I have long seen dance events as a form of healing energy work that we can employ to release excess energy and stress, come together as a community and adjust our collective and personal moods.
While options exist for commercial top 40 dancing in the area, I believe my emphasis on non-commercial and underground sounds from across genres and around the world, presented in non-club environments, serves a different set of goal:
To promote the original tenants of dance music culture - Peace, love, unity and respect (PLUR) and create a safe space for self expression and the potential for ecstatic release through dance.
As a celebration of the Awesome Foundations support of my ongoing community service, if I am awarded this prize, I will commit to additionally organizing a series of two - 2 part workshops for up to 8 participants each. The 1st workshop would be:
Dj-ing 101:
2 x 6 hour sessions
with a curriculum built around:
-Crate digging
-Listening
-Setting up your gear to get the best sound
-Vinyl and digital djing basics
-Basic beat matching
-Working with instrumentals and accapellas
-Blending and transition techniques
-Basic scratching
-Looping, effects and other tools
Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop, a controller and audio files, or records
The 2nd workshop would be on
Production:
2 x 6 hour sessions
and the curriculum would include:
-Introduction to software – Audacity (Freeware), Ableton Live
-Linear editing
-Working with samples
-Working with virtual instruments
-MIDI control surfaces, sound cards and such.
Suggested equipment, a laptop with some space on it, external soundcard/mixer and/or midi controllers
Cost - Free, Requirements: a short bio and explanation of musical interests, experience (if any), and goals in advance. Open to all ages no more than 8 per session, Selection at the discretion of me if there are more applicants than available slots.
I would advertise the opportunity on social media and on my radio show.