It’s called dance music, not “standing around music.” So when the DJs get to moving, it makes their sets even more fun to watch.
For the most part, their moves are pretty simple. Bouncing while standing in place, tapping a foot, or nodding. But as the moves get more elaborate, the dancing becomes part of the show.
With that in mind, we picked out a sampling of some of the best dancers in the DJ world. But not without laying out some ground rules first.
Here are the criteria
They have to be good at DJing. Mastery over the technical aspects is a must.
Headbanging doesn’t count as dancing. Sorry, bass heads.
Fist pumping and other “basic bro moves” don’t count either. Originality is something to strive for.
Let’s take a look at our picks…
1. Mr. G
Nobody in the world moves like Mr. G. There’s simply no comparison. Although he’s best known for his live sets, Mr. G will still DJ from time to time. But it’s during the live set where his moves truly shine.
How would one describe it? Perhaps the most accurate description would be that Mr. G is the physical manifestation of the music that he creates. The video from his Boiler Room set in 2012 is one of the rare recordings of his live show.
In a Resident Advisorfeature from 2013, Mr. G reveals that he had some assistance from Patrón throughout the night. Remarkably, there’s no discernible mishaps during this live set.
More recently, during a gig alongside Ben Klock at Glitch festival, Mr. G’s moves come out in full force again. Take a look below.
Nina Kraviz’s moves come effortlessly. She pivots, bounces, and shows off some footwork without breaking a sweat. Prior to becoming a DJ, she honed these skills as a regular on the dance floors of her native Russia.
The experience shows. These moves would look as good on the dance floor as they do behind the decks. In the (low-quality) video above, Nina Kraviz dances to one of her favorite tracks to play in her sets.
3. Green Velvet/Cajmere
Of course the producer of the timeless tune “Percolator” would have some moves too. At Movement Detroit this year, Green Velvet took on his alternate Cajmere moniker for his performance.
During his set, he briefly left the DJ booth, got on top of the speakers, and showed off some unique dance moves while dancing to (you guessed it) “Percolator.” It was one of the most talked-about moments from the weekend. For good reason, too.
4. Nastia
Nastia made a name for herself for playing techno, but her library actually ranges from house music to drum & bass. True to her versatility, she can dance to the full range of these subgenres. As she digs through her vinyl crate and jumps between the decks in the clip above, she turns this flurry of activity into a dance.
The crowd is absolutely loving it too.
The internet is also full of wonderful surprises. This video, presumably from 2012, shows the Ukrainian DJ getting really into it.
5. Jayda G
Jayda G dances like she’s part of the crowd, which is why she’s so fun to watch. During her set at Dekmantel, she mixes vinyls while grooving to the music. DJing on vinyl is challenging enough on its own, but Jayda G does it with grace and exuberance.
Still skeptical? The video below is what happens when Jayda G turns the energy level up to 11.
It’s called dance music, not “standing around music.” So when the DJs get to moving, it makes their sets even more fun to watch.
For the most part, their moves are pretty simple. Bouncing while standing in place, tapping a foot, or nodding. But as the moves get more elaborate, the dancing becomes part of the show.
With that in mind, we picked out a sampling of some of the best dancers in the DJ world. But not without laying out some ground rules first.
Here are the criteria
Let’s take a look at our picks…
1. Mr. G
Nobody in the world moves like Mr. G. There’s simply no comparison. Although he’s best known for his live sets, Mr. G will still DJ from time to time. But it’s during the live set where his moves truly shine.
How would one describe it? Perhaps the most accurate description would be that Mr. G is the physical manifestation of the music that he creates. The video from his Boiler Room set in 2012 is one of the rare recordings of his live show.
In a Resident Advisor feature from 2013, Mr. G reveals that he had some assistance from Patrón throughout the night. Remarkably, there’s no discernible mishaps during this live set.
More recently, during a gig alongside Ben Klock at Glitch festival, Mr. G’s moves come out in full force again. Take a look below.
2. Nina Kraviz
Nina Kraviz’s moves come effortlessly. She pivots, bounces, and shows off some footwork without breaking a sweat. Prior to becoming a DJ, she honed these skills as a regular on the dance floors of her native Russia.
The experience shows. These moves would look as good on the dance floor as they do behind the decks. In the (low-quality) video above, Nina Kraviz dances to one of her favorite tracks to play in her sets.
3. Green Velvet/Cajmere
Of course the producer of the timeless tune “Percolator” would have some moves too. At Movement Detroit this year, Green Velvet took on his alternate Cajmere moniker for his performance.
During his set, he briefly left the DJ booth, got on top of the speakers, and showed off some unique dance moves while dancing to (you guessed it) “Percolator.” It was one of the most talked-about moments from the weekend. For good reason, too.
4. Nastia
Nastia made a name for herself for playing techno, but her library actually ranges from house music to drum & bass. True to her versatility, she can dance to the full range of these subgenres. As she digs through her vinyl crate and jumps between the decks in the clip above, she turns this flurry of activity into a dance.
The crowd is absolutely loving it too.
The internet is also full of wonderful surprises. This video, presumably from 2012, shows the Ukrainian DJ getting really into it.
5. Jayda G
Jayda G dances like she’s part of the crowd, which is why she’s so fun to watch. During her set at Dekmantel, she mixes vinyls while grooving to the music. DJing on vinyl is challenging enough on its own, but Jayda G does it with grace and exuberance.
Still skeptical? The video below is what happens when Jayda G turns the energy level up to 11.
Did we miss any DJ dance talents? Disagree with some picks? Give us your reactions in the comments!
Feature image courtesy of Rafe Scobey-Thal.
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