I've got this thing about people sitting on the stage at dances. You see it in busy halls with a stage when a DJ is playing tunes. There'll be a line of people sitting on the front of the stage, occasionally dancing, then going back to sit on the stage. It seems to have a drain on the energy on the dance floor.
What do you think?
Dancers sitting on the stage
Moderators: Mr Awesomer, JesseMiner, CafeSavoy
Do you think its more of an energy drain on the dance floor than a group of tables? Or how about a group of tables on the stage?
Where is the dj "booth" in your situation? On the same level as the floor, or the stage? Not that it matters that much, but sometimes being above the fray, as opposed to being on the ground in it, can make a difference in perception of energy for the DJ.
Personally I dont find it a drain when people sit on the stage while I'm djing. No more so than a group of people hanging out in a corner of the room to only occasionally come out to dance. Dance halls come in all shapes and sizes, so when it's busy there will be people crawling all over the place. It's a social time for people too, so hanging out and talking is part of what they're paying to get in to do. Of course, if they're sitting on the stage more than they're dancing, then yeah, I'd probably wonder what the deal was and try to figure out how to get them on the floor.
The best remedy I can think of is to put a swing band on that stage, then see if they try to sit there.
Where is the dj "booth" in your situation? On the same level as the floor, or the stage? Not that it matters that much, but sometimes being above the fray, as opposed to being on the ground in it, can make a difference in perception of energy for the DJ.
Personally I dont find it a drain when people sit on the stage while I'm djing. No more so than a group of people hanging out in a corner of the room to only occasionally come out to dance. Dance halls come in all shapes and sizes, so when it's busy there will be people crawling all over the place. It's a social time for people too, so hanging out and talking is part of what they're paying to get in to do. Of course, if they're sitting on the stage more than they're dancing, then yeah, I'd probably wonder what the deal was and try to figure out how to get them on the floor.
The best remedy I can think of is to put a swing band on that stage, then see if they try to sit there.
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Toon Town Dave
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I don't consider it a drain on the energy at all. Perhaps I don't know what you mean or I am just too "American" on this issue, but I don't want or need to be "the show," so I don't mind people sitting onstage at all. Here in Austin, it actually breaks down barriers and makes it feel more "homey" and relaxed for me as a DJ on the stage.
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JesseMiner
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I personally love the vibe when it is so packed that the stage is crowded with dancers. Usually I am DJing for behind them, and often dancers will turn around asking about particular tracks. Perfectly fine with me. Also it often seems to be the "cats corner" advanced crowd, and that means they will usually be dancing close to the stage as well which is always fun to watch!
Agreed that it is really weird when people sit on the stage with their backs facing the band. That just seems wrong.
Jesse
Agreed that it is really weird when people sit on the stage with their backs facing the band. That just seems wrong.
Jesse
The DJ booth might be on the stage, on the floor, or in a separate raised area elsewhere in the room. In the dances I'm thinking of, the people sitting on the stage do just that for over 75% of the time.fredo wrote:Where is the dj "booth" in your situation? On the same level as the floor, or the stage? Not that it matters that much, but sometimes being above the fray, as opposed to being on the ground in it, can make a difference in perception of energy for the DJ.
It's a social time for people too, so hanging out and talking is part of what they're paying to get in to do. Of course, if they're sitting on the stage more than they're dancing, then yeah, I'd probably wonder what the deal was and try to figure out how to get them on the floor.
When I've experienced it, it's usually more of an advanced crowd with a 'cats corner' flavour. The problem is that when I see this, most of the time people are just sitting on the stage, not dancing. And when people do this, they don't seem to be interested in moving elsewhere to dance. It's a case of dance here occasionally or nothing.JesseMiner wrote:it often seems to be the "cats corner" advanced crowd, and that means they will usually be dancing close to the stage as well which is always fun to watch!
As a DJ it was never an issue for me and the dancers know better than doing it during band nights.
Locally, it was an issue a few years back, the dancers that hung around the stage had a reputation for being cliquish. One anonymous dancer wrote a nasty email complaining and used the word, "stage troll." The term got popular and the dancers who hung around the stage jokingly called themselves stage trolls.
About two years ago, the Syndicate Board (which consisted of some of the so-called stage trolls) decided to move the DJ table from the stage to the floor. One of the benefits was that it would discourage everybody from hanging out by the stage. It is a matter of opinion how much impact it had (I think it had some impact, but plenty of dancers still hang out by the stage). Personally, I did not like the idea, sooner or later somebody is going to accidentally bump into the DJ booth and possibly damage the equipment.
Some of the other DJs (like Lawrence) agree with me and can sight other reasons. The DJs who like the move, also tend to want to dance a lot during their sets. Which is the a current topic on another thread.
I guess I would not sweat it, there are worse things than having dancers sit on the stage while you are DJing. You certainly don't want to be subjected to short sighted solutions like the one they did locally. I just hope my laptop is not the one that is going to get toasted.
Nathan
Locally, it was an issue a few years back, the dancers that hung around the stage had a reputation for being cliquish. One anonymous dancer wrote a nasty email complaining and used the word, "stage troll." The term got popular and the dancers who hung around the stage jokingly called themselves stage trolls.
About two years ago, the Syndicate Board (which consisted of some of the so-called stage trolls) decided to move the DJ table from the stage to the floor. One of the benefits was that it would discourage everybody from hanging out by the stage. It is a matter of opinion how much impact it had (I think it had some impact, but plenty of dancers still hang out by the stage). Personally, I did not like the idea, sooner or later somebody is going to accidentally bump into the DJ booth and possibly damage the equipment.
Some of the other DJs (like Lawrence) agree with me and can sight other reasons. The DJs who like the move, also tend to want to dance a lot during their sets. Which is the a current topic on another thread.
I guess I would not sweat it, there are worse things than having dancers sit on the stage while you are DJing. You certainly don't want to be subjected to short sighted solutions like the one they did locally. I just hope my laptop is not the one that is going to get toasted.
Nathan
