DMI has had quite an eventful summer with Monday night classes being the busiest they’ve ever been! We now have eight volunteer instructors and have been consistently getting over 20+ students each week. It’s truly great to see our music community flourishing and supporting each other! In this newsletter, we are giving a shout-out to our new DMI graduate students, highlighting upcoming events, and announcing the expansion of DMI’s music education program to another school this fall.
Upcoming Events
Friday, August 29
Social Sessions is hosting their latest Beats2Succeed fundraiser benefiting youth music programs in underserved school districts across Southern California. This time around, they’ve opted to allocate part of the proceeds to Dance Music Initiative as well! Graduate Justin Choe, aka GERB$, will be volunteering his skills behind the decks on the True House basement stage. Join us at The Circle OC and help raise money for a good cause!
Saturday, August 30
DMI instructor Dean Lalap has been collaborating with Wushiland Boba in Anaheim to celebrate their 6 month anniversary. Lalap is the brains behind the Boba Rave, featuring DJs GERB$, Blume, DiscoDarlin, and Dean Gerous himself. This special event will go from 9pm-1am so be sure to come and feed your late-night fix for boba and beats.
After-School DJ Program
DMI is proud to announce that our in-school music education program is expanding to South El Monte High School for the Fall 2025 semester. This is in addition to serving Gordon H Beatty Middle School in Buena Park. Our music education program starts by teaching students to DJ using vinyl records and turntables. Lesson plans cover the equipment, cuing, dropping on phrase, nudging, and mixing. After learning those core skills, students are introduced to digital DJing where they learn to program mixes and prepare for their end of course recital.
DMI DJ UniDiversity scholarship recipient and recent graduate Anthony Centeno will be the instructor guiding South El Monte High School’s students through their DJ journey. The good work of inspiring the youth and community through dance music continues!
Residencies
Thursdays and Sundays throughout 2025
This past July, the Harbor Sessions event series kicked off at Lander’s Liquor Bar in Costa Mesa! This collaborative effort between Dance Music Initiative, Ayamterrain, and Disco Religion brings a fresh wave of music and energy to Orange County. Give Harbor Sessions a follow to see when the next showcase will take place.
Sundays while its warm in 2025
Badcat.fm is an outdoor dance party that puts the dance floor first. The goal is to build a great dance party, maybe even a magical one. DMI is a proud supplier of DJ talent for their hallowed space. Make sure you subscribe to the mailing list to stay in the loop on when this hidden gem will take place next. We welcome you to connect, dance, and shape the music culture that we all love.
Testimonials
As part of the Santa Ana Investing in the Artist grant, we created this video featuring our current students and their reflections on our Monday night DJ lessons. Through their stories, you’ll see how the program nurtures creativity, builds confidence, and brings people together. The city grant afforded us the opportunity to share their stories and demonstrate music’s power to strengthen communities. Shout-out to Miko our Creative Director for putting this together.
New Graduates
Sedelle Redd
Sedelle Reddix is one of DMI’s most recent graduates this summer. Dance music helped him through difficult times, especially after the loss of his brother. DJing became a way for him to express deep, heartfelt emotions about life. He carries an abundance of gratitude for the magic that music creates, as well as all the hands and hearts who have contributed along the way.
Reddix has a deep love for South African House, but lately, he’s developed a strong affinity for mixing anything funky. His all-time favorite DJ and biggest inspiration is, without a doubt, Da Capo. Reddix admires Da Capo’s swag, subtle use of effects, and energy behind the decks.
The DJ life has allowed Reddix to express himself both creatively and emotionally. It’s also helped him slay the dragon of social anxiety, particularly helping him conquer his fear of talking to strangers.
DJ Big Andy
Andrew Brodsky is another recent DMI graduate. His journey into DJing began back in college, when he found himself hooked on Laidback Luke’s vlogs. Inspired by his creativity and energy, Brodsky bought his own controller and started experimenting. In the fall of last year, he overheard his coworker Dean Lalap talk about DMI’s free DJ lessons. He showed up to class that same day and instantly became part of the DMI family. He draws inspiration from the DMI instructors who go out of their way to share knowledge and invite others into their world.
When it comes to music, Brodsky’s taste is simple: if it gets him moving, he’s into it—no matter the genre. When asked what makes a good DJ, Brodsky says it’s all about those unexpected moments that grab your attention.
Outside of DJing, Andrew enjoys fixing gadgets by hand, roasting coffee, and biking to work. One day, he hopes to get a look inside a Technics turntable, just to see how it all works.
Annie’s Select
Have you heard of Forty Cats? I don’t know about you guys, but caring for forty cats sounds insane. Christina Gavrilova is a rising Russian house and techno artist. Her track “Rotate,” remixed by Noiyse Project, is sure to get your shoulders moving and eventually your whole body swaying on the dance floor. Check out this remix as well as her originals.
Adios!
It’s been an eventful and unforgettable summer, overflowing with incredible music events. It’s been inspiring watching the DMI community come alive, whether on the dance floor or behind the decks. A big thank you to everyone for supporting one another’s growth and success. See you on the next dance floor!
As always, 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 