Why is this important?

At Dancebreak, our goal is to support the flourishing of the Stanford social dance community and create a welcoming space for all dancers. We love to see both veterans and newbies expressing themselves, improving their dance, and having fun! In order to promote that growth and connection, we all need to work together to provide some stable foundations, and DJs are a huge part of that mission.

The DJ is the heart of the Dancebreak event. As the most visible leader of the night, they curate the music that attendees will dance to, guide the vibes of the social, and generally keep the whole event moving smoothly.

Principal goal: The primary goal of Dancebreak is to get more people into social dance and create dancers who are fun to dance with.

Expectations for DJs

BEFORE THE SET

• Watch this video from Richard Powers about how to DJ: https://youtu.be/u7k_4HdbfIA
  • Richard has a lot of other great DJ tips on his website, and many of our guidelines are adapted from his. He was also kind enough to teach a more detailed lesson at Dancebreak (which assumes you've already read his website):

[VIDEO EMBED]

• Find a DJ partner. All sets are required to have at least one experienced DJ. If this is your first or second time teaching with us, please pair up with a veteran. DJ teams reduce the workload and responsibility for both DJs!
  • If you do not frequently dance all of the styles at Dancebreak, it is a good idea to pair up with someone who knows the styles you don't, so that you can pick music that all dancers will enjoy.
  • If you don't have a partner in mind, the Dancebreak admin team can help you find someone.
• Reach out to the Dancebreak admin team to schedule your set. We will also check your DJ duo and/or help you find someone.
• Prepare a setlist. Follow the guidelines set forth later in this document.
  • Use this template to help organize your music
  • Use the checklist at the bottom of the home page to make sure that the set aligns with out guidelines
  • Work with the day’s instructors and Dancebreak leadership to ensure the set is beginner-friendly, aligns with the lesson of the day, and supports the overall Dancebreak goals.
  • Note that the actual length of songs is less than the set time. You must account for pauses, jam preparation (and birthday pivots), and teaching mixers. This is accounted for in our template.
• Send the admin team your setlist. At least a week before your set, send us your song list, including any potential edits you plan to make. This way, we can review and give feedback before the set.
  • All of your songs should fit within the guidelines below. In particular, pay attention to song length, tempo guidelines, and the sequence of last dances. If you would like help finding songs that are danceable and beginner-friendly, reach out to the admin team. We are currently building out a catalog of pre-approved songs for Waltz, WCS, and Lindy Hop, including a collection of pre-approved edits.
  • If you want to play music that doesn't quite fit, you are required to edit songs as necessary. Though we emphasize that you can absolutely craft an excellent setlist that doesn't need any song edits.
• Ensure a balance of new songs and old songs. There are some Dancebreak classics that people love to hear again, and many dancers enjoy jamming out to their favorite tunes, but your set can also be a great way to introduce us all to new, exciting music.
• Download your setlist to your computer so it can be played without Wi-Fi. Stanford Wi-Fi is notoriously unreliable, and nobody likes it when the music cuts out mid-song.

DURING THE SET

• Bring your own computer to play the set. If you expect to need a specific dongle/converter, make sure to bring that with you, too.
• Announce the dance style before/at the beginning of each song. Some people don’t do certain styles (or only do some roles in certain styles), so announcing allows people to find an ideal partner and role for the dance.
  • Also, announce/explain the "dance with a stranger" when it comes on.
• Provide a 10-second pause between songs. This gives dancers time to mentally reset, find new partners, and prepare for the new style.
• Facilitate the jam. Clear the dance floor, help identify jam-ees, and explain the procedure.
• Teach mixers or uncommon line dances.