How do you react???

[DiscoMagic]

So we've all been there. Arrived at a party played your stuff. No ones dancing.

Food comes out, served and finished. No ones still dancing.

It's 10.30 pm aunty Vera has danced one song with her husband 'coz she likes that one' and then sits backs down.

The People are boring and no one is on the floor despite your best efforts and pulled out all the usual dead cert floor fillers.

What do you - apart from being bored?? How do you respond??? Does it bother you ? I know DJs who stop the music and insists everyone needs to be come the floor and dance. I've known some who start walking around singing with his mic. Me I just get on with it - if they'd paid for a DJ but don't want to enjoy my services then ce la vie.

What do you think ???

Discuss :-)

[Nakatomi]

Tour the room & have a chat with people to see what they'd like to hear. Either you're just not pushing their buttons because you don't know what they like yet, or they just don't want to dance. Or a mixture of both. A lack of dancing worries us all, but we can't make people get up if they don't want to.

The least dancy gig I've had since coming back was a 70th birthday. I canvassed all the tables & everybody pretty much said hiya & that was it. No music interest at all. Then with just over an hour left to go... tadaaaaaaaaaa! Packed floor til the end & to this day I dunno what triggered it. Maybe they'd all just had enough of catching up already.

That's the thing about these get togethers.. often there are family members & friends who people haven't seen for donkey's yonks & family functions are the single best way to catch up.

Unless you say in your marketing blurb "A full dancefloor all night or your money back!" why worry? The fact you're trying, and paying attention means you care about what you're doing so I say just get on with it. Yeah I know it's tough. Been there enough times myself & doubtless will again before I know it.

[Excalibur]

How do you respond??? Same way as you presumably did. Does it bother you ? Oh yuss. Me I just get on with it - if they'd paid for a DJ but don't want to enjoy my services then ce la vie. Ah yes, but they may be enjoying it. They just aren't dancing.


How many times have you had just the gig described? You want to curl up and die, the clock isn't moving, and life just can't get any worse. And as the crowd file out, they shake your hand and say it's been a fabulous night. :daft:





That's the thing about these get togethers.. often there are family members & friends who people haven't seen for donkey's yonks & family functions are the single best way to catch up.

Absolutely. In their defence, it is very easy to turn up, have a chat with family and friends, two small sherries and a vol au vent, look at your watch and realise it's time to get your coat, and you've never even visited the dancefloor.

[musicology]

I keep going, stay smiling, keep my sense of humour and NEVER take the mick out them or moan. Usually it ends ends up them saying they've had a great time and "sorry they didn't dance". They're tough, boring gigs but that's when a pro can shine through! I just forget it and look forward to the next one. They happen.

[Imagine]

You've just described last night's wedding perfectly! :(

To be fair, it was ridiculously hot though, and with a nice balcony and the cold ale flowing I didn't stand a chance (and the B&G knew my concerns when I set up in the morning and were OK with that...they were a really nice laid back couple).

You can only do your best. Not every party's gonna get legs on the floor (I learned that a long time ago). Some of them are content just to tap feet and fingers and still enjoy themselves.

[DiscoMagic]

Valid points indeed...

It doesn't particularly bother me - to a certain extent. Yes its boring as hell. I'd much rather enjoy a full dance floor with every responding to my work, I can certainly entertain a crown who are up for it. Its probably why I like Christmas parties so much. The gigs I have have between 800 - 1200 guests and by the time dinner is served and gone, the band has done their bit they are raring (or pi$$ed) to go. Two hours of non stop pure enjoyable work.

In the early days it used to really upset me, and I question myself and my skills and my music choices etc etc. And then one evening the floor was empty and I mean empty until 20mins before the end, before erupting into mass dancing. As I was packing up the client came up to me and said "that was really good and thank you - sorry we didn't dance much but no body seen each other for so long we just had loads of catching up to do". (and gave me a nice tip on top of my fee). It just clicked, I understood, and it doesn't worry me any more - despite boredom and frustration!!!

However to do wonder why these people who just want to "catch up" hire DJ's and don't just employ an ipod for the evening! Not that I would ever suggest such a thing to them!

[Nakatomi]

I keep going, stay smiling, keep my sense of humour and NEVER take the mick out them or moan. Usually it ends ends up them saying they've had a great time and "sorry they didn't dance". They're tough, boring gigs but that's when a pro can shine through! I just forget it and look forward to the next one. They happen.

Oh yeah. That's a big thing for me. Never comment directly or snidely, or moan. Just get on with it. I know a guy who rants when nobody dances & it comes across as defeatist & really isn't conducive to persuading people. If they're gonna dance & you're doing your bit, they will dance.

[yourdj]

Tour the room & have a chat with people to see what they'd like to hear.

