DJ CO-ORDINATION TEAM

Long Dance 2024

DAVID MOONEY

TEAM LEADER

 
 

ANNA SIERPOWSKA

KAYA SERTIC

YORCK SCHULZ

MACIEJ

One of our main roles at the Long Dance is to support the team of DJs to offer their music and medicine for the dancers, ceremony leaders and our beloved Long Dance.

WORDS FROM TARA BRACH ABOUT THE SACRED ACT OF PAUSE

The theme of our reflection together is pausing and learning to pause, and we will emphasize how we do that when we are caught in reactivity and stress. That’s when we most need to pause. But really, pausing is part of the healthy rhythm of our lives.

This is from Fire, by Judy Brown:

“ What makes a fire burn
is space between the logs, a breathing space.
Too much of a good thing, too many logs
packed in too tight
can douse the flames almost as surely
as a pail of water would.

So building fires
requires attention
to the spaces in between...

...A fire
grows
simply because the space is there, with openings
in which the flame
that knows just how it wants to burn can find its way. “

This is a wisdom that can guide us in our life. If it is too packed with activity, if there is no pausing, there is not space for a universal flow of wisdom and love and creativity to move through us.

There are two related reasons – I mean, there’s probably many – but two main reasons that it is really hard to pause. The first is that we are just completely habituated to activity. It is just our program. We are in a kind of doing-trance. You

1 Brown, J. S. (2000). Fire. In The Sea Accepts All Rivers & Other Poems (pp. 34-35). Alexandria, VA: Miles River Press.

know, they talk about human doings versus human beings — we are in this doing- trance and much of the time, we are on automatic. It is just our habit to do. And the second reason, totally related, is that much of that doing is driven by our primitive brain that is saying: Something is wrong. I need to do something so that I am ready for what’s around the corner. Or: Something is missing. I need to do stuff so I can make sure I get it. We are driven by the more primitive parts of our brain, and so it is very difficult to pause because those driven doings at least give us a sense of controlling things. We manage threats and we go for advantages by doing.

DJ Coordination Yin Role Focus - DJ

- Safe Harbour, Cheerleader, Co-regulator

- Ask the DJ what kind of support they would like and if there's anything they need you are there to support them.

- Round Timer (Please see notes about this on the DJ Coordinators Resource Hub

- DJ Bouncer - keep away dancers or people with questions from DJ so the DJ can concentrate on DJing

DJ Coordinator Yang Role

- Tech host DJ tech setup plus Sound check with DJ's kit

- Mic announcements

- Liaising with Ya'Acov and Susannah if needed

- Check out the sound quality in the room

- Overall schedule - keep an eye we are staying on time and do minor

adjustments if needed

- Troubleshoot any tech issues such as power outages, sound issues etc

To keep the transition as smooth as possible we will ​already​ have the following ready for DJ’s to plug into:

  • 2 x Traktor Z1 with usb leads

  • 2 x Traktor Audio 2 MK2 Portable Sound card (the small black simple o​ne) with usb leads

  • Leads for those using iTunes to go straight into your computer

TRAKTOR AUDIO 2

 

AUDIO 2 CABLE

iTUNES LEADS

PHONO TO MINI JACK FOR iTUNES

LARGE JACK (1/4 inch) TO MINI JACK (1/8 inch)

TRAKTOR Z1

 

TRAKTOR Z1 CABLE

MAIN MIXER FOR LONG DANCE DJ DESK

BOSE TONE MATCH 8

It is important you are familiar with how the main mixer works. The mixer is the

Please familiarise yourself with the set up of the mixer with this online tutorial above well before the Long Dance so if you have any questions we can tend to them at our DJ Co-ordinators meeting.

OUR ROLE AS DJ COORDINATORS

SUPPORT THE DJS

Some Dj’s like more space, some DJ’s like more alongsideness. Best not to assume, but to ask…what support would you like. It can be super supportive for some DJ’s to create more space but to be there and for others super supportive to be alongside (safe harbour in some way).

