Christmas is a time
for festivity and merriment,
amongst other things. Goa in particular, has often seen itself be a part of
massive Christmas dances over time. Yuletide balls were a thing of great pride
and nostalgia, and served as a great reason to come together. For many, the
dances served as a night where they came together to meet and greet, and all
were decked in their greatest formal finery as they swayed to the tunes of
their favourite live acts. However, as times changed, and with it, celebrations
evolved, dances too have been subject to the process of change. Live bands have
now started seeing DJs take up some of the space at these events.
Claudio Tellis is a DJ par excellence, and has been completely
involved with the dance and wedding scene in Goa, since its inception. “In all
honesty, I do not foresee why there would be detraction from the vibe of the
event. In my opinion, I have seen that these events are primarily a means to
socialise with friends and family. A lot of people may turn up to dance, but
similar (if not greater) numbers turn up to just mingle, and don’t step on to
the dance floor. Hence irrespective of the form of entertainment, the dance
goes on,” he says.
In similar vein, Ashly Fernandes, the bassist of Purple Rain has
been playing at traditional dances for eons. He points out where the trends
lie, saying “There aren’t too many DJ-centric dances yet. There are a few, but
the bulk of the dances remain traditional. It is a time when people dress up
and go out to an event that is held one night of the year. A DJ-centric dance
will cater to a niche segment, which is fine, as that will draw a crowd that
looks to party in that particular fashion, and there are many thematic events
that cater to a specific target audience.”
However, it is the attendees that have a verdict to pass, very
often. An avid fan of dances old and new, Carlos Noronha, a hospitality
entrepreneur shares his views on the matter, saying “I think that with the
addition of DJ’s to a dance, maybe people turning up have the best of both
worlds. There are bands that play first, and then DJ’s take over. People have
the option of being a part of both sides, or choosing what best suits them, so
it could work well. Also, in this scenario, I’m more of a ‘mingler’ than a
dancer, so to me the music is not the be all and end all of the event.”
Come this Christmas, there will be a host of events to choose
from; the traditional, the modern, the alternative, and so on. But what matters
is that the time of year is celebrated with much festivity. It is, after all
the season to be jolly.
