Educational Content

How the Dance Party Has Become a College Programming Mainstay

June 16, 2025
Jeff Hyman
Educational Content
How the Dance Party Has Become a College Programming Mainstay

Boost campus engagement with DJ-driven dance parties that create safe, high-energy events for students. Perfect for orientation, homecoming, and more.

From Silent Discos to Taylor Swift and Emo/Pop Punk Nights or a local or student DJ at a campus event, dance parties have cemented their existence as a campus programming staple. Typically used as an alternative to alcohol and to have a safe space to gather and socialize, the dance party brings together people in a fun, lively environment to let their cares escape and dance the night away!

Many people haven’t realized how versatile the dance party is, and how much value and diverse programming you can get from these events. These events can be tailored to a wide range of student interests and identities, helping to build long-standing traditions and memories.

The Value of Dance Parties for Campus Programming

More students like music they know and love. A themed dance party or a custom DJ experience  often generates higher student turnout than unfamiliar live acts or bands. Students are drawn in by playlists that speak to their tastes º whether it’s Taylor Swift, throwbacks, or trending hits – resulting in greater student engagement, better attendance, and more impactful programming ROI.

Broad music appeal means one dance party can serve a wide audience, making it one of the most efficient and scalable programming choices for student activity boards and campus planners.

Dance Parties as Diverse, Inclusive Programming

Dance parties offer the opportunity to customize the music and programming to different needs and organizations. They fill many needs on campus for many organizations, and they all help build the dance party culture and infrastructure on campuses. You may have cultural organizations throwing a dance party focusing on the music of their culture, or Taylor Swift Fans having a Swift Night, a dance music Paint U or Foam Drop or even a Throwback Party or Boom Boom Bingo. Using Dance parties as a regular programming option but making each even different enough to keep them fresh is easy when programming dance parties.

Creating Immersive Dance Party Experiences

Adding a DJ to existing events or adding other experience-related items to the dance parties has really become a trend. Making friendship bracelets at a Swift Night, Roller Skating while dance music plays, and playing Bingo with dance breaks, games and high energy to Broadway themed events, the theming is unlimited! Lighting, Haze, Paint, Foam, Headphones and more all add to the experience. Others add games and inflatables and food trucks to create as full of an experience as possible.  Consider adding DJ’s in irregular places and at different times of the day.

Popular College Dance Party Applications

Dance parties are very popular for orientations, welcome weeks, Homecomings and Spring Weekends among other traditional events. What better way to bring families, alumni, current students and staff together for those traditional events, then with a DJ or a dance party. So many applications to bring energy and life to your events in a content friendly way! Create campus traditions with Dance Parties that people look forward to each year!

You can see that dance parties have multiple applications for programming on campus. Utilizing the engagement they create to open experiences, social contact, extracurricular events and consistent sober programming for the student body.  Many stories of friendships start with, “we met at that dance party”. These events are integral to the social fabric of university life and create lasting memories of the college experience.

Final Thoughts: Dance Parties Build Campus Culture

Dance parties are more than entertainment—they’re student engagement engines. They promote sober fun, build friendships, and serve as low-barrier social entry points for first-year students and transfer students alike.

Many lifelong friendships start with, “We met at that dance party.”
So why not make dance parties a regular part of your programming calendar?

Invest in experiences that resonate, connect, and energize your student body. Visit degy.com today.

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