Providence Ecstatic Dance DJ

Last Friday Night I was Providence Ecstatic Dance DJ for the first time and had a great time! I have been there once before and was looking forward to the opportunity to share my rhythm and beats with the Providence Ecstatic Dance Community.

Providence Ecstatic Dance DJ and Ecstatic Dance Guidelines

Ecstatic Dance Guidelines are taken from the Ecstatic Dance Community Page.  They are drawn up by the Ecstatic Dance Community as a whole and its origins in Hawaii and the Bay Area. I was first introduced to Ecstatic Dance in Oakland in 2009 and was blown away by the energy and excitement in the community.

1.  Move however you wish

2.  No talking on the dance floor

3.  Respect yourself and one another

Ecstatic Dance is a Drug & Alcohol Free Space

Please also refrain from photos, video, and shoes & scents.

 

Many people dance in their own space, and others share their space with another.
To engage in a dance with someone, use sensitivity:  Are they open to sharing their space with me?  Mirror movements, offer a hand, brush by, make eye contact, and see & feel how they respond…

Providence Ecstatic Dance DJ - Rhode Island Wedding DJ

If you’d rather not dance with someone, or are ending a dance with someone,

simply thank them by placing your hands in prayer at your heart.

Namaste… Thank You.

“My Spirit Recognizes Yours”

Providence Ecstatic Dance DJ - Rhode Island Wedding DJ

Ecstatic Dance is

what you make of it…

a freeform movement space where:
dance expands
spirit activates
boundaries melt
boredom ceases
creativity breaks out
hope happens
beauty flows
communities collaborate
ritual is reinvented
harmony resonates
The beat deepens
as an electronic tapestry
of world rhythms
weave us together
as individuals
within a greater family.

For me, Ecstatic Dance reminds me of Barefoot Boogie in NYC where I was DJ and Coordinator of DJs and Teachers for several years till I moved here to Providence. The freestyle dance community is aligned with many incredible dancers and individuals.

Hope to see you there next month!

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & Boston DJ

Ask about my Rhode Island Wedding DJ & Rhode Island Party DJ Guarantee!

 

 

 

Fun DJ Night at Barefoot Boogie

Saturday Night we had a fun night of music and dancing at Barefoot Boogie NYC. I do not always get to play music to such a diverse and creative group of dancers. Also, several good, old friends were present as an additional treat for me.

What is The Barefoot Boogie?

The Barefoot Boogie is a freestyle dance which happens twice a month in New York City. We offer a relaxed, smoke- and alcohol-free environment where folks can freely express themselves in movement.

If you’ve enjoyed any kind of conscious dance, ecstatic dance, 5 Rhythms, JourneyDance, contact improvisation, or any other kind of freeform dance, you’ll enjoy the Barefoot Boogie.

People of all ages, families and kids are welcome. Come alone or bring your friends. You’ll find folks at the dance moving solo, with partners, and/or in groups. Dress as you wish, but please leave your street shoes at the door before hitting the dance floor. The Barefoot Boogie is a not-for-profit, cooperative and volunteer-run venture.

Fun DJ Mystical Michael at Barefoot Boogie - Rhode Island DJ and New York  DJ

What Kinds of Music is Played at The Barefoot Boogie?

From our pool of talented DJs, two spin each dance. Each of our DJs has his or her own distinctive style, but one thing you can rely on is that at every Boogie you’ll hear a wide variety of music: R&B, World, Funk, Tribal, Hip Hop, Ambient, Reggae, House, African, Electronica, Disco, Rock, Techno, Drum & Bass, etc.

All professional DJs enjoy the opportunity to volunteer for such a fantastic community of dancers. Fun night at Barefoot Boogie, so grateful.

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & Boston DJ

973.908.8147

DJ Mystical Michael at Barefoot Boogie 5/25!

Saturday Night I will make my return to DJ at Barefoot Boogie in NYC! Barefoot Boogie is one of my favorite events to volunteer as DJ. I have been fully booked and not available to DJ there and think February was my last set there, too long and I miss it.

