BEHIND THE SCENES: DJ SESSIONS (FUNDED BY MAES)

The DJ Sessions course (funded by MAES) at the start of September was an absolute cracker. It was the first time that we hosted the showcase at the Reform studios and the vibes were next level. It’s always such a pleasure to see the participants put their new skills to the test. We had a range of music genres and party vibes, from slow, smooth RnB, then some disco bangers all the way to the hardcore drum and bass party tunes. We caught up with Dan and Imani at the end of their two week course to find out how they found it and what they plan to do in the future.

Please can you introduce your name, and pronouns, and tell us a bit about what you like getting up to in your free time?

D: My name is Dan, pronouns are He/Him. My Hobbies at the moment have actually been music and wanting to get into DJing, hence why I’m here. But before that, I was working in the dance industry and now I want to make the switch.

I: I’m Imani, She/Her, and I’m sort of in the midst of a life reset. I used to work in television, and I then moved into charity and organisational work. Once my contract ended, I was sort of like, let’s explore my creative space. I found this opportunity literally the day my contract ended, and I was like, I like music a lot, so why not DJ?

What prompted you to get involved with the DJ Sessions course?

D: So, as I said, I was a dancer, then went into teaching and choreographing in the entertainment space. But I’ve always been around music, a lot of my friends are DJs, or work in the music side of it, and I never knew really how to make the switch. So yeah, a bit like Imani, it’s a bit like a life reset. I decided to take a beat from work and then yeah this is when that job opportunity came up, and I felt like the time was right now to have that space and this course to get the skills to explore this new avenue within the industry.

I: Yeah, same. I’ve always been raised around music, I was always in choirs and praise teams and live bands when I was younger, but I never really transitioned into knowing anything about the production or creation of music, but, yeah, I’ve always been the person at parties slamming on the decks like “play it again”. So, I through you know what, if you have a passion for music and you can also see how it’s a performance in a way, another creative expression, I think that was just enough motivation to be like it’s another creative field that aligns with my interests.

What do you love most about DJing?

D: I always enjoyed music, but now I have a deeper understanding of music and how to use different genres to create a feeling or a moment; it’s a deeper understanding of music. I’ve always appreciated going to gigs, but now it’s understanding how music works to create a moment or a vibe or an energy, which has been really nice.

I: My friends and I always use the term ‘ambience director’, like to create an emotion or an atmosphere, in order to create a level of comfortability, or to find a way to get people on your wavelength and vibe through music. Not necessarily having to talk, but using music as a way to connect with other people, because, as you flow through different genres and flow through different vibes, I want to be able to hype up the energy or I want bring it down and let people be a bit more introspective. It’s just crazy that you’re able to do that with just a collection of three or four songs that just shift the energy or the vibe of an entire space, without having to communicate or talk.

Did you have much experience in DJing before? What’s one stand out thing you’ve learnt at Reform?

D: So, I’ve always understood listening to music, but in terms of DJing, no. I’ve never touched decks properly, never understood the software or the thousand buttons that are on the decks. I think what we’ve learned in two weeks was like months and months and months worth of knowledge and understanding of the foundations, and some a bit more advanced stuff as well.

I: I would just say it’s been a very comprehensive experience. It’s not just been the technical side; the equipment, what the buttons do. This course has actually given us tools in regards to, how do we actually make this a viable living opportunity? How do I approach people? What does a brand look like? What’s the significance of certain things? I think that sort of widened the perspective a bit more.

How would you describe your DJ set in three words?

D: Feel-good, free, disco.

I: Soulful, wholesome, feel-good.

Do you have any role models in the music scene that inspire your practice?

D: Honey Dijon, not just because she is trans and queer, but her vibe is definitely my vibe. I feel like the spaces she creates are of inclusivity and sort of free spaces, which is what I like to party in, and what I would hopefully like to create.

I: I’m not as knowledgeable on the DJ scene as I probably should be, but again, the person that I really enjoyed listening to is this guy called Dodge DJ. I first heard of him as he was DJing at a family funeral. It was the best party I’d ever been to. I think he was a friend of my cousins, or whatever it was, and then a couple of months later, I saw he was headlining like some international event. It turns out, he’s really multi genre. He mixes house all the way down to reggae and soca and even techno. He just does it all, and yeah, if there’s someone that I would love to be able to emulate in terms of the atmosphere that he created, it’d be that.

Let’s throw it back to your first day at Reform versus now, tell me a bit about your first impressions/feelings/emotions in comparison to how you feel now. What has changed?

D: I feel like, on the first day, I was a bit apprehensive, but the mentors and the facilitators have created a real safe space for everyone. The diversity of our course is so varied, but everyone has gelled really well together. I used to work in teaching myself, and some people like to teach with fear and name-dropping… This course has been the complete opposite.

I: I agree, the teaching has been really organic. We’ve been allowed to grow at our own pace. I think if the facilitators can see that you can have the capacity to do more, they’re not sort of holding you restricted with the rest of the group. I think my first day was just, yeah, a little bit apprehensive, because I think when things are free, you know, you can’t even say you get what you pay for. By the end of the week, I’m impressed! It’s been so smooth and very fluid the whole way, which has just been cool.

What will you take from the DJ course moving forwards and what are your plans from here onwards?

D: Confidence in my skills to practice and perfect them and keep pushing them forward. Also, the confidence to put myself out there within the DJ space. We’ve been taught that the reality of learning to DJ is hard work, and it’s going to take time, and you do have to put the graft in, but in a positive way, not in a negative way. So I feel like it’s given me the confidence to sort of take a step into that space, which is nice.

I: I don’t think I want to go and conquer the DJ world just yet. I’m just happy to know how to have the skills, the tools at home. I’m bringing my skills straight to Slug and Lettuce to the local pub where I can get some real exposure. I know how to promote myself now, and what a brand is.

If you could DJ at any festival, event, or place in the world, where would it be and why?

D: I have a few in Manchester. Probably, The White Hotel, Hidden or The Warehouse Project. But then the ultimate dream would be Panorama Bar in Berghain.

I: I’m an aesthetics babe. I think my kind of music fits rooftops with some nice drinks, like somewhere that’s super scenic. In terms of an actual place, I don’t know I would love to go somewhere like Atlanta, like a very historical American place, where a lot of the genres of the music that I like to play originated. It would be amazing to play this music for people who actually appreciate the origins of the music from their hometown.

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