History of the Disco Ball

While disco is frequently the butt of jokes, no one can deny the mesmerizing effect of a spinning disco ball. Covered in hundreds of tiny mirrors, the disco ball spins light around the room and can instantly transform a dull event into a party. How did an object exist in obscurity for 50 years only to emerge as one of the most instantly recognizable symbols of the day in the 1970s? You may hate disco, but after you learn more about the ball, you'll at least give one of its enduring symbols its due credit.

Origins

Although most people associate disco balls with platform shoes, Studio 54 and other staples of the disco craze, the disco ball actually predates disco by more than 50 years. A staple of many 1920s nightclubs, the mirror ball (as it was called then) never fully took off until the right blend of music, lights and colors combined to create a craze in the 1970s. Disco's repetitious grooves and the disco ball's hypnotic glow worked in tandem to ensure the mirror ball's place as an undying symbol of the disco era.

Pre-Disco

Most records of pre-disco mirror balls are confined to existing films that depict the balls in practice. Films such as German director Walter Ruttmann's 1927 silent film "Berlin: Die Sinfonie der Großstadt" and the 1942 classic "Casablanca" depict mirror balls with little fanfare. It wasn't until the "sound chaser" lighting of disco hit the ball's surface that the glittery orb became the symbol it is today.

Disco-Era

Sound-chaser lighting developed out of a more complex four-part lighting system that responded to four frequencies of the music. The sound chaser also used four lights but only responded to the bass frequency. When combined with the spinning disco ball, the result was captivating. Suddenly the disco was more than just a place to dance. It was a magical wonderland of escape. Like the earth orbiting around the sun, the disco ball transported people to a nearly cosmic realm.

Post-Disco

After disco, the disco ball became commercialized. Today, the ball is visible in many aspects of everyday life. From disco ball earrings to hipster lounges that spin the ball for the appropriate atmosphere, the disco ball permeates American life far outside the realm of disco. Unlike polyester suits, the disco ball has survived the death of disco and is now as beloved as the strobe light. Proms, concerts and late-night makeout sessions all benefit from the multi-mirrored surface of the disco ball.

Large and Expensive Balls

In recent years, certain musical artists have taken the disco ball to epic extremes. Pink Floyd used a massive disco ball on its 1994 Division Bell tour that measured a whopping 4.9 meters in diameter. Madonna one-upped even that during her 2006 Confessions on a Dance Floor tour with a 2-ton disco ball covered in $2 million worth of Swarovski crystals.

Resources

• Buy a Disco Ball