Me, I love to entertain people at parties.
Especially when kids join the festivities.
For one thing, it's fun to help people celebrate.
Besides, who doesn't like a party?
And second, I ALWAYS learn something new,
interesting, and useful about human nature...
... because when people get
"in the swing of things",
they'll often reveal
what they're REALLY like.
For example, at a recent Fourth of July picnic,
the kids there taught me a powerful lesson
about party music.
YOU can use this valuable tip at every party.
What a day! This picnic was a great family affair.
A beautiful holiday afternoon at a local park.
Lots of kids... easily half the crowd was less
than 10 years old.
The six of us set up on a bandstand and played
rousing traditional jazz and patriotic tunes.
I'm playing my old cornet and enjoy watching
everyone there have a great time. Especially
the youngest kids.
When these kids first catch sight of us,
they stand perfectly still, eyes wide open,
and stare at us.
Here we are... six grown men wearing bright
outfits, feet tapping, smiling back and forth,
shiny musical instruments creating all that
lively sound! What a spectacle!
Then a moment later, the kids begin dancing.
You ever watch a child respond to rhythmic music?
This is what they do:
bouncing in place, their arms
flapping, spinning in circles, dancing forward & back.
Falling down, laughing, and getting right back up.
And the longer they dance like this, the more
enthusiastic they get.
Then inspiration strikes me. When the first kid
begins dancing, I get the band's tempo to match his.
That really gets him going, which encourages more
kids to join in.
Like my grandfather used to say, "
Monkey see, monkey do".
The families love watching. They cheer and join in
the dancing. Bystanders catch the excitement, too.
What a party!
So what did I learn? Three things:
1. Kids love rhythm, and exciting them gets the
adults involved, too.
So whenever there's children
at a party, I know how I'll pace the party's music!
2. People joining in makes the fun contagious.
The more everyone participates, the more everyone
enjoys the party. "The more the merrier!"
3. It takes just a few
people to get things started.
We see this all the time.
At weddings, for example, brides and grooms often
include a few really good dancers among their guests,
to encourage everyone to get up and dance. It's like
priming the pump.
So remember these lessons and make them pay off
at your next party.
Here's that valuable Tip I promised:
Create ways to get EVERYONE involved,
ESPECIALLY
THE KIDS. You'll make the experience
exciting and memorable for everyone.
You can watch this everywhere we play -- at weddings,
private parties, and public events.
