In the last few months at DMI, we’ve had quite a few exciting events in addition to a rapidly growing number of students attending our classes on Monday evenings at the Pizza Press! DMI’s news feature and the DJ Carousel are some of the events we’ll cover in case you missed out. Also Dean Lalap, one of DMI’s graduates and now instructor is our spotlight!
Upcoming Events
Monday, June 23
We are thrilled to have guest lecturer Tomas Bollo give us a tour of his hand-built, custom modular synthesizer at our weekly DJ class at Pizza Press. He’ll demonstrate how he uses it in his music production as well as hosting a breakout session for those who want to dive deeper. Make sure you reserve a spot at our class to attend. To learn more about Tomas and his music, check out his electronic press kit.
Sunday June 29
Badcat.fm is hosting their third (of 10) dancefloor-focused parties at a spectacular, hidden Orange County gem. All of their events feature graduates and/or instructors of DMI, and there are also openings for current student DJs as well. Join the Badcat.fm email or SMS mailing list here to stay informed.
Friday July 4
Green Life Entertainment and Ayamterrain proudly present Tech Me 2 Da Park this coming Independence Day. A lot of local heroes at this one including DMI’s Holliday and BChang. This one will be at Woodley Park near the archery range. RSVP here for all of the details and join us for a lovely SoCal day full of sun and dance.
Boogie Beacon
Fresh Air Frequencies
We just hosted our first DJ Carousel of the year in the great outdoors—and it was nothing short of awesome. DJs and dance music lovers alike came together to spin epic tunes across two one-armed vinyl and two one-armed digital setups, all surrounded by breathtaking, scenic views of rural Orange County. To wrap things up, we piloted a fun “Name That Tune” game and awarded prizes to the human Shazams.
Below is a glimpse of what you missed if you couldn’t make it this time. Keep an eye out for the next one! If you’re not familiar with how carousels work, check out this video.
Instructor Spotlight
Dean Lalap, like most DMI instructors started as a student of our curriculum in 2023. After only two months—the fastest student to ever complete DMI’s vinyl mixing test—Dean became our 16th graduate. After graduating, he wanted to help pay it forward by bringing his equipment to class and teaching the next generation of students.
His DJ journey started during the pandemic, where he revisited his piano musical roots. During his isolation, he was inspired by livestreaming DJs and decided to give it a go. Dean pulled the trigger and purchased his first DJ controller, the Pioneer DDJ-400. He bought it from an artist called Taylor Torrance who eventually became a friend and mentor in the DJ world.
The type of dance music Dean is typically drawn to is the “energetic stuff.” His taste in music has changed over the years, from tech house to currently Skrillex-like bass/trap. When asked who he’d love to B2B with, he responded, “Daft Punk because who doesn’t want to DJ in their pyramid spaceship?” Dean’s spare time is limited, but when he has it, he digs for music and updates his workout playlist.
Annie’s Select
Farius – Electric Run
A track to get you pumpin’ and start your day. I think it perfectly provides a soundtrack to my calm melodic mornings that transform into beast mode gogogo at work. How does it make you feel?
Adios!
As we continue on to summer with many events to be attended, stay safe and in tune!
If you’re not already, make sure you’re a member of our Facebook group to get more frequent updates on events and discussions.
♫ Annie, Dance Music Initiative volunteer and music aficionado.
Dance Music Initiative 