Invitations pinged across people’s Facebook event lists. The plan was simple. First, RSVP. Then, download a mix by D.C.’s local DJ, Choppy Oppy. Finally, meet at Dupont Circle Saturday at 8pm. Oh, and bring your headphones.

Hundreds of people gathered for the first With Love D.C. Silent Disco. A crowd of all different ages, (and probably musical preferences?) filled the circle from the stone fountain to the grassy lawn space. Groups of friends mingled, and families pushed strollers. Some guests found a seat on the benches, and untangled their ear buds.

The goal was to bring some joy to our nation’s capital. With Love D.C. has been organizing other community events around the district like pop-up yoga sessions, but this was their first Silent Disco. A beaming Heather Markowitz of With Love D.C. thanked everyone, and explained the very simple plan. Cue up the mix, press play together, and get to dancing! She started the group countdown, and Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.” got everyone moving.

Suddenly, it was the scene of a mass of people just dancing, laughing, and having a great time. A couple of dance circles formed, cheering for braver dancers to show off their breaking skills.

We spotted Batman having a dance-off with Superman. A group of giddy minions from Despicable Me bopping around together. DJ Choppy Oppy passed out free postcards that read “Spread Love.” A conga line snaked around the crowd. A few daring dancers took their shoes off and got into the fountain to cool off — and capture some priceless selfies.

Tourists walked by and look confused. Other onlookers who found themselves surrounded by silent dancers tapped us on the shoulder and asked us what was going on.

Every so often you would see people checking with their friends to make sure they were still on the same time as everyone else — this became very apparent when people started dancing to The Isley Brother’s “Shout” and raising their hands at slightly different times.

We did spot a guy sitting down reading on the steps of the fountain. Have you ever seen anyone reading in the middle of a crowd of dancers? Only at a silent disco.

And the funniest part? Take your headphones off, and you’d hear no music, but still see everyone in the middle of their own interpretive dance as the sun began to set.

There was a small police presence, but had little to do since there was no loud music, and everyone was in good spirits.

We all cheered together in a sort-of collective congratulations when the last song ended. It was now dark outside, and people removed their headphones and began to make their after-party plans.

Thanks to a very simple plan, and the uniting force of music, for that hour on Saturday night, Dupont Circle was transformed into joy-filled social experiment that went off without a hitch.

Blog by Cristina Rayas and Toby Mues, Photos by Toby Mues