school dance

Barnard Elementary School Dance

Barnard Elementary had their annual school dance on March 10, 2017

Barnard Elementary had their annual school dance on March 10, 2017

San Diego Diego, Justin Kanoya, DJ's the Barnard Elementary School dance with some help from daughter, Marissa. 

San Diego Diego, Justin Kanoya, DJ's the Barnard Elementary School dance with some help from daughter, Marissa. 

For a fourth consecutive I DJ’d a dance at Barnard Pacific Language Academy, a school my daughter attended from kindergarten through third grade. Our family still has many friends at the school, and of course my daughter still has her classmates there, so it’s always a great time to return.

This year it was a superheroes theme; so cute to see all the kids dressed up. And as always with elementary school dances, my daughter served as a great assistant helping me out with all the song requests.

Here’s a look at the setlist:

  • Selena Gomez - Who Says
  • MIKA f. Ariana Grande - Popular Song
  • LunchMoney Lewis - Bills
  • Shawn Mendes - Treat You Better
  • Casper - Cha Cha Slide
  • Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop The Feeling!
  • Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk (Select Mix Remix)
  • Flo Rida, Robin Thicke, Verdine White - I Don't Like It I Love It (Select Mix Remix)
  • Quad City D.J.'s - C'mon 'N' Ride It
  • B-52's - Love Shack
  • Outkast - Hey Ya
  • Taylor Swift - Shake It Off
  • Sia f./Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills
  • Ed Sheeran - Shape Of You
  • Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
  • Silento - Watch Me
  • Psy - Gangnam Style
  • Cupid - Cupid Shuffle
  • De La Soul - Ring Ring Ring (Sax Mix)
  • Jason Derulo - Kiss The Sky
  • Pitbull f./John Ryan - Fireball
  • Andy Grammer - Honey, I'm Good
  • Meghan Trainor - Me Too
  • Bruno Mars - 24K Magic
  • Maroon 5 f./Kendrick Lamar - Don't Wanna Know
  • DJ Snake f./Justin Bieber - Let Me Love You
  • One Direction - Best Song Ever
  • Zay Hilfigerrr & Zayion McCall - JuJu On That Beat (TZ Anthem)
  • Adele - Water Under The Bridge
  • Maroon 5 - Sugar
  • Katy Perry - Firework
  • Justin Bieber - What Do You Mean
  • Katy Perry - Roar
  • Kungs & Cookin' On 3 Burners - This Girl
  • The Chainsmokers f./Halsey - Closer
  • Dawin f./Silento - Dessert (Remix)
  • Taylor Swift - Blank Space
  • Rihanna - Love On The Brain
  • Fifth Harmony f./Kid Ink - Worth It

2016 Barnard Elementary Spring Fling - School Dance

San Diego DJ, Justin Kanoya, DJ'd the Barnard Elementary Spring Fling Dance. 

San Diego DJ, Justin Kanoya, DJ'd the Barnard Elementary Spring Fling Dance. 

I was back at another elementary school dance, this time at a familiar location, Barnard Elementary School. This is the school my daughter attended for four years and I was the “go to” in providing some type of music/DJ service throughout those years.

My daughter changed schools this year, but they still had me back to play their Spring Fling on March 18, 2016. It’s always great to see familiar faces as well as seeing my daughter having a blast with her old classmates.

Here’s the setlist

  • Nate Ruess - Nothing Without Love
  • Echosmith - Bright
  • Pentatonix - Can't Sleep Love
  • Flo Rida - My House (Select Mix Remix)
  • Taylor Swift vs Lauryn Hill - Blank Space (DJ Skillz Throwback Blend)
  • Dawin f./Silento - Dessert (Remix)
  • K.C. & the Sunshine Band - Boogie Shoes
  • Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
  • Mark Ronson f. Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
  • Silento - Watch Me
  • Casper - Cha Cha Slide
  • OMI - Hula Hoop
  • Andy Grammer - Honey, I'm Good (Promo Only Clean Edit)
  • DNCE - Cake By The Ocean (Select Mix Remix)
  • Madonna - Holiday
  • Earth Wind and Fire - September
  • Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours
  • Justin Bieber - What Do You Mean?
  • Mike Posner - I Took A Pill In Ibiza (SeeB Remix)
  • Fifth Harmony f./Ty Dolla $ign - Work From Home (Rap Version)
  • The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face (Select Mix Quick Trax)
  • Meghan Trainor - Lips Are Movin'
  • B-52's - Love Shack
  • Taylor Swift f./Kendrick Lamar - Bad Blood
  • Buster Poindexter - Hot Hot Hot
  • Walk The Moon - Shut Up And Dance
  • Charlie Puth - One Call Away (Lash Radio Edit)
  • G-Eazy & Bebe Rexha - Me, Myself & I (Promo Only Marc Stout & Scott Svejda Remix)
  • Adele - When We Were Young (DiscoTech 2AM Radio Edit)
  • Justin Bieber - Love Yourself (RENAIR Uptempo ReDrum Edit)
  • OMI - Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Radio Edit)
  • The Chainsmokers f./ROZES - Roses
  • Cupid - Cupid Shuffle
  • Natalie La Rose f./Jeremih - Somebody
  • Montell Jordan - This Is How We Do It
  • Fifth Harmony, Kid Ink - Worth It (Select Mix Remix)
  • Beyonce - Crazy In Love
  • LunchMoney Lewis - Bills (Promo Only Clean Edit)
  • Silento - Watch Me
     

