Dance parties are surely synonymous with any dancer. And from what I have observed, an average dance lover attends at least two dance parties a week. A person who attends parties regularly will agree with me that all parties are not the same. They are based on different themes and each party has something about it.
Whether it is the ambience or the people or simply the food and drinks. And at some parties, the music stands out.
Now with the festive season around the corner parties are happening everywhere and many of us take special efforts to put in our best to organise a party that is worth a memory.
Dancers are very often party animals. They enjoy going to parties with their dance class mates and other friends along with organising a dance gathering. It is said that coffee and cigarette lovers bond well similarly. These are some of the things that one enjoys doing and you want to share the same joy and fun with your friends.
If you are into dancing you will agree with me that the bond between dance lovers is the strongest and the thickest. It brings people from different fields and backgrounds together and unites them on the dance floor at a party.
Therefore it becomes very important for a dance party organiser to choose the correct style of music for the dance function. Good dance music can take the party lovers to a big high without the need of any alchohol or drugs.
There is some amount of preparation that goes into organising a party. DJs are booked months in advance for an event and they are in high demand only because correct and appropriate music can make or break a party. At the same time, all dance lovers may not be able to afford a DJ and many a times they have to manage their own music for their parties that they throw.
There are many different kinds of dance music available in the market. If you visit any of the music stores in the city you will see music from Viennese waltzes to country two step, and everything in-between — foxtrots, jive, swing, Latin music, popular rock ‘n’ roll, line dancing even different kinds of “dirty dancing” or even our most popular Bollywood and folk music.
Dance party organisers must remember “Different strokes for different folks!” Most dance lovers enjoy dancing for a long time, along with different kinds of music in the course of an evening and not just one type of music. When choosing music for a dance evening, two most important things must be taken into consideration:
n One of them is the average age of people at the party. Older dancers generally enjoy slow and easy numbers such as the waltzes, foxtrots, swing, Latin music such as the rumba, cha cha cha, and a bit of medium speed rock ‘n’ roll thrown in is exciting too. Also some old Bollwood songs and folk music can be entertaining for the guests of this age.
Young people generally enjoy fast rock ‘n’ roll, samba, quickstep, tango and the newest dance crazes, with a few “slow tunes” so they can get cosy and enjoy the feeling of being together. Latest Bollywood hits are also popular with them. The late 20s, 30s, and 40s have variable likes and the type of crowd would have to be assessed to decide the mix of music to be played for the function.
n Another important aspect to be looked into is maintaining a balance between the mood
and the type of people at the party. A “country crowd” will enjoy paso doble, line dancing, country rock, waltzes/foxtrots, and folk or traditional music.
Some groups would prefer jive, swing and Latin with a few changes thrown in. Some, like wedding crowds, require lots of Bollywood and folk songs with a little bit of everything else so that all types and ages can enjoy some dancing. If you don’t know the type of group you are choosing music for, it is wise to have a good variety of all kinds of music so that by trial and error you can find the kind of music most suited for the evening.
The most important thing to remember is that dancing is all about moving to music by enjoying every bit of it and everyone likes to do their own thing when on the dancer floor. An evening of dancing should be an enjoyable time out of one’s busy lives to relax, enjoy the company of friends and of course good music.
So go ahead and pick music suited to the group you are inviting for the party and you can be sure that the evening will be a rocking success.