SwingDJs

We are all aware of how important it is to DJ for the Dancers and try your best to keep them happy.
How important is it to challenge them with your song selection?
ie spinning new / fast / slow / unusual / older / newer style swing songs. Songs that our outside the average dancers comfort zone.
Is it just as important to give them the challenge to make it more interesting for them?
Is it to easy just spin songs that are within the comfort zone?

Brian

I'm a cynic. I think most dancers are just out to have fun and don't want to be challenged in the sense of exceeding their comfort zone.

Julius is probably right but I don't have to like it.

Kalman

julius wrote:I'm a cynic. I think most dancers are just out to have fun and don't want to be challenged in the sense of exceeding their comfort zone.

which explains lindy groove

I think dancers should be challenged but I'm usually met with resistance when I try it. I think every once in a while the dj should play something tha just freaks people out. Of course, not everything is good freak out music. No mambo, no salsa, no hip hop, no rock and roll, no ...

Stan Kenton marches up and down the tour bus, muttering loudly. "We have to play something new, something fresh, something different. What should we play?"

A voice from the back yells "How about some jazz, Stan?"

I think this is where live music plays a critical role --- we've been going out dancing to the same live band weekly now for 4 or 5 months; depending on who is in the band (the personnel changes depending on who is available) - the band sounds totally different --- I think this really challenges the dancers, because you have to change your style depending on the sound.

djstarr wrote: - the band sounds totally different --- I think this really challenges the dancers, because you have to change your style depending on the sound.

Only the advanced dancers change their dance based on the sound, I would say the majority of dancers dance exactly the same to every song.

sonofvu wrote:I think dancers should be challenged but I'm usually met with resistance when I try it. I think every once in a while the dj should play something tha just freaks people out. Of course, not everything is good freak out music. No mambo, no salsa, no hip hop, no rock and roll, no ...

Give us an example. Do you play "Kiss Me & I'll Kiss You Back?"

Kalman

Thats a a cool song, I haven't heard that song for years. I just might have to go out and buy some digital underground.

Tomorrow is the day, ol' Roy, ol' pal.

The big debut.

Kalman

mousethief wrote:

sonofvu wrote:I think dancers should be challenged but I'm usually met with resistance when I try it. I think every once in a while the dj should play something tha just freaks people out. Of course, not everything is good freak out music. No mambo, no salsa, no hip hop, no rock and roll, no ...

Give us an example. Do you play "Kiss Me & I'll Kiss You Back?"

Kalman

Never heard of it. I'll go through my set lists (the ones that survived my recent backup) and find some examples. By the way, who is this Digital Underground now? Are they bop?

Never mind.

Shimmy shimmy cocoa pop
Shimmy shimmy cocoa pop
Shimmy shimmy cocoa pop
Shimmy shimmy cocoa pop
We we chocolate cross over
Yea we chocolate cross over
See me cocoa might go pop
I'm cocoa and I might go pop
Now it's about time that I cleared this
so pardon me miss
but I'd like for you to hear this
If you kiss me then I'll kiss you back
You see I feel real good inside and it's just from your nearness
there's no need for you to fear this
Kiss me, I'll kiss you back
mmmm-
Well ya look kinda cute to me
I think we can achieve this
plus you act like you need this
Kiss me and I'll kiss you back
You act real fly
Money-B's not buyin' it
quit denyin' it
you're better off tryin' it
Freak me girl and I'll freak you back
(duh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuuuuh)

No. I've never attempted to "stretch" dancers with this song.

sonofvu wrote: Never heard of it. I'll go through my set lists (the ones that survived my recent backup) and find some examples. By the way, who is this Digital Underground now? Are they bop?

They are hip hop from the late 80's it's where Tupac got his start. They have another famous song-The humpty dance-"i look like MC Hammer on Crack" is a great line from it.

Challenge? Not really. Stretch their tastes? Yes, If you can do it subtly. Subtle, to me, would be making them say, "Wow, I didn't think I liked this kind of music, but it's awesome!" I guess that's our job: to know so much music that we can play the best of the best, which helps them love things even more than they otherwise would've or makes them love new things.

Challenge as far as, "Hey, can you dance to this?" It depends on the venue and the dancers, I suppose. I certainly think it'd have to be a novelty for the night, unless people knew coming in to the venue that as a dancer who's only taken the time to learn one style of partner dancing, he/she might just have to sit some songs out. Of course, if you're DJing at a place where it's expected that you'll play songs to inspire many forms of partner dancing, you'd better start researching your collection so you don't play the rhumba equivalent of, "Jump, Jive, 'n' Wail" and annoy the heck out of anybody there who's put time and effort into learning other dances.

In fact, now that I think about it, perhaps I should look into my novelty "other dance" songs and go through them. All I have when someone requests a salsa is "Que Viva la Noche." I should ask a real salsa dancer who would be well-respected and well-received by all levels of dancers (same for samba, foxtrot, waltz, etc.).