Reidy Creek Elementary School Father/Daughter Dance

Reidy Creek Elementary School in Escondido, California put on a father/daughter dance attended by close to 200 girls and their dads/uncles/grandfathers. These dances are a great experience for these grade school kids who love dancing and singing with their friends, yet still enjoy holding their dads close and tight.

It’s also fun for me, because my own grade school age daughter comes along and helps me by fielding the many, many requests that are always a part of these types of events. And yes, she still enjoys holding me tight too.

Here’s a look at the setlist, most of which were requests fielded by my daughter.

  • Pentatonix - Can't Sleep Love
  • Taylor Swift - Style
  • Ingrid Michaelson - Boys Chase Girls
  • Frank Sinatra - The Way You Look Tonight
  • Temptations - My Girl
  • Silento - Watch Me
  • Taylor Swift - Shake It Off
  • Cupid - Cupid Shuffle
  • OMI - Hula Hoop
  • Florida Georgia Line f./Luke Bryan - This Is How We Roll
  • Justin Bieber - What Do You Mean?
  • Quad City D.J.'s - C'mon 'N' Ride It
  • Bobby Helms - Jingle Bell Rock
  • Katy Perry - Roar
  • Taylor Swift f./Kendrick Lamar - Bad Blood (Promo Only Intro Edit)
  • DJ Snake, AlunaGeorge - You Know You Like It (Select Mix Remix)
  • Major Lazer, DJ Snake, MO - Lean On (Select Mix Remix)
  • Beyonce - Single Ladies
  • Fifth Harmony f./Kid Ink - Worth It
  • Echosmith - Bright
  • Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake - Love Never Felt So Good
  • OMI - Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Radio Edit)
  • Shawn Mendes - Stitches
  • Casper - Cha Cha Slide
  • Otis Day & the Knights - Shout
  • Katy Perry - Firework
  • One Direction - What Makes You Beautiful
  • Ariana Grande f./Zedd - Break Free
  • Clean Bandit, Jess Glynne - Rather Be (Select Mix Remix)
  • Stevie Wonder - Isn't She Lovely
  • Grover Washington Jr. - Just the Two of Us
  • Selena Gomez - Who Says
  • The Chainsmokers f./ROZES - Roses
  • Silento - Watch Me
  • Elle King - Ex's & Oh's
  • Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Downtown (Promo Only Clean Edit)
  • Michael Buble - Everything
  • Walk The Moon - Shut Up And Dance (Select Mix Remix)

Old Town Academy Father/Daughter Dance - San Diego

Old Town Academy, a kindergarten-8th grade school in San Diego was putting together a father/daughter dance and called on my services to lead in the music and entertainment. With an elementary aged daughter, as well as serving as the DJ at a few of her school events, this was a party meant for me to be at. In fact, with that daughter of mine being nine years old, she was the perfect assistant.

Elementary school dances can be tough, as kids are not shy about requesting songs … a lot of songs.  And they want them played right away. Tending to those requests while operating DJ equipment is quite a task, even for the most skillful multi-tasker. I was so happy to bring my daughter along, and she had a great time talking with the girls, taking their requests and communicating everything to me. We were the perfect team.

The dance was 50s themed, and many of the dads and daughters were dressed to fit that theme. I started playing music from the era, while slowing moving into 2015 pop stuff all those girls were waiting to hear, which of course started with an early playing of Watch Me (Nae Nae).