What is The Barefoot Boogie?

The Barefoot Boogie is a freestyle dance which happens twice a month in New York City. We offer a relaxed, smoke- and alcohol-free environment where folks can freely express themselves in movement.

If you’ve enjoyed any kind of conscious dance, ecstatic dance, 5 Rhythms, JourneyDance, contact improvisation, or any other kind of freeform dance, you’ll enjoy the Barefoot Boogie.

People of all ages, families and kids are welcome. Come alone or bring your friends. You’ll find folks at the dance moving solo, with partners, and/or in groups. Dress as you wish, but please leave your street shoes at the door before hitting the dance floor. The Barefoot Boogie is a not-for-profit, cooperative and volunteer-run venture.

DJ Mystical Michael at Barefoot Boogie - Rhode Island DJ and New York  DJ

What Kinds of Music is Played at The Barefoot Boogie?

From our pool of talented DJs, two spin each dance. Each of our DJs has his or her own distinctive style, but one thing you can rely on is that at every Boogie you’ll hear a wide variety of music: R&B, World, Funk, Tribal, Hip Hop, Ambient, Reggae, House, African, Electronica, Disco, Rock, Techno, Drum & Bass, etc.

DJ Mystical Michael at Barefoot Boogie - Rhode Island DJ and New York  DJ

Our normal schedule is the second and fourth Saturday of each month. We currently have the following format for the dance.

  • From 8:00 pm – 11:30 pm (possibly extended to 12:00). We start off with warm-up music. On alternate Barefoot Boogies (usually the 4th Saturday), we have a dance-related class that ends at 9:15, followed by DJed music. At 10:00, we’ll have a community/announcement circle where new folks are welcomed, we give an overview of the dance community, and anyone is invited to announce a service they offer, an apartment for rent, or an initiative they want to share. This is followed by our traditional circle dance (holding hands), and the rest of the evening is DJed music where you are free to express yourself in whatever way you like!

Barefoot Boogie is now meeting at Insight Meditation Center: 28 W 27th Street, 10th Floor (Buzzer #27).

Come join us Saturday Night at Barefoot Boogie to dance, move and have some fun!

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & Boston DJ

973.908.8147

 

Psy Gentleman

Psy Gentleman is the latest single from Psy released in The USA. Psy Gentleman has some of the funny and sarcastic social commentary that made Gangnam Style such an international hit. It also has fun and hysterical dance moves that have created the string oif success he has enjoyed in South Korea. I used to live in South Korea and have such great appreciation for the people and culture whenever anything makes its way to American pop culture.

Psy Gentleman Music Video

http://youtu.be/8V2K8HxUlLw

Psy Gentleman Breaks You Tube Records!

The video for Psy Gentleman — the South Korean pop star’s hotly anticipated follow-up to the internationally ubiquitous “Gangnam Style” — set a new record for most hits on YouTube in a single day on April 14, earning 38 million views, according to Google. The “Kony 2012” short film held the prior record with 30 million. Psy Gentleman also set a day-of-debut record of 18.5 million views when it dropped April 13.

Psy’s “Gangnam Style” is YouTube’s most-watched video of all time at 1.5 billion views.

Psy Gentleman, which features the 35-year-old goofball lothario debuting a new hip-swinging signature dance and playing pranks on women in various locations around Seoul, has been viewed 215 million times in the 10 days since its release. It took Gangnam Style took more than 50 days to reach 100 million views.

Psy’s viral fortunes haven’t been buoyed by mainstream media support back home, though. The video for “Gentleman” was banned by a South Korean broadcaster last week because of its depiction of “the abuse of public property.” In one sequence in the video, Psy is seen kicking a “no parking” sign. The Hollywood Reporter

Psy Gentleman with Rhode Island Wedding DJ

Psy Gentleman is the 19th K-pop single by South Korean musician Psy released on April 12, 2013 (KST). It is the follow-up to his international hit single “Gangnam Style“, which at the time of Gentleman’s release had been viewed on YouTube over 1.5 billion times. The first public performance of the song, with its associated dance, was unveiled at 6:30 pm on April 13 at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul. A poster and Twitter message was released containing the main line of the song “I’m a mother fxxxxx gentleman”; the word was later revealed to be “father”

