Danny Whittle @ Dance Music 101

Danny Whittle is a founding partner - along with Pete Tong and Ben Turner - of IMS, the annual International Music Summit business conference and will continue to be actively involved in IMS going forward. Whittle also served for over twelve years as the “brand director” of Pacha. Under him, Pacha experienced exponential growth and became one of the leading lights of the worldwide electronic music movement and incubator for the careers of some of the biggest stars of the international EDM galaxy.

- Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?
Probably when I was around 15 years old, I was massively into Motown and Jass Funk, so I have just grown up with dance music and watched it morph into electronica.

- Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?
Space closing this summer was just epic for me, it really reminded me of what space was about: great music and people with genuine smiles and having fun. It's so amazing being in a club where you feel you know everyone.

- Love: name the one thing you love more than anything – and why is that?
My wife and son… Family

- Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?
When I put on the millennium event on Bondi Beach Australia for 20,000 people with Carl Cox. Because I will only experience one millennium and that was an amazing way to do it, up to that point the New Year’s Eve events on Bondi only had 800 people so 20,000 was pretty spectacular.

- Present: what do you think that is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?
I really love the crossover between live and electronic sound like The XX and London Grammar.

- Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?
It will keep moving forward because one thing is for sure: since the beginning of time to the end of time, people will always want to dance.

Ralf Kollmann @ Dance Music 101

Ralf Kollmann is the founder and Managing Director Mobilee Records from Berlin and which he have formed in partnership with Anja Schneider. Under Kollmann’s guidance, Mobilee records have risen through the ranks since 2005 to become one of the brightest stars in Berlin’s glittering galaxy of electronic music labels. Since 2015 Ralf serves on the Executive Board of the AFEM (Association For Electronic Music) representing the Rights Holder Section.

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

It was 1992 in the legendary OMEN club in Frankfurt where Sven Väth introduced Techno to his crowd.

Within half a year he turned the whole music style in his sets upside down. What started a year before as my clubbing introduction with the so called Eurodance sound from the likes of Dr. Alban´s „Hello Africa" or Rozalla´s „Everybody´s Free“ ended up in 1992 with a PLUS 8 label night of pure Detroit Techno featuring Dan Bell, Richie Hawtin, John Aquaviva as Cybersonik and Speedy J live performing “Pull Over“ and modulating this track over 20 minutes or maybe longer. I had an enlightenment on the dancefloor and knew this is my music and i embraced the whole lifestyle around it. Since then i consumed every magazine covering electronic music from first to last page and started to spend lots of money on Vinyl.

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

My girlfriend always makes me laugh. That's a lot of fun in my life all the time. Some extreme fun I had at a Sake tasting in the Tulum DJungle during BPM last year with a very special crowd coming together. And another highlight with much laughter was the kick off of our Mobilee rooftop summer season in Barcelona at the beautiful Hotel Silken Diagonal on May 1st. An endless day and night. We created enough jokes to smile for a whole year. As with everything it´s about the right people coming together at the right time creating something special. The basic ingredients for a good party as well!

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

A pretty classic and general thing: Freedom. Freedom translates to a liberal lifestyle and includes tolerance, being open for new ideas, experiences and change.

Especially in our actual global environment with a clash of cultures and religions, this very original achievement of enlightenment in our part of the world becomes very important again and shouldn’t be taken for granted. The Dance Music culture in its origin represents these values in a great way.

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

There were obviously a lot, but one recent significant moment was when i realized that i gathered enough experience in a specific field that i was able to share this knowledge, insights and ideas with the next generation. My engagement with the Association For Electronic Music (AFEM), a global platform for all things related to the dance music movement, is one place where this is happening.  We need to develop and move things further in the right directions and make sure our movement stays healthy, successful and creative. Conferences and panels are an important way to discuss actual matters, educate, expand your network and make business.

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

So many things changed again in the past few years, especially in the festival and booking segment. It all became bigger, mainstream, lots of money involved with all its positive and negative effects. At the same time i see the rise of boutique events, underground labels, new young producer talents developing new styles and breaking up the classic genre definitions. I am happy to see that the dance music culture re-inventing itself from time to time. After the challenges we faced through the switch from vinyl to digital to streaming and the need for music labels to diversify and find new revenue streams by turning into booking agencies or event brands, taking care of publishing or artist management to keep the business running it looks like the 360° model is splitting into specialized businesses again. There is definitely a little bubble out there that might burst at one point, but our structures are well prepared for a cleansing process if it comes.

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

The globalization of dance music is marching on, the professionalism of our business structures is improving. I feel a strong connection between rave culture and social-/political change. The DJ-Culture is more diverse than ever, Live artists developing bigger and more complex shows and play a bigger role again in club and festival bookings. The media landscape covering electronic music is stronger than ever in print, online and livestreaming. Curation becomes more important again in all segments of our industry. After a decade of mediocracy and a transformation from analog to digital production environments, it looks like the new producer generation knows how to play their instruments and be creative beyond preset sound banks. I see a lot of great club and festival concepts popping up with the potential of becoming the next Berghain or Tomorrowland in the next ten years.

On another note clubs and festivals worldwide pay considerable sums of money to Performing Right Organizations for licenses to play music. We are challenged to change the flow of revenue streams and establish better and accurate systems. AFEM is working with global Performing and Neighbouring Rights Organizations to move approximately $160M of royalty distributions resulting from consumption of electronic music at festivals and in clubs to ‘pay per play’ using Music Recognition Technology. The campaign is making huge progress in establishing technology at music venues to secure a fair compensation to the artists whose music actually gets played. Still a lot work to do before getting a perfect system. Furthermore artists and rights holders need to push the streaming industry towards subscribed services only. A better royalty flow and distribution to artists and music labels will boost the whole music culture eco system, creativity and innovation. Exciting times ahead!

Monique Dardenne @ Dance Music 101

Monique Dardenne is a cultural producer who has been working as an artist manager for over 10 years. She was the label manager for music platform Skol Music and director of English webtv Boiler Room in Brazil, besides having her own artist management company, MD/Agency and recently launched the Music Platform Women’s Music Event.

- Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?
Dance Music is part of my life since I Born. My father and my uncle were DJs at 80’s and 90’s. The vinyls, culture of DJs and equipment is part of my life since always.

- Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?
At Kompakt’s Party - ADE 2016. I had a lot of fun with Agoria, Michael Mayer and his crew dancing at Laurent Garnier’s set.

- Love: name the one thing you love more than anything – and why is that?
My Daughter Maria Luiza. Do I really have to explain why? Lol

- Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?
When I started run Boiler Room in Brazil in 2013 challenged me to learn things and find solutions that I never thought I was going to work.  What would be the best technology to make the connection not fall during the programs and that I could use in places of difficult access without worrying (Favela do Vidigal / Rio de Janeiro, In front of the Black River / Manaus, inside a Fort / Recife ).

Other moment that was before that, when I started to make tours for big international artists in my agency.

- Present: what do you think that is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?
The importance of role, space and the value of women's work in the music industry.

- Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?
The Industry has the big role to create new forms of entertainment, generate formal jobs,  disseminate music in an increasingly democratic way, make the market more and more professional and fair for all the people who works (not just the artists) or is just enjoying.

Nick Stevenson @ Dance Music 101

Nick Stevenson is Mixmag's Managing Director. He has overseen the growth of the world's biggest dance music media brand from a UK print magazine to a global network of digital, video and events offices that speaks to 5m dance music fans every week.

Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant for you?
Sneaking into a club in Dorset with a fake ID aged 15. I heard Underworld 'Born Slippy' on a packed dance-floor and have never looked back. That was over 20 years ago.

Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?
New Year’s Eve was a few days ago and I ended up in some old boozer in Hoxton at a party called 'No Dickheads Allowed'. I'm just glad I got in! The DJs were playing silly stuff all night, from UKG to DJ Jean, so it was more of a laugh than some black T-shirted, heads-down, techno affair.

Love: name the one thing you love more than anything – and why is that?
Working at Mixmag is the thing I love more than anything. Every day we find new music, new events and inspire people globally to do the same. We have an incredible team, not just in our London office where Im based, but around the world. I'm very privileged to wake up every morning and do something I love, with inspiring people in an industry built on passion and excitement.

Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?
I'd say getting an entire stag-do from Portsmouth into Beghain was a career high! Joking aside, I think opening our new offices in China and Korea have been real highlights for me - they are both such exciting territories - the relationships we've created and our teams in these countries will go on to inspire millions more people into discovering new music, starting their own events and getting more people onto dance floors around the world.

Present: what do you think that is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?
Music trends for 2017 are likely to be dependent on how social platforms continue to develop their own music policies and how innovations like Sonalytics (the ability to analyze music at a microscopic level, to gain fingerprints of individual sounds and stems) will be utilized.

Club trends - on a personal level I can't wait to see what happens in Ibiza this summer with the old Space venue, now Hi, and the new Space venue, formerly Privilege. Back home the reopening of Fabric is going to be a biggie.

Festival trends - the ticket touting laws could change festivals positively. I also hope to see a growth in festivals being given the power to allow drug testing as we saw twice in the UK last year. The charity The Loop is making huge strides into making drug taking safer in this respect - something that all areas of entertainment, not just dance music, should be supporting.

Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?
I'd like to see less demonizing of club culture and an acceptance of dance music as a cultural and social force for good. There are still reactionary, archaic governments in place using us as a scapegoat - just look at Argentina to see an entire country now afraid to put on big scale dance events. That must and will change in 2017.  

Lindsay Cabrera @ Dance Music 101

Lindsay Cabrera is a publicist for dance music artists and brands worldwide. She is the founder and director of the Lindsay Cabrera Public Relations company (LCPR) from Toronto, that has among its clients names such as Ellen Allien, John Acquaviva, Bestival Toronto, Sensation, Electric Island, SXM Festival, CODA, The Red Man, among many others.


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

Dance music has always been a part of my life. I remember my dad taking me to buy the Dance Mix 93” CD when it came out [I was eight] - and choreographing dance routines to Real 2 Real’s “I Like To Move It” and Snap “Rhythm is A Dancer” with my little sister in front of a large mirror in our living room. I’d say that by 2010, that’s when I realized I wanted to combine my passion for dance music and my public relations skills to eventually launch LCPR and do this for a living! I can also say that I still have all the cassettes for Dance Mix 94”-98” - and there was a time when I wanted ever so badly to be on Much Music’s Electric Circus [You Canadians will know that one ;) ]

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

This past August, about 10 of my closest friends and I went up to a friend’s cottage for a few days in Northern Canada. We danced under the stars, moonlight, laughed and had some really special moments. We watched the sunrise over the lake and really cherished our time together. As we disconnected from the real world, we re-connected with one another.

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

My younger sister Elaine. She is the funniest person I know. The most real, down-to-earth and loving person. She really doesn’t mean to be funny- so that’s the best part. It’s genuine and raw and I love nothing more than to laugh until I cry with her.

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

The last few years have been really special for me, as I continue to grow and connect with the amazing people in our industry. I’ve had the pleasure to work with teams around the world, and festivals alike. I’m grateful for the opportunities to work with Sensation, Bestival Toronto, Electric Island, SXM Festival and more. Each were magical experiences with extraordinary people behind them. Big thank you to all of you! I’m also very lucky to have a solid team by my side.

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

It seems as though festivals are becoming more interactive with their audiences, by creating more of an immersive experience. It’s more than just a stage and the performing artist - there’s interactive vendors, activities, themes, Fancy Dress aka Costumes, parades, wellness tents, gourmet foods and more! Bestival is certainly a festival you should be checking out both in Toronto and the UK! Destination festivals seem to be a trend at the moment as well. SXM Festival in Saint Martin is a new magical boutique festival in its second year happening this March 2017.

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

I think the dance music industry has a bright and interesting future. We don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon, as the support and strength within the community is powerful. We have leaders in the industry coming together to create platforms such as The Association For Electronic Music, Nap Girls, She Said So and more. The conferences held around the world such as RMC, allow us to come together to share ideas, technology and to re-connect, leaving us inspired and motivated to do even more. I look forward to what’s next to come for everyone in the industry! I hope you all have a fantastic 2017! xx

António Afonso @ Dance Music 101

António Afonso career in dance music begun in 1988, with only 16 years old, when he became a DJ in Portugal. From that he has been present in each step the genre has evolved in his country. In the past years, Europa Agency, from which he is the founder and CEO, has also became one of the most important agencies in the land and António has also joined Green Valley Group from Brazil as its International Managing Director.

