Sophie Shaw first experienced frisson while training as a dancer, although at that point she didn’t have a word to describe the feeling. As she no longer dances, Sophie was searching for a new way to find frisson and to share it with others. One of the most common triggers of frisson is music. Here are five things I learned from Sophie’s talk about her new project; Frissonic:

1. In case (like me), you’re unsure of what frisson actually means, it’s “A sudden strong feeling of excitement or fear; a thrill” (The Oxford Dictionary). There is a link between a sensation of frisson and dopamine being released into your brain.

2. Sophie commented that over the last few years, there has been a noticeable decline in the number of large nightclubs and many have closed their doors for good. On the other hand, we have seen a rise in the desire for and availability of alternative entertainment; including festivals and pop-up events and themed nights.

3. Frissonic will produce events that borrow from interaction design, immersive theatre and multimedia to frame a party that takes its revellers on a journey to frisson. The team are working on finding the balance between delivering a linear and engaging narrative and creating an experience sympathetic to a party atmosphere.

4. Working with local DJ collectives to produce bespoke sets and commissioning local artists to make installations linked to the overall theme are both core elements of Frissonic’s unique events. There will be an annual theme, and each event will tour to different cities.

5. Alchemy – Become Gold is Frissonic’s first theme, their launch event took place at The Island in Bristol on Saturday 19 March. Frissonic will be announcing future events and themes on their website soon.