Well said :)

I bet so many DJ's don't have the confidence or social skills to do that. Its a god send, especially when the people say "yes the music is perfect young man, your doing a brilliant job." Often I have got some amazing ideas that has turned it all around. one that sticks in my mind is playing some big band stuff and everyone got up dancing so i finished the night with waltzes etc. :)

[Pe7e]

Well said :)

I bet so many DJ's don't have the confidence or social skills to do that.

Are you sure? I would have thought having a reasonable degree of confidence and social/interpersonal skills was a prerequisite of the job, it's hard to see how you could function in the mobile entertainment industry without them.

[yourdj]

Are you sure? I would have thought having a reasonable degree of confidence and social/interpersonal skills was a prerequisite of the job, it's hard to see how you could function in the mobile entertainment industry without them.

I wonder how many DJ's are chained to the decks all night. Being able to talk on the mic in the confines of a booth I would say is much easier than the risks of interrupting the guests and trying to gauge their thoughts on the night. Perhaps I am wrong and every DJ does it? Its a great way to bond with the client, but more importantly not get paranoid that your doing something wrong. Having an assistant is great for walking the room and chit chatting with guests. :)

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Same as the OP. Some people are dancers and I do question myself why people would give up their saturday evenings to sit on their hands with faces like slapped arses but that's their call.

Naturally you do what you can, make yourself as approachable as possible. I just keep on a usual suspect playlist unless I have any reason to think something left field may work.

Of course this was one party many years ago on a rainy Monday afternoon in January. They're always dancing at my gigs :P

I personally think the "success" from a DJ POV is 90% down to the guests and their personalities and 10% of the DJ skill level.

[Benny Smyth]

I personally think the "success" from a DJ POV is 90% down to the guests and their personalities and 10% of the DJ skill level.

:agree:

If you've invited Great Aunt Maud who you have never seen break a smile, let alone a sweat from dancing, then we can't change her personality in the space of 5 hours.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

A good party is down to the guests isn't it?
I did a review of my Thursday booking which was a graduation ball and it was bloody hard work to say the least.
Last night I did a wedding and it was totally different. Everyone was up for it from the first song. Similar playlists for both bookings too.

I don't have a problem with getting out from behind the set up and speaking to people but I don't do it. I don't like to feel like I am intruding for starters. How many times have we done gigs where there hasn't been much dancing but they've commented that they've enjoyed themselves? It's all about creating an enjoyable atmosphere isn't it?
I don't dance, I never have but I have enjoyed myself at parties and weddings when the music has been good and I've heard the DJ ask for requests but I haven't bothered going up there as I am happy enough with what is going on anyway. It could be that others feel the same?

Last night towards the end of the wedding a guy came over and asked if I could play Terence Trent D'arby - Dance Little Sister. I commented that it was a great track but it would probably clear the floor and at that time I had them all eating out of my hand. I asked the guy if he was going to dance to it and he said "No, I'm not a dancer but I wouldn't mind hearing it".... I told him if he got up I'd chance it but he wouldn't so I declined playing it but he understood. Whilst I had his attention I asked him if he'd had a good night and he said "Excellent thanks".

I'm quite happy to (rightly or wrongly) stay put and ask for requests.

[Pe7e]

Being able to talk on the mic in the confines of a booth I would say is much easier than the risks of interrupting the guests and trying to gauge their thoughts on the night.


I'd not really thought of it that way, you're probably right, I've seen many 'I let the music do the talking' DJs having a torrid time at gigs with an empty dance floor, probably as a result of a failure to interact with the guests. Having said that, if the guests aren't up for a party, even the best DJs in the country won't get them dancing.

[ckpr2]

I did an engagement party once.
There were about 20 people and they all sat at the back of the room away from the disco.
I played all sorts and they still chose just to sit there.

The guy who got engaged told me to play club music so I did that and still no one got up.

I felt sorry for the engaged couple, what a miserable load of friends and relatives they had.

I was disappointed but still got paid.

[Nakatomi]

I wonder how many DJ's are chained to the decks all night. Being able to talk on the mic in the confines of a booth I would say is much easier than the risks of interrupting the guests and trying to gauge their thoughts on the night. Perhaps I am wrong and every DJ does it? Its a great way to bond with the client, but more importantly not get paranoid that your doing something wrong. Having an assistant is great for walking the room and chit chatting with guests. :)

It's easy to treat the decks as a security blanket. I did for years & it really is a hard habit to break. Why? All kinds of fears. What are they going to be like? Am I going to be confronted angrily? etc... as if any of these things can't happen when you're behind the decks anyway. Ping, and the fear is gone.

[fullcontact68]

I'm sure we have all had those sorts of nights, I know I have. Does not matter what you play, what you say, sometimes nothing works.

I personally much prefer to see people enjoying themselves "dancing", but I've now learnt to look for other signs. Toe-tapping, lips moving in sync with the songs, head nodding to the beat etc.