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

I've started very young in the industry, as with only 16 years I was already DJing regularly for a crowded Beach Club in Portugal. But, it was in the late 80´s with the Acid House momentum that definitely my attention was seriously caught to dance music and from there to the eternal "marriage" was a quick move. Electronic music came so strong in my life that till now I've had half a dozen successful businesses related projects and it's my daily source of inspiration. 

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

Luckily for me that I live in Brazil now I would easily say that every time I go out a have real fun! The south of Brazil where Im based (Balneario Camboriu) it's a kind of Ibiza + Miami + Dubai that mixed with the Brazilian way of life, makes it very hard to "not have real fun"! If I had to choose outside Brazil, I would say she last edition of ADE in Amsterdam was particularly crazy! Every time I go to the events at the Gashouder in that city I get serious goose bumps! What an atmosphere and what a crowd ...and what a production!! 

It's really impressive the energy levels achieved there.

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

Music! It NEVER disappoints me and it's my mood selector. I just can't imagine living without it. Of course you have the other basic needs in life: love, peace, etc, etc...but without music, life would seriously...suck!

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

There are so many moments I could mention here, I would say that producing David Guetta´s Show (n1 DJ brand in the world) in Portugal (with my European Agency) and to represent Green Valley as its International Brand Manager (2015 nº1 club in the world) on the previous ADE edition were two moments to highlight.

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

Dance Music has this ability to be always in constant mutation. From time to time the "commercial" gets stronger and the underground gets weaker and then they change positions! I´ve seen it happening and will (for sure) see it again! Festivals tend to be mass oriented so naturally the focus will be in pleasing the crowd to the most, so depending in what's "hot" or not in the market at its time of production, there is not much to risk. About clubs, it varies so much from country to country, but I would say that these would probably get smaller and more specific in reaching the niche they want to target. I believe that the club user will want something more service quality oriented if we are talking for the commercial clientele, and will expect a better sound and "decks & FX" experience if underground related. We are in 2016 and many clubs are still in the 80s, and I don't mean with a cool kitsch touch!

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

It’s all about music and entertainment, that's a fact! But, everything is happening so fast nowadays and social media made a TURBO in our lives in a way that what is cool today may be uncool tomorrow... What used to drive people for 5 years now only works for 2 or 1 or less!

I believe that new businesses will emerge and what is granted for now might not even exist in the future. Spotify for instance is replacing the traditional cherry picking song sale. Events? I would risk saying that is 10/20 years a kind of "second life V2" will make us go to experience them without leaving home... New and challenging business models are to be developed by the industry leaders.  

John Truelove @ Dance Music 101

John Truelove is a British record producer, DJ, performer and music entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Truelove Music Publishing and Tortured Artists, based in Ibiza and London. He currently serves on both the Advisory and on the Executive Boards of the Association of Electronic Music (AFEM) – a not-for-profit trade association created to represent the common interests of those companies and individuals whose business is Electronic Dance Music and to advocate best practice for the genre.

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

It was one hazy Monday evening back in the summer of 1988. I’d recently come out of a long-term relationship and was sat at home contemplating the meaning of life when some friends, who had already discovered Acid House a couple of months before (it was of course the so-called Second Summer Of Love), decided to kidnap me and take me out to cheer me up.

We ended up at the Heaven nightclub where Paul Oakenfolds legendary and seminal Spectrum night had already been going for some months.

As we turned out of Charing Cross station and into Villiers St I was amazed to see a line six or eight people wide stretching as far as the eye could see. There were probably six thousand people waiting to get into a club that holds 1800. I was told by my friends what to say to the guy, Steve, who ruled the door ferociously, and after a short hesitation and staring hard into my eyes, he let me in. Once inside someone bought me a bottle of water and stuck something in my mouth and … my life was changed forever!

From that point on and for the next 9 months, I was in a club or a rave or a chill-out, pretty much every night. I fell in love, I learned to mix, I made a record, I started my own music company (I called it Truelove, of course). I had a national hit. I taught myself about publishing and music rights by trial and error. My feet literally didn’t touch the ground for the following three years.

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

Space Ibiza closing. I have been going to Ibiza for 25 years and now spend much of my time there. The island’s party scene has been an integral part of my life. Space has provided me with countless happy memories over the years and the final ever closing this year was epic. A hint of the bittersweet about the occasion as I’m sad to see us lose such an institution, but what a party!


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

Music. It’s my life.


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

When I am asked this question people normally expect me to say when my own production “You Got The Love” by the Source first got to the top of the (UK) national charts in 1991, or subsequently in 1997, or 2006, or when as a publisher I finally got to represent the catalogues of people I had worshipped for so long, such as Larry Heard, or Gui Boratto, or GusGus. But honestly those times were such a blur it’s difficult to remember what I was feeling…  If I had to choose just one precise moment it would be the incomparable sensation of being in the middle of the dancefloor at Trade, the legendary London afterhours club, sometime back in the late 90s and experiencing the crowd going absolutely wild to a brand new underground techno track that I had just produced. Magic!


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

It’s great to see a sense of community back on the agenda in dance music. In recent years, the demands of self-promotion have gone hand-in-hand with an egotism that is the antithesis of what dance music is all about and it certainly hasn’t been helped (on a spiritual level at least) by an increasingly competitive and oversaturated mainstream. When Fabric was closed, it looked like another nail in the coffin for the underground but the way the dance community has stood united has been inspiring (and has hopefully contributed to a reversal of the courts’ decision). We’ve seen similar reactions to the shootings in Orlando and other hate crimes in clubs. It’s not that the love ever completely left the dance-floor but great to see it manifesting in a sense of community once more.


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

My business, Truelove Music Publishing, has for the last 15 years been focused on music rights and most particularly publishing (composers) and neighbouring rights (artists). We have signed artists and composers from all over the world (including from Brasil, artists such as Gui Boratto, Elekfantz and Anderson Noise) and as a company we have membership of collection societies all over the world. I sit on boards and committees at various of those societies. I am also a board member at trade bodies such as AFEM and the Music Publishers Association.

So I feel we have a really good grasp of where things are currently on both a local and a global level. And I can tell you, it’s going to be tough. Corporations and broadcasters, brands and music services, they all expect to get more and more for free. Many musicians, increasingly desperate to get a foot on the ladder, feel they have no choice but to perform for free, to license their work to advertisers and brands for free, to give away downloads of their tracks for free.

