Advice for DJ'ing a mixed dance venue?

[jmatthew]

I found out I'm "inheriting" a weekly dance at the end of summer, which is neat, but it's a general ballroom dance, with a mix of swing, club, latin and smooth dances. I've DJ'd this event twice before, once as a pure swing event (went really really well) and once as a mixed event (kind of sucked) so I'm kind of curious if anyone here has any experience mixing in a completely eclectic set of music and can toss me some pointers?

Or is it just pointless to worry about it since it's such a wierd mess of genres to begin with?

[mousethief]

Yes, it's pointless to worry much about it. I would just keep things simple, since, as most ballroom instructors and party-goers can attest, the average dancer is barely keeping up.

They are on a specific syllabus, after all.

Kalman

[mousethief]

That ain't to say that you can't be selective or do a great job to win over the crowd, just that what passes for "a great Lindy song" doesn't mean as much (if anything) there.

Kalman

[gatorgal]

Or is it just pointless to worry about it since it's such a wierd mess of genres to begin with?

Yep, it is pretty pointless, since you're not going to make everyone happy.

Just play what you think will work and you'll do fine.

Tina

[julius]

A lot of mediocre swing songs also pass for foxtrots, so you'll probably keep lindy hoppers and smooth dancers (relatively) happy there. Faster swing songs are good for quickstep. You're up crap creek with the latin stuff though in my opinion. I've never thought latin mixed well with swing, but it's not like I've gone to many nights where they've tried to mix the two.

Club dancing? Are we talking nightclub two step and hustle, or booty dancing?

[mousethief]

Ooh... Nightclub Two-Step.

"Boy from Impanema" by Peggy Lee is a good cross over song. I might also recommend standards by Sintra or "Come By Me" (bleagh) by Harry Chronic, Jr.

Kalman

[djstarr]

There are a lot of salswing songs you can throw in; or latin songs done by swing bands - Duke Ellington has a lot for example.

As far as pure salsa I think cuban salsa ala Buena Vista Social Club is easier to the ears (at least mine) than other salsa, and I think it blends better with swing music.

[jmatthew]

Around here we generally toss West Coast, Hustle and Nightclub into the "club" category.

[BoogieBack]

Hmm I am kind of in the same boat.

I just got my first regular professional gig, Djing a regular swing night I get quite a few savoy stylers but also I am trying to provide for the a new west coast swing scene starting up.
It's proving challenging to play tunes that can satisfy most dancers at the same time.
Any good sources anyone knows of to reccommend some 'staple' west coast songs?

Cheers

http://www.perthswing.com

[Toon Town Dave]

We had a "swing night" here which turned into a mixed event just because a large number of ballroomers would come. Kalman is pretty much right that it will not succeed. The non-ballroom people don't like the ballroom/latin stuff and the ballroom people don't dig a whole night of swing.

The best you can hope for is watered down ballroom selections and marginal swing selections so everybody is equally unhappy with the music.

My advice, pick the biggest group and cater to them. If it's at a bar/club, cater to the group that buys the most booze.

[mousethief]

If it's at a bar/club, cater to the group that buys the most booze.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Kalman

[gatorgal]

Any good sources anyone knows of to reccommend some 'staple' west coast songs?

Try www.usaswingnet.com. I believe they have picks from WCS DJs from all over the USA. There's also a thread in the "Other Music" section on WCS music.

Good luck!

My advice, pick the biggest group and cater to them. If it's at a bar/club, cater to the group that buys the most booze.

You are indeed a man wise beyond your years.

Tina

[julius]

but also I am trying to provide for the a new west coast swing scene starting up.
It's proving challenging to play tunes that can satisfy most dancers at the same time.
Any good sources anyone knows of to reccommend some 'staple' west coast songs?

Not that DJs should have an agenda, but it would be pretty cool if you could get all those new WCS dancers to dance to lots of blues and "groove" swing music since a lot of lindy hoppers dance to that too these days. You could satisfy lots of people at once that way.

[jmatthew]

. Kalman is pretty much right that it will not succeed. The non-ballroom people don't like the ballroom/latin stuff and the ballroom people don't dig a whole night of swing.

Actually this weekly events been going on for years. Corvallis is a pretty small dance community, so everyone does pretty much everything.