Blast OFF! A Q&A with Dylan Reialing, creator of Fake Prom
Written byRonak Ghorbani
Photos byRonak Ghorbani
Date: September 30, 2008
In late August, Toronto’s annual Fake Prom invaded banquet hall Palais Royale, changing the usual chic décor to a space themed night. With a ceiling hung solar-system diorama and a life size robot by the dance floor, this year’s Fake Prom was seriously out of this world. Amongst the dance craze, event founder Dylan Reialing took a second to talk to Ronak Ghorbani.



Muted Magazine: So this is my first time at fake prom, what should I expect?

Dylan Reialing: I guess I would expect a packed dance floor, you can expect a lot of crazy people in ridiculous costumes.

MM: How did you come up with your costume?

DR: Oh I spent so long on decorating today. This is literally driving last minute, getting to the costume store 15 minutes before it closed. I’m usually a big costume guy, but I’ve got so much else on my mind, but I’m happy with what I got. I got this silver Neil Armstrong jumpsuit and some sort of astronaut helmet.

MM: Where’d you pick it up?

DR: I picked it up at this great costume warehouse called Thunder Thighs in the east end.

MM: How does it feel to have Fake Prom move from a small venue like Sneaky Dee’s to Palais Royale?

DR: I usually don’t spend a lot of time in really fancy places like this. It’s really beautiful and the patio is amazing, it’s a treat. It’s not very often people have an excuse to come here, or have an opportunity to come here. I try to keep the party as cheap as I can to make sure people can make it.

MM: How did Fake Prom start?

DR: I just wanted to get together with all my friends to have a party. No one really had a house to have a party at, so we were just like let’s book it at Sneaky Dee’s. Then we brainstormed different ideas and Fake Prom is the tomato that stuck against the wall.

MM: How do you come up with the themes each year?

DR: I go to a lot of teeny-bopper real prom websites and try to steal as much as I can from them. I knew I wanted to do a space theme before last year’s Fake Prom. I don’t know about next year, we’re throwing around ideas, there’s been some ridiculous ones. We’re throwing around the idea of the 10 commandments, or the seven deadly sins or a country how-down.

MM: Why do so many people still come to prom?

DR: When you say prom, everyone knows exactly what it is. There’s dancing, it’s a semi-formal event, it’s something that draws people. I don’t think there are many opportunities for people to get dressed up and go dancing with their friends, and have a completely out of the ordinary experience. For first timers, this is hilarious. I can wear my cheesy powder blue tux, or the bride’s maid dress you’ll never wear again. There’s a lot of aqua sea-foam frilly dresses kicking around at fake prom.