Too often do I find myself stepping in at the last moment on behalf of an artist or composer who has been bullied into (nearly) accepting a terrible deal, or giving their rights away for nothing.  And I can only see that situation getting worse in the years to come

To survive, and to provide a living for more than the top 1%, the industry has to find more and more solidarity to defend the value of music. Strong collective action through trade bodies such as AFEM, and individual action by managers, labels, agents, and by publishers such as myself, is required with ever increasing perseverance in order to push back these forces of ‘free’, and to demand, and receive, fair rewards on behalf of the talent we represent.

We have the technology and we have the infrastructure and we certainly have the talent and the will.

I am convinced that we can, and we will, prevail!

Thanks!

Ritty van Straalen @ Dance Music 101

Ritty van Straalen was one of the partners and CEO of ID&T before the company was sold to SFX in 2013 and he has more than 17 years of experience in international management and executive leadership in entertainment, having overseen multiple international live entertainment companies that produced and created high quality massive festivals such as Tomorrowland, Sensation and Mysteryland.

Ritty recently relocated to Amsterdam from NYC where he served as the COO and later as CEO of SFX Live, responsible for the global event & festival portfolio. He is currently he serves on the executive board of the AFEM  (the Association of Electronic Music) as representative for the live sector and he is starting a new company in live entertainment.

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

The funny thing is that when I started at ID&T I did know anything about electronic music. I was a project manager at a large event company where I did a lot of things with and on electronic music events & festivals but until then I never actually actively listened to the music.

That changed when ID&T approached me in 2004 and asked me to join them. I started there as F&B and project manager of different brands like Sensation and Innercity. I had all kinds of jobs. Later on I became a partner and ended up being responsible for the company as the group CEO.

The good thing was that I worked at almost every department and therefore had the chance to literally learn and appreciate the whole culture and music.

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

The moment I decided that I was going to start my own business, Fourmation Entertainment, with a couple of great partners.

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

My 3 kids, Jolie, Sam and Liz. First of all because they are great. They are very open minded, relaxed and enjoy life.

Next to that: There is nothing that becomes more pure than your own kids.

The past year I went thru a very difficult and hectic period on different levels but they always gave me the right perspective.

The good thing about this period was that I also had much more time to spend with them.  Watching one of their soccer matches or going to a parent teacher night without a phone in my hand was nice for a change.

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

I am a festival guy.

Really special to me has been introducing Mysteryland New York USA as the first festival on the exact same grounds as where Woodstock 1969 took place.

I was always a dream of me to do something there.  In January 2013, 2 weeks after I moved from the Netherlands to New York my business partner Jeroen (Jansen), creative director of ID&T and I drove up there on a snowy day. We literally rang the doorbell and asked if the owner was open for a talk. From that moment on we felt like it was our home. After a difficult permitting process of almost 16 months we finally achieved our dream in May 2014.

Another one on my list is Tomorrowland Brasil in 2015. After TomorrowWorld USA that one was definitely the one with the biggest impact.  Together with the Belgian team (the creators of Tomorrowland) and the local Brazilian team (Plus Talent) we worked very hard to bring this amazing festival to a mind blowing venue just outside of Sao Paulo, a place called Itu, Brazil.  The first year we had almost 180.000 visitors.

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

There are too many politics between the different (electronic) music promoters around the world. The biggest clubs, festivals and promoters are fighting too much about talent and they are not talking enough about that.

The result is that the price of talent goes up way to fast and that the promoter / club owner is taking too much risk. The balance is gone.

We are in the business of delivering the best experience and with soaring artist and production costs in the end there are more losers than winners and eventually the fan is paying for that.

Another one is that there is a real need, globally, of shifting the negative perception and association that (electronic) music events have with drug use. Together with the AFEM we are setting up a harm reduction campaign. We will start with that in the USA first but soon after that, when we have the funds available, we will also start a global campaign.

It is needed that promoters unite and use their power of speech.

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

China is opening up. 1.3 Billion people are screaming for new music, content and experiences. The demand for content and talent will be bigger because of that, a massive opportunity for the whole industry and the one with the best plan.

Next to that: Data, data, data. Data will be the key driver for the success for festivals in years to come, even more then the passed experience.

Eric "Fender" van der Kwast @ Dance Music 101

Eric van der Kwast is the founder and CEO of TTTM / Talk To The Management, a boutique artist management company since 2011 and he also is a DJ under the alias “Eric Fender".

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

In 1991, when I heard a radioshow called "For Those Who Like To Groove" on Dutch National Radio, it was a radio show that only played underground house and techno. Before that I was listening to synth and electronic pop music but these house and techno tracks from NYC, London, Berlin, Milan and especially Detroit and Chicago really got me hooked. 

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

Must have been on Ibiza with a group of friends this summer, enjoying good food, drinks, sunshine and good quality underground house and techno! 

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

Playing vinyl is still great to do, I have a nice collection of classic house and techno which is not available on any digital portal so these records are very valuable to me and always great to play, especially on a solid soundsystem with a rotary mixer (or Richie Hawtin's Model 1 mixer, that I tested recently).

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

In 2006 I was involved with the first releases of Fedde Le Grand, I remember the email he send me with "Put Your Hands Up For Detroit" as an “.mp3”, it blew me away. The rest is history. Dutch house music and Dutch dj's became even more populair. In 2007, I started the Sneakerz MUZIK label with Dutch Dj Erick E and his business partner Dick Leijen who where running a booking agency that already organized the so called "Sneakerz" events, we worked together with Spinnin' on the distribution side. We did over 300 releases including succesfull hits by Sidney Samson, Franky Rizardo, Bingo Players, Bassjackers, Ralvero and so many more. I was looking for talents and we gave them the opportunaty to grow as producers and DJ's. It worked very well and was a very “exiting" couple of years.  

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

There is so much new and fresh music, new styles and combinations of various genre's that make today's dance music spectrum, scene and industry very interesting. New markets open up, like in Asia, other markets like USA start to focus on American talent instead of international. It is a contant moving market. I think every country should have their own hero's in dance music, this creates a scene which only makes the genre to grow. Dutch DJ's and producers are still all over the globe and focus more on cross-over dance music aswell.   

