Christian Salas @ Dance Music 101

Christian Salas is the current Latin America marketing coordinator for British music equipment manufacturer Novation. He has a background in studio production as an engineer and producer, and has worked with artist of all genres from blues rock to electronic music.

Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant for you?
It’s hard to pinpoint an exact moment, but I have to say that 1997 was pretty influential. I was really young in 97 but that’s the year that Homework and The Fat of the Land came out by Daft Punk and The Prodigy which were my introduction to electronic based music. Later on in my teenage years a friend introduced me to industrial bands like Ministry and Skinny Puppy (game changers for me).

Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?

I always have fun experiencing live music or live sequencing. A co-worker took me to see GRiZ and I was very skeptical that I would enjoy the show but I ended up having a blast. I danced like a dummy all night and left with the biggest smile on my face.

Love: name the one thing you love more than anything – and why is that?
Family. That includes my closest friends who are there through thick and thin. You know who you are, thank you.

Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?

The most recent significant moment was the last event we held in São Paulo back in June. Novation teamed up with the LAUD agency to put on a workshop and live experience. It was great to hear how appreciative the workshop attendees where and seeing L_cio jam on the Novation Circuit to a warehouse full of people dancing.

Present: what do you think is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?
Festivals are popping up everywhere! Tons of the them every weekend. Don’t forget about the smaller guys who are playing small clubs who are probably playing much more interesting music.

Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?

Not sure, everything happens in cycles so you’ll see certain genres come back into popularity. The market is bit oversaturated at the moment so hopefully we’ll see some unique producers come out and do something a little different and exciting to stand out from the crowd.

Francois Lebaron @ Dance Music 101

Francois Lebaron is the co-founder and partner of the AIM Montreal Electronic Music Festival in Canada.

- Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?

At 13 years old I started a mobile disco with a friend which had quite a good success. We were buying dance records almost every week, playing in weddings, school parties and private parties. I just fell in love with DJ-ing. Later on, at 16, I stopped buying dance records and started to buy techno records and that was it, I was in the loop!

- Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?

I played at a private event a few weeks ago and ended up playing 10 hours! That was real fun!

- Love: name the one thing you love more than anything – and why is that?

My parents. They’ve always been there for me no matter what.

- Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?

When I signed my first record deal with Warner Music Canada in 2001. This deal allowed me to put out an album with Swedish producer Håkan Lidbo as well as other releases. For me, that was huge and the beginning of a lot of other significant moments.

- Present: what do you think that is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?

Definitely festivals are trending. The ‘'Experience'' is the new word to use. But, music wise, the movement is coming back to the roots. Since music sales are no longer relevant, artists need to be real good and perform shows to get fans. It's a whole different business now.

- Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?

The upcoming path is difficult to predict but I feel that ''synergy'' is a cutting edge way to expand projects, music, partnerships and success for yourself and the industry. It feels great to collaborate, exchange ideas and strengths. 

Rebecca "Becks" Lange @ Dance Music 101

Rebecca "Becks" Lange is the founder and mastermind behind Miami's most creative event brand, PL0T Miami, that For more than 10 years, has been a major contributor to the Underground Dance Music Scene in Miami, promoting events in the city's best venues, debuting and nurturing a number of international acts in the area.

Becks Lange has also earned her very own chapter in a web-series produced by Red Bull TV titled Inspire the Night, currently in its second season, Inspire the Night is an unscripted series that explores the brilliant and rousing individuals behind some of America's greatest nightlife experiences – watch more at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVhpptDTcKE  

- Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?

I figured out that dance music was for me, when there were no parties I wanted to go to because they were lacking elements that I saw as essential... new sounds, venues, lighting, experiences. That’s when a group of friends and I first realized that this could be for us! We had a vision and we made it and continue to make it happen through PL0T - at least we hope!

- Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?

Every time I travel far out it becomes a dive in experience, far out meaning Asia, Australia, Burning Man places where technology is not on top of mind and I’m able to disconnect in order to absorb and get inspired by everything I see and feel. Add to that a magic chocolate and you wont stop laughing :)

However, each of our nights are really my sanctuary and after 3:00AM, once you know everything is going smooth, it’s then when the real dancing happens!