Practice is to make Zen in amongst the whirl wind of the tech and busy hub of the DJ desk. Please help by gently guiding questions from dancers, other LD team members to you rather than DJ.

For full list see below…

KEEP THE DJ SCHEDULE ON TIME

LOOKING AFTER THE TECH SET UP

LIAISE WITH OTHER LD TEAMS INCLUDING YA’ACOV AND SUSANNAH IF NEEDED

These are the ways we, AS DJ CO-ORDINATOR TEAM can offer ​support:

  • Making sure the DJ area is as peaceful and spacious as we can. In this way we ask you to be mindful about this when coming to set up your equipment. So simple awareness of the DJ who is currently playing and also to ask any questions of the coordinator rather than the DJ playing. Also not to engage in too much ‘chat’ at the DJ desk before you play. Good to prepare yourself, call in the Mesa and tune into your dedication.

  • We are there to support you too so you can ask for whatever kind of support you need. It could be alongsideness, someone at your back or you may need space...all good, do feel free to ask for what you need from us. That said, be aware that it can be busy at the DJ desk sometimes with technical stuff, announcements, communications we have with Ya’Acov and Susannah and other teams. This is where it is different from normal DJing when you are teaching. So the medicine of flexibility is a good practice :)

  • While you are DJing, if anyone comes to you with a question you can refer them to the DJ coordinators so you can concentrate on DJing

  • While you are DJing feel free to ask the coordinators for any energetic or technical support you would like or need.

  • If you are unsure about the music or how it is landing in the space, firstly trust yourself and your medicine. Also you can ask the coordinators for support and suggestions if you like.

  • When you have completed your DJing take a moment to land and do your own completions, no need to rush off, just be mindful that the less people there the better.

  • We are on hand for any technical issues. Don’t worry if the music gets interrupted for any technical issues as we will have back up music ready in place while we resolve any possible issue. If there is no music for a moment that’s totally fine.

  • You can bring your own mini mesa objects with you to have on the DJ desk with you, just know there isn’t a lot of space available :)

  • Make sure that your LD role is covered for enough time before and after your DJ set to give you time to prepare, take it in and self regulate. This is a relationship between the importance of your LD role and having enough time. Djing is not more important than you LD role so be in good communication with your LD role team.

  • Bring your computer charger with you. We will have some ready, but bring yours just in case, especially if you are using a PC.

DJ SCHEDULE TIMING

One of our jobs in the role of DJ Co-ordination is to keep the Long Dance Schedule running on time. this means that for example here below:

Self begins first round at 21.15

That means the transition is already done to send the last dancer for the Ancestors/ Descendants round back to their support group, have a moment to thank each other and sending the first dancer out for the self round at 21.15

The round is 20 mins each, so the ending of that first Self round is at about 18 mins to:

  • Bring the dance to completion

  • Thank the other dancers in the space

  • Return to their support group and send the next dancer out

  • At 21.35 the next dancer should be in the space starting their round with Self.

In previous years the timetable slipped because we didn’t factor in the time to transition and the transitions were too long. So…no need to rush, also not lingering in the transition.

Sound system set up

We will have 2 BOSE L1 speakers + 4 BOSE F1.

Complete Sound System for Long Dance

Below is a complete list of the sound system for the Long Dance. It is coming from a few different sources so the ownership will be colour coded with electric tape. I’ll print this out so we have a copy for the take down and organising for all the kit to go to its correct home :)

The Speakers for the Long Dance

 
 

SOUND SYSTEM FROM YA’ACOV

LARGE JACK AUDIO CABLES X 2

TWO KETTLE POWER LEADS

BOSE 1 FI

LARGE JACK TO JACK AUDIO LEAD X 2

TWO KETTLE POWER CABLES

XLR AUDIO LEADS X 6

A FEW REMINDERS OF WHAT WILL BE SHARED WITH THE DJ’S IN REGARDS MUSIC IN CEREMONY

Looking forward to seeing you there and sharing this beautiful space with you all.