The Brown Eyed Girls' 2009 K-pop single "Abracadabra" used in Psy Gentleman with Rhode Island Wedding DJ

From April 7–9, 2013, the music video for “Gentleman” was filmed in various parts of Seoul and Goyang, South Korea. The boutique in the opener was the 10 Corso Como store in Cheongdam-dong, and the elevator scene was at the The Grand InterContinental Hotel, both of which are in the Gangnam District. The elementary school was in Seongdong District, and the library was the Seoul Metropolitan Library in Seoul City Hall. A part of the hip-swing dance scenes was at the Mapo Bridge. In Goyang, scenes were shot at an indoor pool at Goyang Stadium, an Ilsan indoor golf driving range, and Hallyu World.[37][38] It was directed by South Korean Jo Soo-hyun, who previously directed Psy’s music video for “Gangnam Style,” and co-edited by Yang Hyun-suk. South Korean TV show Infinite Challenge cast members Yoo Jae-sukPark Myeong-suJeong Jun-haJeong Hyeong-donNoh Hong-chulHaHa, and Gil make appearances in the video, with Yoo and Noh making return appearances from the “Gangnam Style” video. The two bikini girls are models; the yellow bikini girl, Choi So-Ra, was the winner of the third cycle of Korea’s Next Top Model. Four of the other girls featured in the music video are acting majors from Dongduk Women’s University in Seoul.

The video is described to have a “sexual twist” in comparison to his previous single and features Psy performing a “fast, hip-swinging dance” and wearing an array of jackets in wide-ranging colors and sunglasses that he has become known for wearing. Before the release of the video, he hinted that the choreography will be a unique take on a classic dance by stating that “All Koreans know this dance. But (those in) other countries haven’t seen it”. The dance was later revealed to be the “arrogant dance” from the song “Abracadabra” by South Korean girl group Brown Eyed Girls. Lee Joo Sun, Psy’s choreographer who came up with the ‘horse-riding’ dance for “Gangnam Style,” had said, “We have a great dance. We thought up 50 different dances, everything from a sports dance to an animal dance, but we finally decided that [Brown Eyed Girls’] dance fits the song best.” The music video also features an appearance by the girl group member Ga-In. Psy reportedly paid a royalty to Brown Eyed Girls’ choreographers in order to use the routine in the video.

The video also revealed other dance move along with ‘arrogant dance’. The dance move was called the ‘crab dance’ where one moves sideways with their hands in the shape of a crab’s claw, and created by Lee Job-Sun.

Psy Gentleman is a fun song, dance and video.

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & Boston DJ

973.908.8147

DJ Mystical Michael at Barefoot Boogie Tonight – 03/09/13

I still get excited every time I am scheduled to DJ at Barefoot Boogie NYC! It surprises me each event, because in my head, one of these days I am not going to be so excited and pumped for the gig. I have been the DJ there so many times now and feel like I am part of what happens. It is such a positive experience for me and the dance community.

What is The Barefoot Boogie?

The Barefoot Boogie is a freestyle dance which happens twice a month in New York City. We offer a relaxed, smoke- and alcohol-free environment where folks can freely express themselves in movement.

People of all ages, families and kids are welcome. Come alone or bring your friends. You’ll find folks at the dance moving solo, with partners, and/or in groups. Dress as you wish, but please leave your street shoes at the door before hitting the dance floor. The Barefoot Boogie is a not-for-profit, cooperative and volunteer-run venture.

From our pool of talented DJs, two spin each dance. Each of our DJs has his or her own distinctive style, but one thing you can rely on is that at every Barefoot Boogie you’ll hear a wide variety of music: R&B, World, Funk, Tribal, Hip Hop, Ambient, Reggae, House, African, Electronica, Disco, Rock, Techno, Drum & Bass, etc.

