Tag Archives: creative dancing NYC

Good DJs Love Diversity

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On Friday night I had another professional DJ gig at Buskers in Hoboken. I like being there since the crowd is fun and friendly. As a professional DJ, the part that I like best is the diversity of requests and the opportunity to play music from all over the musical spectrum, like all good DJs.

 

When does a professional DJ get to play Hall & Oats, The White Stripes, The Cure, Madonna, Britney Spears, Chumawumba, Kanye West, Cee Lo Green, Black Eyed Peas, Frank Sinatra and of course Rihanna?

 

I appreciate diversity of music, people, foods and lifestyles. This is one of the benefits of being  New York and New Jersey professional DJ. We get to play all kinds of music if we are willing to step outside of the norm and be open to life and all the great talented artists we have!  I think New York and New Jersey professional DJs are fortunate to have such diverse people at most gigs. I can not imagine what it would be like to only listen to or play one style of music all the time. Glad I do not have to find out:)

 

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DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Professional DJs Playing Remix after Remix

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I have not been a fan of a steady diet of remix after remix of old samples added to new beats. It somehow seems like a way to take someone’s work and pull it apart. Think if we did the same thing with a painting or a novel? But music is somewhat different. Music is more malleable than most artistic forms. Artists have been doing their versions of artists songs for as long as there has been music. So, it is not a great leap to take their recorded music and reshape it to your needs. I need to clarify that I think it makes total sense for the artist or producer to remix at their leisure. It is their creative piece to begin with, but when we do so, it is without their voice being heard in the creative process. This seems different to me.

What I did find interesting though was hearing great inspiring speeches and phrases dubbed over beats. An example was Martin Luther King’s I Have A Dream Speech was dubbed over some basic hard-driving beats. Of course, this is not a new practice, just one that deserves further exploration. Is it against the basic premise of artist’s work is left alone except when the artist themselves are giving their creative input to make certain it meets their standards and maintains their intention?  Artist integrity also has to be considered. As an artist, would you be OK with someone you have never met taking your work and reshaping to the way they want it? Any shape they want. They may even take out your vocals altogether, or just the lyrics they do not like.

As a songwriter, there is a conflict here. Of course, they are fine with the idea that someone likes their work enough to care, maybe not as accepting to the concept of it being pulled apart at the seams and made into something brand new, without their input. I think it would depend on the artist.

I wonder how Pink Floyd feel about hearing their songs sampled over a disco beat or Johnny Cash to a Hip Hop beat (both exist)?  What about Sinatra remixed to Country beats?  Or Mozart to Heavy Metal? Would these artists lose sleep from agony or embrace the new, different form their work has taken?

I think it is important to recognize that not all artists will feel respected and admired by the final results. Some may be blown away at what we can do today without bands or musicians, yet others may cringe at the thought. While we dance away to the new version of Sly and The Family Stone’s Everyday People, I invite you to keep in mind the original artist’s intention and how they would feel about our new version of their song. Hear their voice and let it speak to you and connect with you. It is not that I am saying that remixing or sampling are bad, just think it is important to be mindful of the original artist and their focus, creativity and direction. Are we honoring or ignoring them in our need for something new without actually creating something new? This is the question for the professional DJ.

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DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Professional DJ On Fire!

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I was DJ an event at Barefoot Boogie in NYC after the special dance and movement class lead by Heidi McClure. Everybody appreciated Heidi’s class and were ready when I cranked up the volume with Stevie Wonder to get things rockin’. It was a matter of minutes before everybody was totally into the music and shouting and singing while shaking and moving on the dance floor. This is what I live for as a professional DJ. It is when I know the time spent preparing and making sure I have the right music for the occasion was worth it without question.

In fact, on this night everybody was having so much fun with the old R&B, Soul and dance music that I was not able to shift the music to some of the more creative and interesting music I had selected that I only get to play at somewhere like an event of this nature where diversity and eclectic music are held in high esteem. After such an intense class as Heidi’s, dancers wanted to release energy and just have fun, I was able to honor that and we had a great time. It was hard getting people to stop at the end of the night. I even went over the allotted time by 30 minutes and people were still not ready to stop; not because they were drunk or wanted to stay out later, they were just having fun.

I have noticed that lately this is happening more and more for me. Apparently, the experiences I had as a professional DJ full-time when I was younger, the times off and on since then and now with my new perspective and use of MacBook with iTunes have been good for me. I feel like I have tuned into some form of understanding of music and people that I did not have previously.

Maybe time, practice and experience really are the keys to success!

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DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Freestyle Frolic

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On Saturday night I was in Tilson, NY at an event called Freestyle Frolic. It is a bi-weekly event where it is free of smoking, drinking and drugs sponsored by Dance New England. I have been to, danced and DJ at their partner events in NYC Barefoot Boogie but this was the first time I participated in their outdoor, freestyle event in the New Paltz area.

It was fun dancing and observing the different DJs throughout the night. I took particular attention to when and how they changed the flow and energy of the music to meet the needs of those dancing.  Since there was a big picnic first, the beginning DJ needed to slowly engage folks into dancing and getting them moving in a way that supported being outside, barefoot and taking in the beauty and tranquility of the environment. He did so with gentle coaxing through slow progressions of tempo and energy. I watched as each participant found their way to move and dance in way that felt right to them and helped them to feel comfortable with their body and atmosphere.  As people were starting to demonstrate more energy and enthusiasm, the DJ livened things up a bit in a slow methodical manner. This is what I have found effective as a DJ as well. It is somewhat different for a wedding or major event where it is assumed in advance that guests will be ready to get and move from the beginning but there is still a ‘warm-up’ period to get them comfortable.

The second DJ from 10:30-12:30 had the advantage of taking over when the dancers were already warmed up and now it was dark outside with a sky filled with stars and star-gazers.  We were ready for higher energy music and they delivered. They were a team of husband and wife and they alternated selections and mixes through the next two hours. It was a welcomed choice to slow down the music and add some layered, heavier textures to mix things up every now and then.  This allowed dancers to sink into the music deeper and for a richer experience that is hard to find in faster rhythms and beats. They seemed to be truly having fun ,mixing and choosing their music, a good sign from a DJ.

The final DJ who was to spin from 12:30-2:30, came in with more melodic and electronic music. There was a dose of Trance for those who were still up and moving. This allowed the dancers to move in their own way without forcing a style or tempo on them. I noticed how more creatively the dancing became when the opportunity was given. This is something that many new and young DJs often exclude.  New DJs and young DJs often choose what always works or what they like and do not create space for the dancers to make it their own, they force a tempo or style to suit their own needs or lack of experience.

After a night of dancing and music in the woods and mountains of New York State near The Catskills and Woodstock, I left with the feeling that I had learned or maybe been reminded of some simple concepts as a DJ.

1) Be creative but do not push your needs on the folks dancing.

2) Create space for people to get comfortable physically as well as socially on the dance floor.

3) Have fun as a DJ! No need to be cool or look like you are solving world issues or a cure for cancer. Enjoy the music, energy and dancing!

4) Be present and let go of what you thought you were going to play and pre-made playlists. The energy of the crowd will determine the best possible music for that moment and time. Listen and feel the energy and match it with your own gut feeling on what is needed for the dancers to enjoy the event most. It is their event and it should be for them- the music, the style and the beats. We just make it happen.

5) Dance is a social and community event even of it does not look or feel that way at the time. Help facilitate this process by being part of the event without ‘being’ the event.

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DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