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

As the middleclass is growing in various bigger countries in Asia and South-America, demand for dance music and events will keep on growing. There will be more festivals with a greater variety of dance music , not only bigroom , future house or trance. In Europe and especially in The Netherlands we have a great festival season from April till September , with over 150 festivals with "dance" as the dominating genre. And with ADE as biggest get-2-gether of the global dance music industry it feels good to be Dutch and in the centre of dance music. I am expecting many years of growth in our industry. 

Yuri Dokter @ Dance Music 101

Yuri Dokter is the founder and CEO of DJ Monitor - the global pioneer and market leader in music identification and rights monitoring since 2005 by using advanced technology and a relevant database. Yuri has more than 30 years of experience in creating pioneering concepts in the fields of Technology, Entertainment, Media & Communication.

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

It seems Dance Music always had a huge influence on my life, from early influencers like Jean Michel Jarre and Kraftwerk to the first summer of Love in 1987 with Chicago. I have pioneered making Dance Music as early as 1988, and ran labels and a big recording studio here in Amsterdam. Throughout my Technology ventures Dance has always been a major influence in all my decisions. That's why DJ Monitor is Music Recognition Technology specifically designed for Dance Music. I'm happy to see it becomes a vital integral part of the ecosystem allowing a fair compensation for Dance Producers.

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

I guess during the PRS for Music / DJ Monitor dinner that we did during ADE together with AFEM and Ticketmaster. Seeing so many old and new friends, remembering experiences from the past whilst creating new ones. It was a blast!

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

Besides my Family which i love most of course, I love technology. As Arthur C. Clark said "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." We live in a very exciting time and through technology we will be able to literally reach for the stars.

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

Last month I have signed PRS for Music and PPL for the UK territory, which is very significant for me, as well as to members in the UK and around the world. The UK is such a great market, representing world class talent, and we are truly honored that we have been selected!

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

Technology as an enabler and unifier of human interaction and data collection. We are sharing data of what DJs play live through various apps and collect tracking information through apps, social media and wristband technology. This allows for truly rich data, creating unique insights and business models.

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

A Global Repertoire Database; we are currently busy with AFEM members, Performance Rights Organizations and other stakeholders setting one up for electronic music. Audio combined with the proper metadata coming from authoritative sources, which will allow MRT companies such as DJ Monitor to audio fingerprint this repertoire and make sure that the members are being compensated correctly. That's why we have coined the phrase 8 years ago "Get Played, Get Paid".

Miguel Marangas @ Dance Music 101

Miguel Marangas has founded Mellow Management in 2003 and also serve as worldwide curator of Dance Music with the Rock in Rio for the last 16 years.


- Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?
When I was running to catch the bus to go home quickly after school to listen to a radio show called “Discoteca“ with my friend Miguel “Michael Jackson” Espírito Santo.
I guess also when I first decide to go to a club ( obviously in the afternoon ) : The Acapulco where they played Pop, Disco and 30 mts with slows instead of Rock Rendez Vouz, the Rock ‘n Roll club all my friends were going and talking about.
On a different level in London early nighties when I first got into Ministry of Sound box and “Jesus“ was playing from 6AM onwards. The funny thing is that “Jesus“ is called DJ Harvey and I am proud to have him as a very good and special friend today.


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

The last time i went out clubbing and was not working. Also me, my daughter and a couple of friends all went to surf the other day and that was over the moon.


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

My daughter . Do i have to say more … (-: ?


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

When I joined pioneer dance music record label Kaos Records Portugal as an International A&R on the record industry. Later when on management and agents market while working with International Acts and DJs bookings to Portugal in the very late 80’s, early 90’s and with Portugal DJ Vibe Worldwide. Recently being invited for 13 editions of Rock in Rio Festivals all over the world as curator, booker and roadie to do the Dance Music stage of the festival and the chance to work in Brazil , all left me pretty stoked!


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

It’s a "all new world out there" and that’s pretty exciting.
The digital era and digital reality which is not necessarily the real, real thing.
Unfortunately it looks like there are less proper clubs everywhere and is becoming difficult to some clubs to book certain DJs which will be important to carry on happening for the scene to develop in the clubs too.
This fact also had opened doors to certain clubs to build their own scene, market and heroes but had split more the market into sub categories and genres and the consequent divisions.
But then we got the festivals to make everybody happy and trying to accommodate it all and cover all areas.
Festivals are now like babies , being born all the time but they will have to focus.


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

We can’t deny the relevance of the Asian market. for a while it was on test but it’s becoming more and more relevant the years to come. the north and South American market also will solidify. Europe is bringing the culture and the new flavors all the time .the recording industry still be relevant . artists will need to broadcast their music not only through the digital via . there’s still excitement in not being or looking only to a computer or cell phone which is actually becoming boring. offline will be the next level so streaming services will have to work on that too. you can’t never gave up on the live show and the live experience and the music to be played live rather with a computer or with a guitar or with two turntables and a mixer, and people want to have that . with their friends. Together. The digital era is fascinating. at home on a Friday night I can now listen and see through different platforms and social media to Luciano in New York, Gaslamp killer in LA and Carl Cox in Ibiza and everyone wants to share so we´re pretty lucky with everything that will come over in the business in the years to come.

Peter van Galen @ Dance Music 101

Peter van Galen is the founder and president of Earproof, a leading company in The Netherlands, founded in 2003, and which main focus is the hearing protection in the music industry.


- Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?
Very early 1985 – I was sitting in the back of Parkzicht Rotterdam and for the first time in my life I heard: Slave to the rhythm by Grace Jones. As stoned as I was – I walked to the empty dance floor and just listened to this track.


- Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?
I try to have fun every single day, I can laugh with my children, I laugh a lot when I am surfing with friends and most of the time when I travel around the world I like to make fun with new friends.


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

Must name three or as one it’s my family, my two boys and Marianne.


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

Launching the www.freefloat.net product in combination with the Shure white label cartridge and the Xone series at Dance Valley, having a backstage area for the DJ’s with the latest technology, great food by the @kookvogels.


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

Listening to vinyl records and finding out where it all started. Youth discovers the EDM kind of dance music and will be attracted by this music, at a sudden moment they will hear different kind of genres, in my ears it is all dance music, or as we heard over the last days in ADE developed disco music. I believe the dancing as one on the floor makes people strong and brings a unity feeling.


