Music planned with teachers and organizers around your school’s rules, for school dances across Vancouver Island.
School Dances
A school dance has two audiences. Students want the songs they know and a DJ who keeps the floor moving. Staff and parent supervisors want music that fits the school’s guidelines, a sensible end time and a night with no surprises. A good school dance works for both.
I’m Ryan, and Rise Entertainment is me. The teacher, admin or parent volunteer who books the dance plans directly with the person who plays it, so the school’s expectations are clear before the first song.
I DJ school dances across Vancouver Island, from Greater Victoria and the West Shore to the Cowichan Valley, Nanaimo and the Comox Valley. Call or send a message to check your date.
Every school has its own guidelines for music at a dance. I’ll go over yours before the night and plan around them, including any songs or themes to steer clear of even when the lyrics are clean.
If there’s a song, artist or dance trend your school has already had trouble with, tell me when you book. It goes straight on the do-not-play list.
The best school dances have some student input. I’ll ask whether a student council or leadership class wants to put together a request list, and I’ll check those songs against your rules before the night.
On the staff side, I’ll ask about the timeline, where I’m setting up, who my contact is on the night, and when the music needs to stop so the gym can be cleared on schedule.
Students often hang back at the start of a dance. Nobody wants to be first on the floor. I build the music gradually, watch what gets groups moving, and follow the room rather than a fixed playlist.
Age matters too, so let me know the grades attending when you get in touch.
Most school dances happen in a gym or a multipurpose room, which bring their own challenges: hard walls, echo and a floor that doubles as the basketball court. Tell me about the space and where power is available so setup doesn’t get in the way of your custodial staff.
Theme nights, Halloween dances, Valentine’s dances and end-of-year dances are all fine. Tell me the theme and I’ll build the music around it.
Pricing
$700
Elementary school dances
$950
Middle school and high school dances
Reviews
“We reached out to Ryan quite some time before our wedding, and he stayed connected with us the whole way through with messages and a coffee meetup to make sure all was prepared before the big day. When it came, Ryan showed up on time and professionally set up his table and speakers with no issues, all while looking sharp and formal. He got the dance floor fired up and nailed every song for the first dance. The day couldn’t have gone any smoother, and Ryan played a big role. We can’t thank Ryan enough and highly recommend him for your wedding.”
Jacob & Jaclyn R.Weddings
“We hired Ryan as our wedding DJ and he completely exceeded our expectations. From the moment he arrived he was professional and easy to work with. He kept the dance floor full at night and everyone was loving the songs. He read the room really well and mixed in a great balance of classic favourites and newer tracks that both our friends and family loved. We also asked him to make announcements during the night, and he had an excellent speaking voice doing so! If you’re looking for a DJ who can keep the party going and also make the formal parts of the evening feel special, Ryan is an excellent choice. Highly recommend!”
RyanWeddings
FAQ
The music follows your school’s guidelines. Send them ahead of time, including any songs or dances to avoid, and I’ll plan around them and add anything specific to the do-not-play list.
Yes. A student council or leadership group putting together a request list is a great way to get students invested in the dance. Send the list before the night and I’ll check each song against your guidelines. Ask me how requests on the night work and I’ll confirm it against the school’s approach.
The date, the school and town, the grades attending, and the start and end times are the main things. It also helps to know the space, a staff contact for the night and your music guidelines. Call 250-667-0804 or send a message with those details and I’ll check my availability.
Tell me the grades attending when you get in touch. I’ll let you know whether it’s a fit, and if it is, I’ll plan the music for that age group.
Yes. School dances run on a fixed schedule, with parents picking up and staff waiting to lock up. I’ll ask for your end time and plan the last song around it, so the music wraps up when you need it to and the room can be cleared.
Contact Ryan
Send me the date, school and grades attending, and I’ll let you know if I’m free.