‘’Music is the healing force of the Universe’’

Albert Ayler

Music, ceremony and things to be aware of:

  • There is a request from Susannah and Ya’Acov to be mindful of lyrics in your music. Some lyrics are ok if they are in alignment with the ceremony eg Danit. The basic request is not to use music with lyrical narrative. This means lyrics that may take the dancers attention away from the particular round or thread of the Long Dance. Best to only use lyrics where the voice is more of an instrument rather than lots of words. Some lyrics and words is ok but not too much, especially in English. If you have a song with lyrics not in English do know what the singer is singing about so you know what you are putting into the space and there may well be someone who speaks that language in the dance.

    Don’t use songs that explicitly use the word ‘Ayahuasca’ If there are songs that you love that use the word Ayahuasca then use filters or skip over it. This is simply to not give the wrong impression that ayahuasca is used in these ceremonies. There are people coming from all walks of life to the LD, not just AP’s.

  • Use a variety of music in your DJ set and in each round you play. Be aware of ‘Activation and Relaxation’ ‘Yin and Yang’ which is central to our work of MM and is important that it is present in your set whichever round you are holding. This will best serve the dancers and ceremony, be aware that we are in ceremony is 72 hours long. So your job is to serve the whole ceremony, so Activation and Relaxation..‘Yin and Yang’ is great. Be mindful of too much of the same beat / tempo.

  • Your medicine self is very welcome. Your music is medicine, your presence is medicine, your intention is medicine. Remember to love who is in front of you :)

  • A new development this year is that all DJ’s know which round you will be Djing at the Long Dance a weeks before you arrive so feel free to dream into it, dance with it and explore your relationship with it. Also as always you can prepare the round and feel free to adapt as you need to meet and match as well as listen to the emergent qualities during the ceremony

  • There may be times where we need to shorten or even extend a round or rounds to be in service of the whole ceremony. This will be decided by Ya’Acov and Susannah and the coordinators will communicate with Ya’Acov and Susannah and let you know if this needs to happen. So good to have segue tracks ready and also some flexibility in your set for it to be a little shorter or longer. Also in very rare occasions we may need to change the schedule. In this scenario we’ll do our best to create another DJ slot.

  • The volume of the music is an important tool in DJing so listen and be mindful of meeting and matching what supports the energetics is more/ less volume and listening for the emergent qualities. Watch the temptation to increase the volume from a place of push. We may ask you to increase / decrease the volume of music, this may be a request from Y+S.

  • Have a look at the individual email I send you about the time of ceremony, where it is in the overall ceremony, time of day, what is before you and after you and the theme of the overall journey. All this info will be in your individual email. You can take this as part of your dreaming into the music. Also there is something valuable in trusting the medicine of the music you know, love and have used before.

  • The DJ coordinators will do the announcements on the microphone so you don’t have to worry about that, just be mindful that we may ask to turn down the music a little to make announcements. Also Ya’Acov, Susannah or the DJ coordinators will do the announcements of the changeovers (A,B,C...) and introduce the rounds so good to have music ready at the beginning and end of your rounds to support this. It can simply be to lower the volume or have segue tracks you can bring in and out. If using iTunes this can be with volume or a simple segue track.

  • Each round is a mini journey so good to have this in mind, also its a relationship between this and also the overall arc of your set and the wider arc of the journey. Lovely to play with this in your preparations :)

Some useful feedback from people in DJ co-ordination role from previous years

For all DJs

Helpful to speak about volume with all DJs at the opening meeting. Volume might be changed by Y and/or S.. Be aware of delicacy of ceremonial space, full volume is not always best volume.

The power of words and encouragement for people to play instrumental pieces.

Time of set might be adapted and changed during ceremony. Be flexible.

For all:

It might be good to communicate to Care givers and announce in public before or at begin of ceremony, that the DJ desk is NOT the place to go and ask all questions. Go to door keepers first.