DJ Mystical Michael at Barefoot Boogie NYC

 Where and When is The Barefoot Boogie?

Our normal schedule is the second and fourth Saturday of each month. We currently have the following format for the dance.

  • From 8:00 pm – 11:30 pm (possibly extended to 12:00). We start off with warm-up music. On alternate Boogies (usually the 4th Saturday), we have a dance-related class that ends at 9:15, followed by DJed music. At 10:00, we’ll have a community/announcement circle where new folks are welcomed, we give an overview of the dance community, and anyone is invited to announce a service they offer, an apartment for rent, or an initiative they want to share. This is followed by our traditional circle dance (holding hands), and the rest of the evening is DJed music where you are free to express yourself in whatever way you like!

Barefoot Boogie is now meeting at:

Insight Meditation Center: 28 W 27th Street, 10th Floor (Buzzer #27), NYC, NY.
Come join us for a fun night of movement, dance and community with creative dance, ecstatic dance and freestyle dance.
This is similar to Barefoot Boogie NYC, not the same but great creative dancing and community.
We invite you to join Barefoot Boogie Facebook Group.
Your Party,Your Music, Your DJ!
973.908.8147

DJ 70’s Soul Mix

It is fun to mix in some of the great Soul and R&B music of the 70’s. How can you not enjoy grooving to artists like Earth, Wind & Fire, Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Bill Withers, Sly & The Family Stone, James Brown and the list goes on. DJ 70’s Soul Mix was a really fun mix to make and as is the case with all of them, still had so many more on the list I wanted to include.

DJ 70’s Soul Mix

      70's Soul Mix - DJ Mystical Michael

Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the United States in the 1950s and early 1960s, combining elements ofAfrican American gospel music and rhythm and blues.

According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is “music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of funkysecular testifying.” Catchy rhythms, stressed by handclaps and extemporaneous body moves, are an important feature of soul music. Other characteristics are a call and response between the soloist and the chorus, and an especially tense vocal sound. The style also occasionally uses improvisational additions, twirls and auxiliary sounds.

In Detroit, producer Don Davis worked with Stax artists such as Johnnie Taylor and The Dramatics. Early 1970s recordings by The Detroit Emeralds, such as Do Me Right, are a link between soul and the later disco style. Motown Records artists such as Marvin GayeMichael JacksonStevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson contributed to the evolution of soul music, although their recordings were considered more in apop music vein than those of Redding, Franklin and Carr. Although stylistically different from classic soul music, recordings by Chicago-based artists are often considered part of the genre.

Rhode Island Wedding DJ 70’s Soul Mix History

By the early 1970s, soul music had been influenced by psychedelic rock and other genres. The social and political ferment of the times inspired artists like Gaye and Curtis Mayfield to release album-length statements with hard-hitting social commentary. Artists like James Brown led soul towards funk music, which became typified by 1970s bands like Parliament-Funkadelic and The Meters. More versatile groups like War, the Commodores and Earth, Wind and Fire became popular around this time. During the 1970s, some slick and commercial blue-eyed soul acts like Philadelphia’s Hall & Oates and Oakland’s Tower of Power achieved mainstream success, as did a new generation of street-corner harmony or city-soul groups like The Delfonics and Howard University’s Unifics.

Rhode Island Wedding DJ 70's Soul Mix

The syndicated television series Soul Train, created hosted by Chicago native Don Cornelius, debuted in 1971. The show provided an outlet for soul music for several decades, also spawning a franchise that saw the creation of a record label (Soul Train Records) that distributed music by The WhispersCarrie Lucas, and an up-and-coming group known as Shalamar. Numerous disputes led to Cornelius spinning off the record label to his talent booker, Dick Griffey, who transformed the label into Solar Records, itself a prominent soul music label throughout the 1980s. The TV series continued to air until 2006, although other predominantly black music genre such as hip hop began overshadowing soul on the show beginning in the 1980s.

Rhode Island Wedding DJ 70's Soul Mix

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Maroon 5 One More Night

Maroon 5 keeps finding a way to blend their unique style into fascinating pop hits. In this age of sound-alike pop stars, it is refreshing to hear a band create their own sound and be successful to a broad range of listeners like Maroon 5 One More Night.