- Love: name the one think you love more than anything – and why is that?

My dogs! They show me each day lessons of love, compassion, nowness, respect and that the world is more simple than what we make it.

- Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?

My first Art Basel Life and Death event. Was a huge milestone to be able to host such a respectable label. The trust put on you to deliver a successful event by the agents, managers and artists is a huge weight to carry.

- Present: what do you thing that is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?

In electronic music big room sounds are trending heavy, which are sounds created 5-6 years ago by labels like Innervisions and Life and Death, but they have evolved into other sounds (the labels) and people are now getting what they were into 5 years ago... it’s part of it all. Takes time for crowds to adjust to newness.

In festivals Amsterdam has taken the lead, their world class productions and lineup curation is incredible. Diversity I would say is trending in festivals for clubs. When it comes down to big clubs, the trend is to mimic the waves that small rooms have been working on for years, bc they've seen that the big room formula is no longer as desired as it was before.

- Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?

You never know which shifts the industry might take but its all of our responsibility (party goers, promoters, press, managers, artists, etc) to take our part and shape it to the best it can ever be. I know I will continue to push the boundaries in my market for new and fresh experiences, regardless of what that might imply.

Mark Ursa @ Dance Music 101

Mark Ursa was born in Belgium and he soon caught the virus of House Music, moving to Ibiza where he started his career of DJ in the early 2000’s being the first Belgian DJ to get a residence of a party in that town. Since 2006, Mark Ursa shares his time between several cities in Brazil, Miami, Las Vegas and Ibiza, playing in major superclubs and festivals around the world.

Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?

I think that Dance Music really took a big place in my life 20 years ago when I decided to move to Ibiza. Before that, I organized few electronics parties, but also fashion events and marketing actions for brands (Bacardi, Playboy, MTV, ...). As DJs, I was just warming up my nights. This year I organized the model contest (New Face Top Model) in Amnesia for the famous agency Elite Model. After my first season in Ibiza, I decided to devote myself totally to electronic music. The next year in Ibiza, I was already organizing my own electronic parties at Privilege Ibiza, which was the biggest club in the world at the time, and I also got a weekly residency as a DJ every Sunday.

Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?

I had real fun when I played at a Holi festival in my city, in Belgium. I don't often to Belgium so when I come back a few days, all my friends come to see me (which 'are completely nuts hahaha) and it always ends up like the movie "The hangover", often much worse... We Belgians, we are revelers, we love life, and we don't have too many limits when we are partying!!!

Love: name the one think you love more than anything – and why is that?

There are 2 things I love more than anything... my daughter and my life. My daughter, because it's a true and pure love, it's my blood. My life because I'm happy and I do everything I love. I worked, fought and risked a lot to be happy today. I didn't always have a dream life, I went through very difficult times too. That's why my life today, my happiness, my work are more important than anything.

Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?

I went to the army for 10 years (from my 16 till 26 years old). I was in anti-aircraft commandos in a Belgian military base in Germany. In parallel, I organized parties on weekends. It was not the life I wanted, especially at this time because there were several wars (Somalia, Rwanda, Yugoslavia, ...) where we were sent as blue berets (peacekeepers) or for the Protection and repatriation of civilians as in Zaire. So the first event of Dance music important for me was a party that I organized in a Belgian club called Studio 411 and which made me earn good money for the first time. I realized that "maybe" i can live only with my second job (who was a hobby at this time), and i decided to take the risk of leaving the army and starting a new life. This decision has changed my life.

Present: what do you thing that is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?

The music has changed in the last 2 years and comes back to what we were doing 10/15 years ago, like House, Tech House and Techno. I am even sure that Trance will also come back strong this year. It's a good change, THANKS GOD, hahaha. I think club culture is almost dead, killed by festivals. Only the quality clubs survive, and it's the same for the festivals I think. It's a pity because there is nothing warmer than a small club with good music. But unfortunately today, it's not enough for a club to have good music to survive.

Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?

This is really difficult to say because industry moves a lot and every year. The positive point is the Electronic music become also "pop" (Special thanks to David Guetta), that mean this brings a recognition of all musical styles, and a bigger audience of fans, and by the consequences, it brings also budgets and a lot of opportunities. Dance Music will grow up much more I think.