Early punk music was built on the alienation of young artists and musicians who were forced onto the fringes on society. Disco, on the other hand, was the preserve of the social elite. Sharing little except (presumably) a mutual love for cocaine, the two scenes had very different approaches to music and fashion.

DOXA’s fall fundraiser Flipside: Disco vs Punk taps into the antagonism and creative energies that ran between both styles. Offering a dance battle and dueling DJ showdown, Flipside will pit your best Saturday Night Fever hand gestures against your most impressive punk pogo.

Featuring a live acoustic performance from Joe Keithley, founder of hardcore Vancouver punk group D.O.A., expect a storied rendition of the singer’s 1978 hit “Disco Sucks” in honour of the occasion. Balancing Keithley’s dry humour will be M.C.s Isolde N. Barron and Peach Cobblah, who will keep the evening on track as dancers gyrate on the sweaty dance floor to a mashup of late-70s classics.

Not merely offering a prize to the person with the best moves, however, Flipside asks you to pick an allegiance, and dress to impress. Encouraging partygoers who choose to pull on a silk flared jumpsuit or don their Doc Martens and egg white-gelled mohawks, the event will offer a generous reward for the “most awesomely outrageous costume” on display.

The evening will also feature film projections from Cineworks, as well as a silent auction with prizes including restaurant gift certificates, getaways, artwork, and tickets to numerous cultural events across Vancouver. Created to help support the DOXA festival and all its programming initiatives—including filmmaker attendance, panel discussions, educational programs like Rated Y for Youth, and the presentation of the very best documentary films from around the world—the organization’s annual fundraiser is both a good laugh and a good cause.

Prepare for an epic culture clash.

DOXA’s Flipside: Disco vs Punk is at Ironworks (235 Alexander Street) on December 1. Check out the DOXA website for more details.

Follow Kate Wilson on Twitter @KateWilsonSays