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

We have now two types of dance, large scale events with a lot of entertainment value, CO2 cannons, large sound systems, confetti, visuals and fireworks – and music festivals. I see a constant change of collaborations and I am pleased to see a producer like Henrik Schwarz is working with the Dutch metropole orchestra.

Lee Morrison @ Dance Music 101

Lee Morrison is the Managing Director of Seaside Music Group – a new music venture which is an extension to an established recording studio in Brighton, running both a label and 360 services company. Morrison is the ex-GM of Believe Digital UK, where he spent six years before leaving in June.

- Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?
From an early age I was always into music with a 4/4 beat but after leaving home at 16 I eventually found myself at a huge rave in the north of England, from that moment on I knew dance music was meant for me.

- Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?
Last weekend at the closing of Space in Ibiza, after frequenting the club for the last 23 years it was an emotional yet amazingly funny night at their final ever closing party.

- Love: name the one thing you love more than anything – and why is that?
My family for obvious reasons… 

- Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?
There really are too many to specify one moment but I do remember many years ago the first time I was invited to speak at ADE, at that point I really thought that I had finally started to see all of my hard work paying off, another notable was being voted onto the AFEM exec board last year, being voted on by my peers was a special time for me.

- Present: what do you think that is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?
I think it depends on where in the world you are, there are different trends in different countries / continents especially in emerging markets… For me trends mean very little, it’s all about the smaller clubbing experience with a more intimate vibe…

- Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?
I think the industry moves in circles, kids will continue to want to dance and people always want to make music and DJ. Electronic in whatever form will continue to be the number one dance floor music, I think the only thing that changes is the popular form of electronic music at that time… 

Aurélien Dubois @ Dance Music 101

Aurélien Dubois is the founder and president of Surprize, a leading promoting company in France, in charge of the Weather Festival and the Concrete Club in Paris.

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

When I have discovered that I could compose all by myself. (tracks I mean)

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

At “la Gare St. Lazare” for our first Edition of “HORS SERIE”. Amazing crowd and such a crazy atmosphere inside a train station with a 100% French House Music.

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

Felling the crown getting in trance during a performance of an artist

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

 When the Spiral tribe came for the first time at Concrete.

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

 The trending is clearly going into underground music. There are ten new gigs per week in Paris around this genre every weekend!

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

Less and less about star system I think and back more into creativity and youthfulness.

Alex Fish @ Dance Music 101

Alex Fish has been with Pulse Radio and also with Boiler Room as LatAm responsible and he is now with BE-AT.TV as a Global Business Development officer. Fish has also a DJ career in NYC under his alias, Holosound.

- Life: When was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant for you?

When I was 15, I visited Israel in 1994 and came home with a cassette tape of psy-trance which I couldn’t stop playing for about six months.  I subsequently became a DJ and spent nearly every weekend at clubs, festivals or in music studios while working various “regular” day jobs during the week.  Only in about 2011 did I get involved in the business side of the industry itself.  Every year since the demand for dance music has continued to grow and I find myself getting more and more involved!

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

I’ve been very lucky to travel a lot for my work so sometimes I tend to take things for granted like amazing DJ sets or beautiful nightclubs. However, this past season in Ibiza there was a one villa party on a Tuesday night with Ame and Dixon going B2B that was pretty mind blowing. 

Solomun was in the front row with tears of joy streaming down his face from the records that were being played and Adriatique and Bedouin were pretty speechless as well.  The Martinez Bros and a bunch of other DJs and were all having a great time and just relaxing. 

I had a bunch of friends from EU and US visiting the island and it was nice to see how excited they were to be a part of the night.

The whole thing went down in a private villa with a Void Sound System and open bar for over 12 hours. 

Paris Hilton was also getting pretty unexpectedly after it on the dance floor to some deep techno which was good for a few chuckles.

I’d say that was a pretty good time!

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

I love how international and borderless house music is.  It’s shown me more of the world than I ever thought would be possible, and has introduced me to some truly amazing people.

The majority of the people who care about house music and culture also share a common regard for the wellbeing of this earth and a basic respect for people from different backgrounds.

I love that the world is starting to fully recognize and acknowledge a form of music the majority of my family and friends thought I was crazy for devoting my life to 15 years ago.

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

I think the most significant moment in my past career was when I returned home from a DJ tour in Europe in the fall of 2011 and decided I wanted to have more control over my future than whatever the next booking I could get was.

This led me to Pulse Radio where I began interning, then writing, then managing the North and ultimately South America regions for the site. 

Pulse gave me a voice and an entry into a side of the industry I really hadn’t experienced as an artist.  I’ll always be thankful for this important starting point to my music career.

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

I think one thing that’s been growing at a faster clip than everyone realizes is the appetite for “underground” music.  The global rise of EDM really opened up the floodgates to a bunch of new people.   30%+ eventually grow tired of the predictable drops and consistently find their way back towards the types of sounds where I feel most comfortable as an artist and businessman.

Probably the greatest proof of this reality is the growing global success of Ultra’s RESISTANCE concept.  The lineup for Ultra Rio’s Resistance is massive!

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

I see lots of things happening that I think will become even stronger trends down the line.

Live Performance in sets: As technology advances more and more I think more artists will incorporate additional performance elements into their sets to retain a unique edge in an increasingly competitive DJ landscape.

Live Streaming/360/VR: As the world gets smaller and smaller and fans and artists alike now expect to be able to tune in or share their sets in real time. 

People can really drill down into exactly what they want to hear or see through what’s available online via the wealth of festival and nightclubs streams.  When I got started in ’98 my taste in music was dictated by what the local record store stocked or who the rave and club promoters were booking.  That’s no longer the case at all.  With services like BE-AT.TV, there’s unprecedented access available to events from around the globe.  People are free to explore whatever gets them excited.

Also, as more and more nightclubs and festivals compete for ticket sales, it’s imperative to have an honest record of the event that goes deeper than your traditional aftermovie.  Having your festival available for On-Demand viewing serves as a calling card for people to check out how a party was when they’re deciding whether or not to attend the next time.

Brands Will Enable Innovation: Electronic music lovers are experts at avoiding direct advertising such as banners and television adverts.  They’re also adept at getting access to the best content at little to no cost.  Brands who want to resonate with this difficult-to-message-to consumer will find unique ways to deliver valuable experiences to people within the umbrella of electronic music and aspirational music festivals by leveraging technology and disruptive thinking.  

