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.

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.