If you are like most schools you probably are rotating through different DJs. Most likely this is because the ASB students are given the power as to who they would like to hire. Unfortunately as the class changes so do the DJs they hire. Other schools are stricter as the administration hires and fires the DJ exclusively while the rest tend to meet in the middle making it a combined decision of the ASB and Administration. Here are some things to consider…

1. If your school has been experiencing issues with the music played and/or the type of dancing that takes place then it is important to find a DJ or company that works and to stick with that DJ or company. Consistency is important to receiving the same quality and level of professionalism. When different DJs or companies are used from one dance to the next then it’s like you always have to start over from scratch needing to re-explain your music and dance policies. Don’t be fooled, not all DJs are willing to work with the administration as they are more concerned about what the students think of them.

2. If you are having problems with the DJs and/or music that is played at your dances then the administration needs to take 100% control over hiring and firing the DJ. A HUGE challenge we run into is the following scenario. The school gives 100% control to the student ASB to hire and fire DJs and also gives the student ASB 100% control over the feedback that is given about that DJs performance. Then the administration tells the DJ what he or she must adhere to in regards to that schools music policy but will not back up that DJ when he or she tries to follow those rules. This makes it extremely difficult for any DJ to go in and win as this situation is setup to almost always fail. If the DJ knows that the students have ultimate power then what reasoning would a DJ have to follow the schools administration guidelines? It is always the goal of the DJ to earn repeat business, knowing that the students have ultimate say then the administration is shooting themselves in the foot.  When the DJ feels confident that the administration controls which DJ is hired then the DJ will have all the reasons to work within the schools policies.

3. Never expect the DJ to provide security or play the role of a chaperone. Once the DJ no longer comes across as the entertainment but rather the enforcement then all credibility for that DJ will be lost. Once the DJs credibility has been lost the students will be much less likely to enjoy themselves. Ultimately the goal of a dance is to have fun in a safe environment while hopefully raising some money. The best way to accomplish this is for the DJ and the administration to work together in unison and not to leave everything up to the DJ.

4. Never assume the DJ knows everything about your school and policies so communicate with the DJ prior to each dance. We provided services for a school where the students had a great time. Not once during the booking or while we were setting up or during the dance did any administrator come up to us to provide any insight as to what their expectations where of the DJ. We asked upon booking and were told they would provide that information to us closer to the dance, which we never received. Upon arrival we asked the person who let us in what we should expect and he said he would have the appropriate administrator come over to explain that to us. Needless to say no one ever did and the dance still had to start on time so we did the best we could. After the dance all they had to say was, DJ should have had more control. Funny part is we never saw any of the chaperones or anyone in the administration try to take control either. We would have more than happy to work with them provided they gave us some insight.

5. Think ahead and book in advance and if possible do not use a purchase order. A good amount of schools have a lot of hoops to jump through to pay for services and to get all the required paperwork in order. If this sounds like your school make sure to start the booking process at least 2 months before the actual date of the event. If you wait too long, some or none of the required paperwork will be in place prior to the dance and could cause confirmation problems leaving you without a DJ. Also try to avoid using a purchase order as this increases the length of time for a DJ to receive payment as well as the added time to complete paperwork, send the invoice, track payment on so on. Some DJs will offer a better rate if this step can be avoided.

6. Have multiple dances each year? Book all of them with the same DJ at the same time and ask if that DJ offers a bulk rate.

7. Don’t go too cheap! This is another BIG problem for schools since dances are meant to raise funds. Problem with cheap DJs is that there usually is a reason for the low rates such as that DJ is just starting out, they do not have all the correct music, they do not have enough equipment and so on. You’d be surprised how many times each year we are contacted from a school who hired a cheap DJ only to have that DJ cancel on them last minute because somebody else wanted to hire them for the same day at a higher rate. Most schools also require liability insurance. Keep in mind that the more costs a DJ has to incur before even being considered to perform at a school will increase the overall cost for that DJ’s services. As the old saying goes, it’s not a great deal if it’s not a great service.

8. Have a Theme Dance! This is one of the best and easiest ways to curtail the questionable music and type of dancing that tends to cause the most problems at school dances. Themed dances opens up the type of music kids are expecting to hear thus not putting so much pressure on all the newer music that is usually expected and problematic. In addition have a best dressed contest. When kids dress up instead of wearing the typical club attire they will take themselves less seriously and loosen up to have more clean fun then acting as if they were at a club.