Maria May @ Dance Music 101

Maria May is a senior music agent at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA). May works in the London office and represents many of the world’s leading DJs and electronic music artists, including David Guetta, Robin Schulz, Oliver Heldens, Empire of the Sun, Pretty Lights, Skream, and Jamie Jones. May, who has and joined CAA in 2012, is now a vital part of the agency’s electronic music group and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Association for Electronic Music. She began her career more than twenty years back at International Talent Booking.

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

Back in 1988, the UK was a melting pot of the Acid House explosion... I grew up in West London and was introduced to Acid House at around 15 years old. There really was no looking back.  I decided to pursue a career in the music industry and a few years later I was working in a recording studio by day and being part of one the UK’s biggest rave organizations by night.

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

This summer in Ibiza. On a boat out at sea or just being at DC10 with all my friends.

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

My children. They are my greatest achievement. They are bright, happy and healthy. I could not ask for more. My friends also are a massive support to me in my life and I love them dearly. 

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

Taking the job at CAA in 2012 and working with every single one of my artists over the last 20 years. I’m a trailblazer.

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

Underground and overground. Different sounds, different genres but the beat just goes on and on and on.

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

Good music always gets through!  I’m looking forward to seeing if any new sounds coming through really do redefine the Electronic scene in the same way as my client David Guetta has. 

I see a new wave of the Headline artists capable of headlining large events coming through. 

There is actually a place for both underground artists with massive fan bases who sell lots of tickets to headline an event as well as for mainstream electronic artists who sell records and who are played on commercial radio. 

I think a lot of the current headliners are no longer relevant to the younger audience or meaningful tickets wise. 

It’s time for these younger, more relevant artists to headline these events overall and not be propped up by the old school industry who seem to find it hard to let go off the past. 

Judy Weinstein @ Dance Music 101

Judy Weinstein has been active in dance music since the 1970s. From 1971 onwards, she attended David Mancuso's parties at The Loft in New York City and assisted Mancuso with the running of his record pool. In January 1978 and soon after, on February 1, 1978, she started a new record pool, For the Record, with Mark Riley and Hank Williams, and recruited a large number of New York's top DJs.

She also co-founded the Def Mix production company in 1987, which became the home for DJs including Frankie Knuckles, David Morales and Satoshi Tomiie. Judy Weinstein brought Def Mix to Ibiza with a long-standing residency at Pacha and served as a bridge between traditional record companies and the dance music scene by working as a consultant on remixing for PolyGram Records, A&M Records and MCA Records.


- Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?
When I was 7 years of age and I listened to the radio and started to buy 7” singles.


- Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?
Everyday. To laugh is to live!


- Love: name the one thing you love more than anything – and why is that?
Music. It doesn’t ask anything of you.


- Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?
Celebrating all of the anniversary parties of the Record Pool which featured so many great artists like Stephan Mills, Chaka Khan, Gloria Gaynor, and the best DJ’s! Who could ask for more?


- Present: what do you think that is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?
Too much! There is a category for everything and DJ’s that don’t have a clue.


- Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?
Good music lives forever. There will always be a new generation who will tell us what’s next.

Alex Jukes @ Dance Music 101

Alex Jukes is the founder and CEO of Jukebox PR, a London based PR company that works with a carefully chosen selection of underground house and techno DJs, producers and labels to help launch, develop or grow them across European print and press, on and offline media. Jukebox also works with some of the most prestigious festivals, venues and conferences in the world.

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

I was still at University in Coventry and a couple of my friends took me to a club called Carey’s. This was the 1st time I heard dance music properly and loved it. The next week I got a job working for the club on the promotions team and have never looked back since.

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

This job is all about having fun and meeting new people. The last time I properly let my hair down was at the Rio Carnival this year. I was with a wicked group of mates and could switch off from work and just enjoy where I was and what was going on.

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

I love Tottenham Hotspurs football team more than anything… They are the best team on the planet. Hahaha!!!

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

I think that was when I first lived in Ibiza for the season back in 2009. It opened up my mind to different types of electronic music and was where I got to network and meet so many people in the industry who I still work with today.

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

I work with over 30 different festivals around the world and I love the fact that each of them try to have their own personality whether it be the line-up, the production, the vibe or the location… Festival are now taking places in some amazing locations around the world.

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

I think it will continue to grow and grow. The last few years have been a great time for Electronic music and more and more people are getting in to it which can only be a positive thing.

Alessio Fabrizi @ Dance Music 101

Alessio Fabrizi is a partner to Room 26, in Rome, one of the best clubs of all Italy and the co-founder of IPM, the International Promoters Meeting, that took place for some years in Rome and which objective was to bring together all kind of promoters to discuss the Dance Music industry from their perspective.


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

Since when I was a child I always tried to be involved in the Club and Dance Music Industry.

Unfortunately at the age of 16 years old I still look like a 12 years old guy. Every time I wanted to go to dance I used to get dressed with the help of my best friend's sister Deborah trying to look like a fashionable guy but regularly at the door they never did let me get in!!!! Never!!! For this reason I promised to myself... “I will have my own club!!!!”

Me and my best friend Luis Radio started to play music in the cellar of his house where we created our little world going more and more deeply in the real “House music World”!!! All our friends started to come there to dance and to spend time together. We also gave a name to his cellar and it became our little paradise where we were free to express ourselves.

From that moment Luis Radio became both the DJ and producer that he is now and also my main partner in all the events I organized and the clubs I owned.

Moreover, the cellar where we started to play became the recording studios of his label and his Sister Deborah De Angelis became one of the most important lawyer of the music rights in Italy and she founded ADj and married Maurizio Clemente, a real pioneer of the Italian house music scene.

So, it is really funny, but I believe that “door selectors” that didn't let me get in have worked with me in the last twenty years.


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

At the moment I live in Berlin where there are so amazing clubs and festivals, but if we are talking about the real fun for me, after 22 years of works in entertainment industry, it is something more "structured”.

My best merit and my worse flaw is that I am able to design and realize only the things I like.

It does not mean that I do not have fun when I join someone else’s event or festival it is just a matter of the sensations I feel when the production is made from me and my team.

