
18:30 20:00 Marco V
20:00 21:30 Preach
21:30 23:00 Armin v Buuren
MC Marxman

For many, it’s a wicked finish to an amazing festival day, but to the campers it signals the start of the late night programme on the campsite. Woozy from the drink and music, we somehow manage to make our way to the campsite to put on a clean shirt and hang on to the trip we’re on in the 24-hour café.

Obviously we’re not going to walk away from two days of nearly non-stop dancing, partying and having fun without a scratch. After an intense Friday, we are running on fumes, but we fail to live up to our resolution to hit the sack early. We make it past four before falling into our tent and sinking into a deep coma. It’s almost noon when we unzip the tent on Sunday, this time with an unshakeable sense of melancholy. Everywhere we look, tents are being taken down, and the first wave of campers has already headed home. Parting is such sweet sorrow. Especially after such a brilliant weekend. Even though we don’t have to leave the campsite until 15:00, we know that our dance holiday is almost over. We use up the last tokens and bid farewell to the campsite, where a few friends are still busy packing up their things. Dance Valley is all anyone can talk about in the shuttle bus. And the rest of the week, and the coming weeks, too. One thing is sure: we’ll be back next year. If you ask us, make Dance Valley 2007 a five day affair.

The other area's

Talent
10:00 10:50 Mike West
10:50 11:40 Folker Zwart
11:40 12:30 Asino
12:30 13:20 Mr. Nilsson
13:20 14:10 Rejay
14:10 15:00 Fox
15:00 15:50 Jordi Bouman
15:50 16:40 Thomson
16:40 17:30 Miss Ginger
18:00 19:00 Miss Monica & Miss Bunty
19:00 20:30 Guan Elmzoom
20:30 22:00 Robin "Jaydee" Albers

Electronation / Silent Disco
10:00 11:30 Generik
11:30 12:30 Groove Addicts
12:30 13:30 Prinz
13:30 14:15 Mason & The Maker LIVE
14:15 15:30 Terry Toner vs. Herr Arter
15:30 17:00 Freeform Five
17:00 17:45 Modeselektor LIVE
17:45 19:15 Afrika Bambaataa
19:15 20:45 A Guy Called Gerald VS Roman Flugel
20:45 21:30 Dirt Crew LIVE
21:30 22:30 Hugg & Pepp (Jesper Dahlbäck vs John Dahlbäck)

Chill
11:00 13:00 Crystina
13:00 15:00 Yamauchi LIVE
15:00 17:00 Jerome
17:00 19:00 Arte.fact LIVE
19:00 23:00 Ambient Daan vs Modifi LIVE

Entrance
10:00 11:00 Robert Feelgood
11:00 12:30 Peter Gelderblom
12:30 14:00 Mike van Loon
14:00 15:00 Jesse Voorn
14:30 16:00 Makcim

Silent Disco
23:00 1:00 Silent Disco DJ's
23:00 1:00 Steve Carta
1:00 4:00 Silent Disco DJ's
1:00 2:30 Ian Betts
2:30 4:00 Erick Pike

RedBull Art Break
10:00 12:00 DJ Flava
12.00 13.30 DJ Rockid
13.30 15.00 DJ Original
15.00 17.00 DJ Irwan
17.00 19.00 Missing Links
19.00 21.00 Mr.Speak
21.00 22.00 The Flexican
Breakdancing Oneofakind