Here’s the setlist:  

  • Drifters - Save the Last Dance For Me
  • Me'Shell NdegéOcello - You've Really Got a Hold on Me
  • Barry Mann - Who Put The Bomp
  • Elvis Presley - Hound Dog
  • Everly Brothers - Bye Bye Love
  • Dion and the Belmonts - A Teenager in Love
  • Beach Boys - Be True to Your School
  • The Supremes - I Hear a Symphony
  • The Temptations - Ain't Too Proud to Beg
  • The Dell-Vikings - Come Go With Me
  • Chaka Khan/Montell Jordan - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
  • Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta - Grease Megamix
  • The Temptations - My Girl
  • Frank Sinatra - The Way You Look Tonight
  • Earth, Wind & Fire - September
  • Justin Bieber - What Do You Mean? (Select Mix Remix)
  • Mark Ronson f./Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
  • Silento - Watch Me
  • OMI - Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Radio Edit)
  • Taylor Swift - Blank Space
  • Major Lazer, DJ Snake, MO - Lean On (Select Mix Remix)
  • Justin Bieber f./Skrillex & Blood - Sorry (Promo Only Intro Edit)
  • Shawn Mendes - Stitches
  • Pitbull f./Chris Brown - Fun (Clean)
  • Maroon 5 - Sugar (Clean)
  • Charli XCX - Boom Clap
  • Katy Perry - Roar
  • R. City f./Adam Levine - Locked Away
  • Casper - Cha Cha Slide
  • Taylor Swift - Shake It Off
  • The Weeknd - Can't Feel My Face
  • One Direction - Drag Me Down
  • Demi Lovato - Cool For The Summer
  • Ellie Goulding - On My Mind
  • Chubby Checker - The Twist
  • OMI - Hula Hoop
  • Sam Cooke - Twistin' The Night Away
  • Beatles - Twist and Shout
  • Cupid - Cupid Shuffle
  • Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Downtown (Promo Only Clean Edit)
  • Psy - Gangnam Style
  • Baauer - Harlem Shake (Radio Edit)
  • Jason Derulo - Want To Want Me
  • Timeflies f./Natalie La Rose - Worse Things Than Love (Clean Edit)
  • Taylor Swift f./Kendrick Lamar - Bad Blood
  • Isley Brothers - This Old Heart of Mine
  • Stevie Wonder - Isn't She Lovely
  • Walk The Moon - Shut Up And Dance (Promo Only Intro Edit)

Barnard Pacific Language Academy 2015 Spring Fling

Barnard Pacific Language Academy held its second Spring Fling Dance, and this year the theme was 80s. Barnard is an elementary school, kindergarten through fifth grade, and this party was attended by both students and parents.

Since I had not played an 80s dance for an elementary school in the past, I assumed I would play a little 80s to go along with the theme, but the majority of the night would be current hits. Seeing by the setlist I started by mixing the two, but soon realized there was such a good response to the 80s music and continued playing it the rest of the night. 

This night was a lot of fun, and it was so nice to see parents and kids enjoying themselves together. Because we all know, they are not going to want their parents at their high school dances. 

Here's the setlist:
Ariana Grande - One Last Time
Pitbull f./Ne-Yo - Time Of Our Lives (Clean)
Phil Collins - Sussudio (Select Mix Remix)
Whitney Houston - How Will I Know
Deniece Williams - Let's Hear It for the Boy
Meghan Trainor - Dear Future Husband
Taylor Swift - Blank Space
Cupid - Cupid Shuffle
David Bowie - Let's Dance
Madonna - Holiday
Harold Faltermeyer - Axel F (Select Mix Remix)
Yaz - Situation (Edge Remix)
The Jets - Crush On You (Select Mix Remix)
Michael Jackson - Don't Stop Till Get You Get Enough (Hot Classics Remix)
Marvin Gaye - Got To Give It Up (Hot Classics Remix)
Adam Ant - Goody Two Shoes
Kylie Minogue - Locomotion
B-52's - Love Shack
Bananarama - Cruel Summer
Iggy Azalea f./Jennifer Hudson - Trouble (Promo Only Intro Edit)
Bobby Brown - Every Little Step (Intro Clean)
Tony Basil - Mickey
Go-Go's - Our Lips Our Sealed
Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Madonna - Into The Groove
Simple Minds - Don't You Forget About Me
Ella Henderson - Ghost (Oliver Nelson Remix) (Radio Edit)
MC Hammer - Turn This Mutha Out (Select Mix Remix)
Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive
Casper - Cha Cha Slide
Marcia Griffiths - Electric Boogie
Maroon 5 - Sugar (Clean)
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - Lost In Emotion (Freestyle Classics) (Short Edit)
Paula Abdul - Forever Your Girl (Short Edit)
Prince - Raspberry Beret
New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle
Duran Duran - Reflex
Rick Springfield - Jessie's Girl
Expose - Point of No Return
Walk The Moon - Shut Up And Dance