Maroon 5 One More Night Music Video

Maroon 5 One More Night have listed some of their musical influences as Prince, Michael Jackson, The Police, Oasis, Talking Heads and Shabba Ranks, as well as Stevie Wonder. You can here all these influences in their music and style clearly. It is not a surprise that they produce a poppy, dance-oriented version of Modern Rock with a semi-Reggae beat loosely infused. As a funny side note, the Los Angeles band’s previous name was ‘Kara’s Flowers’ due to the band having a “collective crush” on a girl they all knew. This may be part of the reason they write songs predominantly about love.

Rhode Island Teen DJ Maroon 5 One More Night

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Psy Gangnam Style

Recently, I was the professional Wedding DJ for a multicultural couple; the Bride’s family is from Korea and she has embraced her Korean and American roots and heritage. During the reception, I thought it would be fun to play a K-Pop song that was popular in Korea while I was there by a group called Jewel named, “Baby One More Time”. Of course, everyone got up to dance and a guy who is not Korean from Brooklyn ran over and asked if I had “That new song from Korea that is a hit in the clubs?”. It took a minute for us to figure out what song he was talking about and it was Psy Gangnam Style! I played it immediately following and it was a total hit! Everybody was having so much fun.

Fun Rhode Island Multicultural Wedding DJ Psy Gangnam Style

I used to live in South Korea and love the people and the culture. I was an English Teacher at a local elementary school filled with adorable, eager children.  Since I have returned to The States, I have kept my eyes open for anything that reminds me of my time in Korea, especially the food and people. Great dance music is very common and part of Korean Culture.

For those who don’t know what Psy Gangnam Style is about, Gangnam is a section of Seoul known for hipsters and folks who think classy is defined by what you show, your clothes and your car.  Psy had created Psy Gangnam Style as a satire to make fun of them and the lifestyle they exhibit. It is really funny if you know anything about Korean culture and the video is a total hoot. Enjoy!

Psy Gangnam Style Music Video

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

David Guetta Featuring Sia Titanium

David Guetta Featuring Sia Titanium is a ballad written by Sia Furler, Guetta, Giorgio Tuinfort and Afrojack. The song features the strong vocals of Sia from Australia, the second song with an Australian singer in the Top Ten in the USA this year, along with Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know”!  For Sia, this is her second Top Ten American hit this year as well with “Wild Ones’ with Flo Rida.  David Guetta continues to pump out fun and forceful dance hits that top the charts across several genre; Pop, Dance and House.

David Guetta Featuring Sia Titanium Music Video

The video for David Guetta Featuring Sia Titanium is about a boy with supernatural powers. The song features lyrics directed at self-esteem and strength including the chorus:

“I’m bulletproof, nothing to lose

fire away, fire away

ricochet, you take your aim

fire away, fire away

You shoot me down,

but I won’t fall

I am titanium

you shoot me down,

but I won’t fall

I am titanium.

Sia Furler, Guetta, Giorgio Tuinfort and Afrojack

Fun Rhode Island Wedding DJ David Guetta Featuring Sia Titanium

 

David Guetta Featuring Sia Titanium is a ballad which draws from the genres of pophouse and urbandance. The song’s lyrics are about inner strength. Sia’s vocals on David Guetta Featuring Sia Titanium received comparisons to those by Fergie and the song was also musically compared to Coldplay‘s work. Critics were positive towards the song and noted it as one of the standout tracks from Nothing but the Beat. “Titanium” attained top 10 positions in several major music markets, including Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. In the United Kingdom, it peaked at number one, becoming Guetta’s fifth number-one single on the chart and Sia’s first. The song’s accompanying music video premiered on December 21, 2011 but does not feature appearances by Guetta and Sia. Instead, the video focuses on a young boy, played by actor Ryan Lee, with supernatural powers. Along with other songs, David Guetta Featuring Sia Titanium was pulled from radio stations in the US after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