When I am asked by Edwin to attend one of Blijwin’s school parties, I am immediately excited: I simply must have attended this once! Because while behind the scenes I am mostly concerned with the website, the party obviously takes place on the dance floor and not behind a computer.
Sticker party
The school festival is already in full swing when I arrive by bike, and it is not to be missed: upbeat music and happy children’s voices make it immediately clear where the party is taking place. That Blijwin is a specialist in children’s discos is immediately apparent because everything is arranged to perfection: disco lights, boxes, lighting effects, and even a PhotoBooth, it’s all there. The youngest elementary school groups are all dressed up and busy dancing and singing along. The parents and teachers around them also struggle to stand still. Then I hear Edwin through the microphone “who wants to earn more stickers? Then let’s see what you can do!”. Even more exuberantly than before, all the children begin to dance enthusiastically. Apparently many more children have won stickers, because suddenly they are popping up everywhere. After the song, the children run like mad to the stage “Me! Me! Me!” they yell. Proudly they show the stickers to their parents and teachers.
Joy
Then it’s already time for the next group. At least the music goes off and the teachers try to get the children to go outside with them. But the little ones don’t want to know anything about that because they are far too busy counting stickers and reminiscing. Happy little faces all seeking Edwin’s attention. Even now that the party is over, the DJ stays engaged with the children: funny musical tones, joking back and forth; Edwin never stops making the children happy. After much grumbling and opposition, the preschoolers then leave the room to make room for the next group. The middle grades are up. Since I just came in during the party and everyone was already in the party mood, I’m curious to see if Edwin can manage to get these kids to go out of their minds like this.
Well, leave that to him! In no time, all the children are dancing as if their lives depended on it, and the party mood is in full swing. How surprised I am that everyone knows what Edwin is talking about when he enthusiastically shouts “Who can swish best?!”. Like a frenzy, the children begin to dance. This shows how knowledgeable Edwin is about what is going on with the children. He knows how to get everyone along through interaction and by inventing games. The choice of music also shows his experience; Top 40 is interspersed with kids for kids and other sing-alongs. A perfect combination that I think they could use more often even in “adult” discos. In the upper school, there is even a real battle between the boys and the girls and here, too, everyone enthusiastically participates. A polonaise even ensues from time to time, and the children invite their teachers to join in as well.
Enthusiast
Of course, we are talking about grades 7 and 8 here, and so pictures must be taken. The PhotoBooth is crowded. But when the line gets too long, the kids walk back to the dance floor anyway because they too have realized: you don’t want to miss a second of this school party!
All in all, I thought it was a very nice experience to attend a disco by Children’s DJ Blijwin and to be on the dance floor for once instead of sitting behind a computer screen. Definitely worth repeating and I would recommend it to anyone 🙂