I think the DJs, for example, can understand this mind.

I mean, if they want to listen one track in a particular moment they just play it and the sensation that they feels when the crowd enjoy it is something more than just listen it.

For this reason the last time I had real fun it was during one of my productions. In particular the second edition of IPM (International Promoters meeting) during a format we called "Rome Pool Party". With my partners we made this event every July since 2005 but this edition was great because was the closing party of IPM 2012. There were a lot of friends from all over the world and real good vibes and a strong energy.  Every time I remind it I have a melting pot of sensations.


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

OMG this is too Big for me!!

Life because is Beautiful.

It's really impossible for me to have one person or one thing to love more than everyone and everything.

Once my sister Violante Sanfelice, rest in peace, told me..."love is not a hard disk, we can keep loving all from our present and future without remove nothing to our past.”

Me and Violante designed IPM – the International Promoters Meeting, in Rome.


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

There are different moments in my professional past that I remember as very important for the person who I'm now.

Most of all the first event I organized, the opening party of my ex club, the Room26, and the first edition of IPM.

To be honest, these are very important moments but the most significant is when we decided to freeze IPM.

This is the point when my career had an important break and I had the opportunity to start to watch all my professional life from a step outside.

This decision was very hard for me, for Andrea Masci and for all the staff, but at the same time it was a wise and conscious choice and a trauma. Probably I will remember this crossroads of my life as a moment in which I had the opportunity to grow up again and faster. I am sure about that and I am deeply convinced that everything comes to you for a reason and everything will come back to you in the way you deserve.

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

In my opinion there is a different trend in every different country. For example in Italy the picture you can made to the entertainment industry is, of course, influenced by the crisis that the country is crossing.

In other words the music and the offer, in terms of clubs and festival, is restricted and more commercial because of the general economy.

In this case the first initiatives to cut out are the experimental and the pioneering ones. To survive the companies must be focused just on the products in terms of sells abandoning the idea to influence the market with their thinking and passion. The competition became a race of political connections and dirty capitals.

Regarding the other realities I know, like Berlin, I saw that the best policy is always linked to the identity and to the capacity to keep this identity on the market. Best example are Berghain/Panorama Bar or DC10 in Ibiza that in the years never changed their style.

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

Tomorrow is always the best day for me!

I'm sure that the new generations will be able to reinvent the music and the dance club culture. Again and again! I really can't say exactly what will happen because fortunately it will depend on the creativity of someone else who will rework his past experiences and will influence the market. 

Mariana Sanchotene @ Dance Music 101

Mariana Sanchotene joined ID&T for a business development role in 2008 and was pivot to the international expansion of its events since then. Once ID&T was sold to SFX, Mariana took part in the M&A team and supported the international tours of other SFX events as Unite, Awakenings and Life in Color.

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

Moving from Brazil to Amsterdam was possibly what brought Dance Music to my life. But I did enter the industry from backstage. I was already working on business development for Stage Entertainment, when I’ve noticed that Id&t was also taking Sensation internationally, and I thought: hey, that is a nice company to work for. It was a matter of being at the right place at the right time.

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

During last year’s Mysteryland, once I was off duty, friends were there, we had a great time.

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

Family comes above all, but when you work in this industry, work comes second on a very tight race.

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

The turning point for me was the first Skol Sensation in Brazil in 2009. I had joined Id&t in July 2008, by October I had moved to São Paulo with the mission of closing a naming-rights partnership deal with AB Inbev, and selling out a 40,000 people event having 4 months to prepare and a venue that was far from suitable for the event. Worked with the amazing team of Playcorp, who was our partner on the event and had the most intense months of my life. AB Inbev team then (Sérgio Eleutério and Bianca Shen) was also incredible, they worked as if it was their own event, and to a certain extent it was. When doors opened and the show started, I had goosebumps. I think we did a little (Dance Music) history in Brazil that night.

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

Trending is that clubs are in financial trouble since artists fees went sky-rocket and Tinder became popular. The ones that might survive will need to do that out of creating experience based events, rather than booking DJ Mag Top 100 names. I think Elrow is a good example of this.

Music, I don’t know if we can call this a trend, but some names will join the celebrity rock/pop gang, be on

Billboard top 100, score millions of followers. There will be more diversity, the careers might be shorter, the names that are hot one summer, might be gone on the next and we will never hear from them again.

If you take the Netherlands or UK, as trend-setters, there will be key festivals over 40,000 people still holding on, but a lot of smaller, diverse, niche festivals will start to pop-up. Cheaper tickets, less famous/commercial line-up, less impressive production, just a more credible crowd that have already developed a taste in electronic music. This diversity is key to the industry and I can see it is already happening in other countries too, such as France and Germany.

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

The industry will have to adapt to the increasing artists fees, just as Rock and Pop festivals had to. But there will be more talent to choose from. There will be more security issues unfortunately. It will hopefully become more professional and the number of casualties shall decrease. There wil be more technology available for crowd control, better suppliers overall. Governments will play a role as well, either embracing the movement, or playing against it, and hard. Brands will want to be more and more involved with the events, but on a more sophisticated way. There will hopefully be more concern about the sustainability issues of producing events. There shall be more care on the services towards the crowd, better toilets, cleaner tables, healthier / better food. More creativity on stages, decor, acts, activities. The competition will be stronger and not all events will remain, who knows how to adapt and see the upcoming trends, these will win.

Craig Pettigrew @ Dance Music 101

Craig Pettigrew is one of the co-founders of BPM Festival in Mexico, one of the world’s premier festivals in Dance Music.

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

I was in high school and we used to listen to the collage radio station every Friday night where we would get to hear the latest music that was coming out and i totally feel in love with house music. I would tape the show every week so i had the newest songs that were released that week.

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

Last Friday (AUG 5) in Sardinia for Guy Gerber’s birthday things started to get really weird and funny at the after party.

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

My wife because she’s the best and i couldn’t live without her.

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

The first time I ever decided to take a chance and though my own event in the little town where i grew up i was still in high school and i put every penny i had into the show, turned out to be a smash hit and that was the start of my promotion career.

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

I am seeing a lot of more spiritual themed festivals now that are really getting popular especially where I live in California.

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

That is the million-dollar question isn’t it? I’d expect things to work better with technology some sort of fusion between live concerts and streaming using VR or augmented reality.