yedancer wrote:If the DJ doesn't mind, why don't you put a little CD walkman or a small CD player with headphones by the CDs, so that people who aren't very familiar with the names of songs can preview the CDs and pick something they like? After all, it's my experience than the average dancer doesn't have much clue about music, unless they're a DJ on the side.
I agree with Jeremy that a big problem is that you are asking a group of people who are passively interested in paying attention to the names and titles of songs to select the music. You will get a "greatest hits" night that favors the tastes of people who have less compunction about offending the DJ than the silent majority will have.
A bigger problem is political: that inspiring insurrection like that will most likely kick him into defensive mode, which could create more serious inter-personal problems for your scene than the music. I sense that these tensions are already building and will only explode if you tacitly enlist others to help you insult him.
Alternatives:
1) POLITELY talk to this allegedly-awful DJ in a polite manner about the problem.
2) Share your insights on music with him to try to inspire him to get better. ("Hey, have you heard this CD?!?!")
3) Discuss an alternative DJ with the venue owner for every other week;
4) Set up your own night/venue if you feel confident that enough people share your opinion that this DJ stinks, clarifying that it is to serve an unrepresented portion of the scene, not to steal the same portion. If your tastes in music are so different, then he might actually appreciate your siphoning off the dancers who want your style of music. (I know that I wouldn't want someone like Reuben stalking around my dances bitching and moaning about the music simply because his taste is different (and more limited) than mine).