More often than not, when I've had one of these types of evening, which seem to drag on and on, the client(s) have come over at the end and thanked me for a great evening.

Does it bother me if people don't dance. Yes. It's a very long 4 or 5 hours with an empty floor. But in the end, if the clients are happy, that's all that counts. I'm here to make them happy.

I never show I'm bored though, never playing with my phone, looking bored, always put on that happy face, looking like I'm enjoying the evening.

[Nakatomi]

I'm sure we have all had those sorts of nights, I know I have. Does not matter what you play, what you say, sometimes nothing works.

I personally much prefer to see people enjoying themselves "dancing", but I've now learnt to look for other signs. Toe-tapping, lips moving in sync with the songs, head nodding to the beat etc.

More often than not, when I've had one of these types of evening, which seem to drag on and on, the client(s) have come over at the end and thanked me for a great evening.

Does it bother me if people don't dance. Yes. It's a very long 4 or 5 hours with an empty floor. But in the end, if the clients are happy, that's all that counts. I'm here to make them happy.

I never show I'm bored though, never playing with my phone, looking bored, always put on that happy face, looking like I'm enjoying the evening.

Yeah but if you can't see any outward signs they're having a good time then paranoia can set in. Am I pitching things the right way? What am I doing wrong? If you're not seeing any positive signs & nobody is coming to you with feedback despite telling them they're welcome to, you can either do nothing & hope for the best, or do something about it.

[fullcontact68]

Yup, it's one that we all hate, but all have to cope with for time to time.

When this does happen to me, I try a couple of things, 1) Advertise requests on the mic, 2) failing that, have a wander around and try and get some feedback.

The problem is sometimes people just do not want to dance, but are more than happy the listen to the music we play, whilst having a good chat.

[Daryll]

Yup, it's one that we all hate, but all have to cope with for time to time.

When this does happen to me, I try a couple of things, 1) Advertise requests on the mic, 2) failing that, have a wander around and try and get some feedback.

The problem is sometimes people just do not want to dance, but are more than happy the listen to the music we play, whilst having a good chat.

:like:

Daryll

[Imagine]

That's exactly what happened to me last night (and indeed at several parties lately....especially whilst it's been warm and they can go outside).

I've asked for requests, I've been and spoken to guests and befriended them, taken ideas etc.

But....most of these have been things like weddings where people haven't seen each other in a while, it's a nice warm evening, and they've wanted to catch up in the evening sunshine and just "listen" to what I'm doing.

I worked with a live band last night....even they couldn't get things going until their very last number and I've never seen that before. Thankfully after their last number I managed to keep things going with the remaining guests (it was a weird one with guests starting to disappear immediately after the speeches were over and a steady flow of departures throughout the evening leaving around 20 out of the original 100 by the time I started my final set).

I even went out for a couple of crafty smokes whilst the band were doing their second set and spoke to guests who were out there (also smoking). They were friendly enough but really weren't up for a party. Sometimes it happens. I've got half a dozen 5* reviews on NeedADisco from just such parties with 100% likely to use me in the future!

Loads of handshakes and compliments at the end (well, about half of the remaining guests at the end of the evening), and the bride came up and said she'd been asked to pass on my details to half a dozen friends....we'll see what comes of that! So, I obviously did the job right...it just seems like a very long night and that you're a bit of a failure at times.

What was I doing whilst everyone was outside? I was on the email to the bride and groom I was meeting this afternoon (wedding in a couple of weeks' time) and planning their party (which is going to be a belter......more news on that one shortly but let's just say this one is the full deli-counter by request!)

[Andy P]

Im going to respond to this without readying any of the replies.

1. A bit hurt professionally - this is after all what we are telling people we do - fill floors

2. I'd come round to the thinking that its happened before, some crowds are drinkers and not dancers and that the songs played have worked many times before.

3. I've actually had really good feedback from a gig like this before where I thought it had died a death.

[scott23]

A wise man said to me one time "if I could make people dance id be a millionaire, i get paid to play music but cant force people do dance"

Its bloddy boring though if they don't. Had a corporate booking and was free booze all night and no one seemed to like each other either, works doo for a call centre! The last hour great up until then just dribs and drabs all night as they where to busy getting wrecked on the free booze. The organiser was wrecked on drugs by the end too so i couldn't even ask if he had a good night as he was being looked after by colleagues.

[ukpartydj]

Quite right, I've done one where nobody danced at any point. I was in a another room and nobody came in all night, I popped my head in a few times and they were all chatting seemed happy enough. I quite enjoyed it as I pretty much played popular songsI liked mixing them up just acting like bedroom DJ at the end the client commented saying they loved it haha!

I used to chat to people but I don't bother anymore, I think at weddings / most parties it's unwanted. I had a few issues when I did do it, opening lines of communication with some people can cause problems.