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Attracting Dancers


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jhatpro
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 4:27 am    Post subject: Attracting Dancers Reply with quote

My band plays mostly danceable classics. We’d like grow our audience. What’s the best way to reach ballroom dancing fans?
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Craig Swartz
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 5:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Start playing ballrooms. Must be a few around your neighborhood. There are a couple old ones around here that still have dances and use bands.
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Fuzzy Dunlop
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 6:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I thought this was going to be about hitting it off with the chorus line.
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Turkle
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 6:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My buddy's trio plays in a bar that's right next to a dance studio. The jazz dancers from the studio often come over to the bar for a few beers and will dance.

So maybe book a gig next to a dance studio and let the owners of the studio know there will be jazz next door! You could find yourself with a highly motivated crowd in a hurry.
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trumpet.trader
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 6:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe offer a few free shows at bigger dance studios? Or offer to show up at a few rehearsals and recitals for them and spread the word about your events.

Ballroom, swing dancers and Latin dancers seem to always be in abundance. Gotta find where they practice or go as groups maybe?
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dstdenis
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 7:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd search Facebook for local groups. Check whether you want to promote your band for "ballroom dancing" or just "swing dancing" (ballroom includes more styles of music, and you might not have all that in your book).
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gabriel127
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 7:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A rehearsal band that I play with plays once every few months for this local swing dance club. I got to know some of the people who head up the swing dance club.

A while back, the "In the Mood Live" show was coming to town. They were going to be playing at a rather large venue, but because of a promotional snafu, the advertisements didn't make it out into the senior citizen outlets, thus there was going to be a small crowd.

I called the members of this swing dance club and told them all about the "In the Mood Live" show, that it's like a historical musical anthology of swing music and that there's lots of great swing dancing on stage throughout the thing and singing as well (the girl in charge of the swing dance club is also a singer). I asked her to send an email to all of her dance club members because they'd probably love the show, it wasn't expensive and I really wanted to try and drum up support for the show, help them out a bit.

I was surprised when she replied by saying that she really doesn't like to go to performances like that where the audience can't dance because it's the dancing that they enjoy and to sit there in the audience watching other people dance and not being able to dance themselves is kind of a "tease" as she put it. This kind of surprised me (and pissed me off at the same time) because I had previously thought that these people were not just people who like to swing dance, I thought that they were fans of the whole genre. But apparently I was mistaken.

This experience reminded me of why bebop was originated.
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jhatpro
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 7:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

All good ideas, guys, thanks!

I've received a few emails back from dance instructors who say they'll spread the word but there's been no effect on the gate that I can tell.

One of the Chicago area's biggest ballrooms - Willowbrook - burned down last year but I hear it's planning to rebuild.

I've been thinking about hiring a dance instructor to appear with us as an incentive.

We'll be on the Jazz Calendar broadcast by a local radio station starting next month so that should help big time.

And we're revamping our Web and Twitter info to be more dance oriented.
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"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
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jazztrumpetbill
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

in my experience, dancers are fickle. we tried to cater to local swing dancers and we did not have much success. They like songs at certain tempos. They would rather dance to recordings. Plus they normally don't buy much at the venue so the club owners don't really make any money with a full dance floor.
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trumpet.trader
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 8:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jhatpro wrote:


We'll be on the Jazz Calendar broadcast by a local radio station starting next month so that should help big time.


People still listen to the radio?
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gabriel127
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jazztrumpetbill wrote:
Plus they normally don't buy much at the venue so the club owners don't really make any money with a full dance floor.


Yes, that's very true. The dancing crowd is very careful with their money and they're very fussy and fickle.
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Turkle
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 8:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gabriel127 wrote:
jazztrumpetbill wrote:
Plus they normally don't buy much at the venue so the club owners don't really make any money with a full dance floor.


Yes, that's very true. The dancing crowd is very careful with their money and they're very fussy and fickle.


That's why I make sure my bands cater more to the "degenerate alcoholic" crowd, rather than the "peppy dancer" crowd. Big bar tabs get you invited back to play again.
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jazztrumpetbill
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 8:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's why I make sure my bands cater more to the "degenerate alcoholic" crowd, rather than the "peppy dancer" crowd. Big bar tabs get you invited back to play again

Yup...We don't place much swing music anymore... Funk, R&B and yes we get more gigs as a result.[/quote]
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kehaulani
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 8:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In Germany, I had great success by getting into the dance contest circuit. Find out where the competitions are taking place and go talk to people.
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Turkle
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 8:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jazztrumpetbill wrote:
That's why I make sure my bands cater more to the "degenerate alcoholic" crowd, rather than the "peppy dancer" crowd. Big bar tabs get you invited back to play again

Yup...We don't place much swing music anymore... Funk, R&B and yes we get more gigs as a result.
[/quote]

In NYC there's a decent market in hipster joints for old swinging jazz standards, all the old torch songs and such. "Cry Me A River" and "Stormy Weather" and the like. You play those old songs like they're meant to be played and people will ring up a large tab while crying into their beers in no time. No post-Coltrane 40-minute loud as heck solo madness, just good swinging torch songs, and the people who get it will show up and drink heavily.

But it's all about knowing your market - what to the degenerate alcoholics in your neighborhood like to listen to? Play that.

Anyway, sorry for the thread derailment!
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bnsd
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 8:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

if you want to appeal to the dancing crowd, you first have to determine if there IS a dancing crowd, and if so, what type of music do they want to dance to.

A local band I play with sometimes is led by a swing dancer, so he is very in tune with what people want to dance to. They have a monthly get-together, and the band is in the rotation.

craigslist and social media sites can lead you in the right direction. Also look for dance clubs that have meet-ups, and try to get in tight with them.

Like most gigs, it's about building relationships... playing music your audience wants to dance to. Bringing patrons to the bar that spend money. Having listenable music for people that don't want to dance.

Also check with VFW halls... demographic there seems conducive to swing music and dancing.
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Craig Swartz
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:
I thought this was going to be about hitting it off with the chorus line.
Yeah- I was originally going to suggest Jim sit in the front row near the pole and have some tens and sawbucks on the bar.
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homecookin
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Craig Swartz wrote:
Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:
I thought this was going to be about hitting it off with the chorus line.
Yeah- I was originally going to suggest Jim sit in the front row near the pole and have some tens and sawbucks on the bar.


GOOD ONE !!!


Last edited by homecookin on Fri Dec 22, 2017 5:31 pm; edited 1 time in total
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nieuwguyski
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You describe your tunes as "danceable," but you need to know exactly what the ballroom crowd is looking for and consistently deliver it. For one thing, ballroom dancers want to dance all the steps, so you'll need to have slow and fast waltzes as well as rhumbas, cha-chas, tangos, sambas, and the list goes on and on. Then you need to make sure you play each style within a fairly narrow tempo range to keep the dancers happy.

You don't need as many different styles in the book if you're looking to attract the swing dancers, but you still need to make sure you're consistently playing tempos that keep them happy.

Oh, and social dancers don't slow dance. The best way to clear the dance floor is to play a ballad.

Here's an online review of a band I used to play in -- a review geared to dancers. Note the complaints about tempi.

http://aboutdancing.info/Articles/GasMoney.html
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jhatpro
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 7:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Besides seeking ways to attract dancers we are considering some other ways to grow the gate:

-- gerbil races
-- dwarf tossing
-- limerick competition
-- staring derby
-- rock/paper/scissors olympics

And if those don't work we may hock our instruments and go into politics where the less talent you have the greater your chance for success.
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Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle
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