Tecktonik

Tecktonik (sometimes abbreviated as TCK) was the name of a major trend, movement and subculture in France from 2006 to 2007, encompassing fashion, music and the dancing style of the same name (although the dance style also has various nicknames like French Electro Dance, Milky Way or Vertigo^[1]).

During its beginnings in 2002, it originally referred to soirées (evenings) when Dutch and Belgian electronic genres such as Hardstyle or Jumpstyle were played, particularly in Métropolis, a nightclub that operated in the Parisian suburb of Rungis. Indeed, Tecktonik was originally a term used for official events in that club, although later the term started being referred to its closely related subculture. These events eventually became really popular throughout the entire country, also reaching teenagers from various parts of the world through the internet and online forums^[2]^[3]. Sometimes considered a fad, it started declining in 2008, particularly because of corporate attempts to appropiate the style as well as shifting trends in the city of Paris^[4].

History[]

Tecktonik started developing in the early 2000s. During this time period (as well as the 80s or 90s), electronic music and Rave culture was at its peak in Europe, especially in countries like the Netherlands (with Gabber and Hardstyle), Belgium (with Jumpstyle and New Beat), England (with Madchester) and Germany (with Hardcore Techno), and to a lesser extent in other countries like Spain (with Mákina) or Austria (with Krocha).

This trend gave a new idea to Alexandre Barousdin and Cyril Blanc. The term "Tecktonik" was coined in 2002, derived from the French word "tectonique" (meaning tectonic) as a word play on plate tectonics. They started organizing the soirées known as Tecktonik Killer, as part of the Tecktonik Events in the Métropolis nightclub, located in Rungis. The scene's goal was to promote Dutch and Belgian musical genres in French pop culture, such as Jumpstyle and Hardstyle. It had a really unique ambience, including the dance battles (in which dancers would use dance styles such as Melbourne Shuffle or Breakdance), colorful LED lights, fire special effects and boxing rings. The original members of the subculture were called Killers (masculine) or Killeuses (feminine).

In 2006 and 2007, the Tecktonik subculture quickly became a major trend thanks to the internet and forums such as Skyrock. One of the most popular videos ever was "Wantek Danse electro!!!" by Jey-Jey, which gained 1 million views at the time. Consequently, it became a significant cultural export among teenagers in countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Madagascar, Russia, Mexico, Japan and Spain. In the rest of France, many children and teenagers followed the trend and danced to Tecktonik at school or lycée (French secondary school). In June 2007, Tecktonik dancers were present at LGBT+ Pride month parades in Nantes and Lyon.

The unexpected^[5] incredible success of Tecktonik gave the creators the idea to turn it into an official trademark to start profiting off the movement and its potential. They sold all types of mass-produced merchandise trademarked as "Tecktonik", including T-shirts, oldschool phones, bags, fingerless gloves, bracelets, purses, chewing gum, energetic drinks, branded hair shampoo and gel, belts with LED lights and even an official video game for the Nintendo DS console, titled Tecktonik: World Tour^[6]. They even opened two official hair boutiques where people could get hairstyles with Punk crests, fluorescent hair extensions and dark make-up with star shapes. These hair salons made approximately 20,000 euros per month. Although Alexandre and Cyril Blanc made a lot of money off all of the merchandise, it was also problematic for the members of the subculture since they couldn't use the registered trademark for their own music events. That's why Tecktonik slowly started to fall apart: it was a musical movement that brought together people from all over the world but later became a simple, commercialized and profitable image because of businesses.

In 2008 it started rapidly declining. The Métropolis nightclub stopped hosting the Tecktonik music evenings, and iconic bands that shaped the subculture such as Yelle switched to other dance genres. Many people who participated in Tecktonik were mocked or cyberbullied online, and Hip-Hop and Rap became the next big trends in Paris during that year. Rappers and Tecktonik Killers had friendly rivalries as street fashion as well, and one notable example is the song "Anti-Tecktonik" by Sexion D'assaut. In the music video, this French Hip-Hop band pretends that they are hunting the members of the Tecktonik subculture and jokes about hurting or killing them with baseball bats.

Fashion[]

Tecktonik fashion includes^[7]:

T-shirts with logos
Slim jeans
Tight pants
Eye-catching sneakers, sometimes resembling slippers
Black belts with rhinestones or LED lights
Fingerless black and white gloves
Skull, stripes and checkered motifs/patterns
Neon colors, as well as black and white
Sunglasses
Hairstyles with Punk-inspired crests and lots of gel
Fluorescent hair extensions
Black or dark makeup, typically a star on the right eye

Logo[]

As a trademark, the official logo or trademark of the Tecktonik subculture is a grey heraldic eagle, split in half by a saltire that reads "Tecktonik" along with a pink star. This logo tends to be used in T-shirts and related merchandise, and the colors used may vary. When Tecktonik became a major trend in France and around the world, Alexandre Barousdin appropiated the very movement he started to profit off it. The logo was used in all types of merchandise, from T-shirts to drinks and even shampoo brands.

Dance[]

Contrary to popular assumption, Tecktonik (also known as Milky Way or Electro Dance) is not actually a musical genre. Instead, it's a distinct dance style that emerged from dance battles in the Métropolis nightclub. The choreographies tend to be individual and vertical (the dancer never lies down or does somersaults) and the dancers usually keep their feet on the ground, even when elements related to kicks in the air are included. The most distinctive aspect of the dance style are the arm movements, with quick turns of the elbows in all directions.