Beyond Wonderland

As Beyond Wonderland 2012 comes to a close, we want thank our fans for your continued support and enthusiasm year after year - even in some wet weather! After the stages are set and the decorations are illuminated, what always completes the transformation is YOU.

Thank you for allowing us to share our vision with you this year at Beyond Wonderland, and braving the elements for what was an amazing night of music, art and adventure!

We hope you will join us for  Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas on June 8th, 9th, and 10th at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

While Beyond Wonderland 2012 is over, our journey together does not have to come to an end. The Beyond Wonderland Recovery Party featuring Hardwell is this Monday night at Playhouse

With our tireless production crew working around the clock, Beyond Wonderland is really beginning to bloom at the San Manuel Amphitheater and Grounds!

Across the lush landscape we are beginning to see an entirely new world come to life. All five stages are assembled, incredible art installations are beginning to take form, and a magical energy can be felt across the grounds. Thousands of lights are are illuminated and packs of creative minds are breathing life into the decor. We can't wait to see what all our hard work looks like when the sun sets.

Wonderland will soon be yours to explore!

It looks like we're going to have a gorgeous day in Wonderland! We're expecting beautiful weather in San Bernardino on Saturday with sunny skies and warm temperatures in the mid-80s. This will be the perfect setting for our beautiful outdoor adventure. We encourage you to arrive at the festival early to enjoy the sun!

Temperatures may drop a bit in the evening so bring a jacket or sweatshirt just in case. We encourage you to check the weather ahead of time and plan accordingly.

We are excited to kick off our 2013 festival season with you in this warm and sunny weather! Fall down the rabbit hole and welcome summer at Beyond Wonderland.

Here at Insomniac it’s all about the experience, but just who are the people that go into creating these surreal environments? Behind every festival, there are hundreds of people making sure the crowd is having the time of their life. This installment of Behind the Experience explores a group of people at our events that everyone has seen but few have heard. Our dancers and performers are perhaps the most beautiful and unique part of an Insomniac event, but we never hear their side of the story. They spend hours preparing their mind and body for a full festival-long performance. Underneath all the costumes and make-up are these immensely talented dancers and actors who help take festivalgoers deeper down the rabbit hole. You'll be hard-pressed to find one break character or send bad vibes. We recently had the opportunity to pick the brain of one of our seasoned dancers, Chelsee Heinrichs.

How long have you been performing and how did you first become interested in doing this kind of work?
My childhood consisted mostly of classes, camps, and recitals in just about every type of performing art. I've been training in dance the longest though, since I was three years old. (My mother was essentially priming me for a lifetime of spotlight addiction.) I moved from Portland to pursue a career in dance, but I hadn't considered anything relating to EDM until my friends at my first part-time job sucked me into it. In fact, my first gig with Insomniac was the first Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas. It was also my first time in Vegas, first time even attending a rave, and my first performance on such a grand scale. Needless to say, that weekend still ranks as one of the greatest, eye-opening, life-changing experiences to this day.

What's your favorite part about performing?
The rush you get from stepping on that stage in front of thousands upon thousands of people is insane and completely incomparable to any other feeling. As a performer, I thrive off of that feeling. My own version of an adrenaline junkie, if you will. Equally as fulfilling, but in a different way, is knowing that you can make someone's experience special through your actions. Smiling, waving, locking eyes, making any sort of a connection with your audience affects them and they feel that. That's my job, to make you feel something.

What's the weirdest thing that's happened while performing?
Working at Insomniac means you kind of thrive on weird... but I've definitely had my performer A-game tested once or twice. For a example, at EDC New York during Manufactured Superstars' set, Pasquale's mom, Irene, insisted on having her very own solo on the main stage... front and center. This wasn't the first time she's made an appearance on the stage at an event, but this was certainly the longest she had resisted anyone telling her to take a bow and exit. She was feeling that stage and nothing was about to move her, not even eight bright orange astronaut dancers bouncing all around her. At that point, there was no fighting the situation, so I ended up dancing with her and making her feel included in the performance. (After all, it is her son's party, the least you can do is let her enjoy it too!) When it finally came time to her leaving, the crowd was loving it so much that they actually began chanting, "Let her stay! Let her stay!" Even though her performance came to a close that day, there's no doubt in any of our minds that she'll return. And when she does, we'll be right there to dance alongside her.

Have you ever broken character?
NEVER BREAK CHARACTER. This is the equivalency to your neighborhood mall Santa taking his beard off while your sitting on his lap simply because he's "tired." Too bad if you're tired. The show must go on. Don't ruin this magical time for the attendees simply because you don't want to keep your beard on. Or, you know, something of the sort.

If someone wanted to get into your kind of work, how would they do so?
I would suggest submitting your photos, resume, and links to videos of you dancing to casting@insomniac.com. On top of that, take dance classes! Listen to and dissect the music. Understand that to be a dancer, you're a physical translation of the music you hear. Study other dancers. Find your style. And most of all, have fun!

Take home a souvenir to help you remember Wonderland! The Insomniac Merch Booth will be stocked with a huge collection of clothing including t-shirts, tank tops, hoodies for males & females as well as accessories including bags and lanyards. We have some great new gear just for Beyond Wonderland 2013 that you'll definitely want to get your hands on. Get there early because items and sizes are limited.

The Merch Booth can be located on the map inside the festival.

This year at Beyond Wonderland, we've got a special treat for all you bass heads looking for that extra thrill down the rabbit hole. Dubstep extraordinaire Crizzly will be gracing us with not one but two sets during the festival! You'll be able to catch him and his tunes both in epic proportions at Chess Village at 10pm and in an up-close-and-personal setting at the Discovery Stage from midnight to 1am. If you're looking to get down and dirty with the US's finest, look no further than Crizzly at Beyond Wonderland.