Suppose no one is dancing?

[diskjokk]

I'm just curious. If you are working an event, specifically a Wedding Reception and no matter what you play, no one is dancing. What are some of the things you do to get people on your dancefloor?

[Wolfie]

It happens. Depends upon the guests and the venue. Sometimes you can get lucky with a standard slow dance turn with the lights (and volume) down low.

Otherwise, we don't worry about it. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img] We'll try different genres and observe the crowd. If they dance, fine. If they don't that's fine, too. There ain't no wording in our contract that guarantees a full dance floor.

Shirl and I are party people. We love music and love to dance. If we're at a venue where a good dance step is playing we'll dance. Yet we understand that others are not like us in that respect.

Seriously, we've done more weddings than we care to remember where most of the guests were not the dancing type. They're not party people. It happens. It makes for a long, boring show but it can't be helped. But we're being paid to provide background music and that ain't bad at all. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

Often, the B&G caution us ahead of time... Aunt Tillie, Uncle Charlie and the rest haven't danced at a party since 1963. The B&G will dance and the wedding party will git down during the show. But when you've got a houseful of guests who are there to chow down and visit like they're at a family reunion, forget it. Dry weddings are especially notorious for this.

For our part we prefer a party-hearty crowd. Every DJ service does. However, we gotta take what fate hands us, for good and for bad. Either way there's a paycheck in the bank.

The important part is providing music that the guests will enjoy while they're in your company.

I hope it helps.

[Jim Casey]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Wolfie @ Feb 9 2006, 04:35 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
It happens. Depends upon the guests and the venue. Sometimes you can get lucky with a standard slow dance turn with the lights (and volume) down low.

Otherwise, we don't worry about it. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img] We'll try different genres and observe the crowd. If they dance, fine. If they don't that's fine, too. There ain't no wording in our contract that guarantees a full dance floor.

Shirl and I are party people. We love music and love to dance. If we're at a venue where a good dance step is playing we'll dance. Yet we understand that others are not like us in that respect.

Seriously, we've done more weddings than we care to remember where most of the guests were not the dancing type. They're not party people. It happens. It makes for a long, boring show but it can't be helped. But we're being paid to provide background music and that ain't bad at all. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

Often, the B&G caution us ahead of time... Aunt Tillie, Uncle Charlie and the rest haven't danced at a party since 1963. The B&G will dance and the wedding party will git down during the show. But when you've got a houseful of guests who are there to chow down and visit like they're at a family reunion, forget it. Dry weddings are especially notorious for this.

For our part we prefer a party-hearty crowd. Every DJ service does. However, we gotta take what fate hands us, for good and for bad. Either way there's a paycheck in the bank.

The important part is providing music that the guests will enjoy while they're in your company.

I hope it helps.
[/b][/quote]

Slow the music down to their level...

I double the amount of slow songs I play when that type of crowd is in front of me. Either they will love you for keeping it slower, or finally come up with requests they will dance to.

And sometimes, they are just socializing and enjoying the music. You can't do much about that.

Some of my best references have come this way.

[DJ Scott]

You can't MAKE them dance. You are there to entertain, but if they don't want too...they won't.
Look for bopping heads, tapping toes or tapping fingers on tabletops. That's how I tell if they are actually listening. If they enjoy themselves, they don't NEED to dance.
Sometimes....it just happens. Don't sweat it.

[Glen Millar]

If all else fails....there is always the old DJ standby. 50 sticks of dynamite. Light and throw under each table. Boy do you getr some interesting "dance" moves then