You heard this before because I wrote about it, but like a good lead that sticks to basics with every dance, I have to revisit and write about the constant factors that contribute to the social dance scene in Johannesburg.

 

So I went to a party, two actually, where the DJ’s killed my vibe, her vibe, everyone’s vibe. Killed as in dead, you know, the mood was good and then they killed it. Yoh. Disastrous memory this.

You know what to expect when you go to Rooftop or Agog or a Baila Afrika party. You know who you will see and dance with, it’s an expectation that is met and exceeded; sometimes.

But those two parties I went to were, or rather the DJ’s were off form. Most people don’t realise the importance of the DJ, often standing alone, jiving to his own beats, but alone. It’s a pity people don’t acknowledge these gents and I too am guilty of that.

Now and then I will say thank you for a good evening of music, but because I’m used to getting good music, I take this most vital frequency of a party for granted and don’t say thank you often enough.

However, that’s about to change. See, there’s nothing like a poor selection of songs to make you appreciate the good stuff. What’s that saying: You don’t know what you got till it’s gone.

Anyway, the following (in italics) is a copy and paste from a piece I wrote a few months ago and I hope that potential DJ’s acknowledge this:

The most important thing for me, about a DJ, is that he gets the crowd. If there are more Salseros, well then let’s hear the Cabasa shake. If there are more Kizombies well then…

But if the dancers leave the floor, then quickly evaluate what you done did wrong and most importantly how to correct it. The party, mister DJ, is not a time to rehearse, it’s your chance to add substance to the dance experience.

*Please note that the DJ’s above are not guilty of bad experiences And I need new pics…