Correction: In the original version of this story, DJ Barticus was identified as Michael Hart. His name is actually Michael Bart.
For eight years, the popular dance party Dance or Die has held court at The Union, 18 W. Union St., and its name captures the essence of the party: People go to dance, not sit around.
Tomorrow at 9 p.m., Dance or Die returns to The Union, its sole home in Athens, for the first time since Spring Quarter.
DJs Barticus and Self Help, or Michael Bart and Danny Johnson, respectively, keep the tunes spinning at Dance or Die, and Bart has been involved since the event’s inception.
He roomed with Dance or Die’s creator DJ Ruckus Roboticus, or Dan Haug, when the event first premiered in 2003. During that inaugural year, Bart handled the dance party’s promotion.
“I’ve been involved ever since the beginning,” Bart said. “I started DJ’ing during its second year and now I’m the one that handles everything with it.”
Bart, along with Johnson, plays a mixture of music at each party, and rarely plans out sets ahead of time.
“It really depends on what people want and what people respond to — it depends on the energy of the room,” Bart said.
Being able to read how the audience is responding to the music they play lets Bart spontaneously throw songs together in a crowd-pleasing mix of genres.
One of the major reasons people have been attending the event, which Bart described as “underground yet very popular,” is the range of genres the DJs spin.
“I went at first just because I really like to dance,” said Spencer Smith, a junior studying English. “But I go back because it’s the only venue of its kind that offers a good mix of pop and electronic.”
Although Dance or Die has also been held in Columbus for two years — according to Columbus Alive it premiered June 13, 2009 — Bart is excited to bring it back to its original Athenian home.
Bart believes the changes implemented by The Union’s new ownership will add to Dance or Die’s popularity.
“There is a whole new checkered dance floor and now there is no seating on the dance floor,” Bart said. “We’re going to kind of DJ from another place and leave the entire stage open for dancing.”
With the addition of extra dance space, along with the extra speakers and lights that are going to be used this Friday, Bart foresees this party being particularly popular.
“It’s going to get kind of crazy,” he said. “The doors open right at 9, but by 11 or earlier there will be a line out the door, so people should show up early if they want to get in.”
bm257008@ohiou.edu
