I recently DJ'd at the Knoxville Lindy Exchange. This is a relatively small exchange and a lot of the attendees traveled from nearby cities (in other words drove there). On Friday Late Night they had two rooms going on and I was asked to DJ the last shift on the Friday Night Dance. I believe it was 4-5 or maybe 3-4...I forget. Anyway, It was really hard to get a lot of folks dancing because:
a) Most people seemed very tired from getting to the event after a few hours in the car earlier that night.
b) those who wanted to Blues were in the Blues Room (and I think slowing the main room that much would have killed the night for many other dancers who do not enjoy Blues that much).
I tried to shake things up. I got more people on the dance than I expected. And a lot of people came afterwards saying how much they liked my set....But, Hmmmm, I wish I could have gotten more people dancing (I did see a lot of people bobbing their heads up & down with all the songs).
Anyway, I think I did pretty good given the situation but my inquiry is about how to handle this graveyard shift where most people feel like socializing instead of dancing. Have you encountered this situation?Suggestions?
Nima
Graveyard Shift
Moderators: Mr Awesomer, JesseMiner, CafeSavoy
Here's my opinion in my dancer voice, not my DJ voice:
Play me music I wish I were dancing to. If it doesn't make me straining to get up the energy to dance, I'll leave the room & talk where it's easier to do so.
If you play the exact same kind of music you'd play to give a crowd of dancers a good time, I think they'll have a good time sitting on the edge of the floor talking. If you cater to the fact that they're talking, it'll be completely unmemorable, and instead of blaming the lack of dancing on their own bodies, they'll blame it on you and be grumpy over the "bad DJing."
Play me music I wish I were dancing to. If it doesn't make me straining to get up the energy to dance, I'll leave the room & talk where it's easier to do so.
If you play the exact same kind of music you'd play to give a crowd of dancers a good time, I think they'll have a good time sitting on the edge of the floor talking. If you cater to the fact that they're talking, it'll be completely unmemorable, and instead of blaming the lack of dancing on their own bodies, they'll blame it on you and be grumpy over the "bad DJing."
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mousethief
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People will dance if you give them something to dance to. But offering good music that makes you want to dance if something different. Push buttons, take risks. I like to ask myself "if this song is great, what would be even better?" That kind of thing.
I don't think invited/guest DJs are supposed to be bland and ordinary. I think you are supposed to shake things up but that's based on your read of the floor.
Sounds like you did a goob job with what you had.
Kalman
I don't think invited/guest DJs are supposed to be bland and ordinary. I think you are supposed to shake things up but that's based on your read of the floor.
Sounds like you did a goob job with what you had.
Kalman
"The cause of reform is hurt, not helped, when an activist makes an idiotic suggestion."