Minnesota DJ celebrates 20 years of community service

 

You can find him in the dimly lit corner of the commons area with a broom and dustpan.  It was just 30 minutes ago when loud, boisterous students were singing along and dancing to the favorite hits of today.  The room is quiet and somewhat eerie on this warm autumn night.

Ryan Karstens, owner and operator, of Hot Hitz DJ Entertainment laments, “I can’t believe it, a four-foot black light bulb broke.  This hasn’t happened in a long time.”

Instead of waiting for someone else to clean up the pieces, Karstens has always demonstrated a just “do it for yourself” attitude dating back to his days as General Manager of KMSC radio station at Minnesota State University Moorhead.

“If the Student Activities Board (S.A.B.) properly funded the radio station, I wouldn’t be here today.  I started school dances as fundraising events to help budget and purchase the station’s new operating board.  We tried car washes, raffle tickets and more; but mobile DJ dances were the quickest and easiest way to reach our goal.”

He admits those early dances were hands on learning experiences.  “I had years of experience speaking in front of crowds and mixing music.  However, I had a weakness in programming, especially that first dance at Lake Park Middle School.  I had the mindset of a college party and was really surprised at the cool reaction to some of songs that I picked.  Don’t get me started about the Dilworth prom where we had more DJs (six) than students left and smoke coming from the rented speakers.”

Those fundraising mobile DJ days were always in the back of his mind as he traveled to three different cities looking for a career upon college graduation with a mass communications degree.

Then, he found his calling after shadowing DJ Ron at a St. Peter dance where the middle school and high school dance would follow each other on the same night.

“He showed me the value of playing a variety of music styles.  I couldn’t believe it…it was 1991 sure he played the hits like C&C Music Factory (“Gonna Make You Sweat”), Boyz II Men (“Motownphilly”) and Michael Jackson (“Black or White”).  However, at the end of the dances, I was in total shock.  He grabbed a 17 year-old record, Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker” (1974).  I thought for sure the students would boo him out of the building.  Instead, they sang every word of the song and as the song faded they continued to sing.

(DJ Ron) didn’t stop there…then, he grabbed John Denver’s “Thank God I’m A Country Boy”.  I was thinking country music would be the kiss of death instead the students responded with energy and singing.  The feeling that I had the night was I should pursue this.”  Thus, a 20-year career in providing DJ entertainment for schools throughout the state of Minnesota and Western Wisconsin began.

Karstens also recalls working with highly-acclaimed fellow DJ Brian Lorntson.  “We were working together in the those early days at the middle school in Coon Rapids.  I did music in the gym while he perform Karaoke in the cafeteria area.  Kids were throwing quarters at his mirror ball.  He said that it was not fun.  Then, he went to the gym and saw total chaos.  There was toilet paper everywhere.”

“I was doing “mummy wrapping” contests, and we went through at least a dozen rolls.  After seeing Brian’s reaction, I knew that it wasn’t right not cleaning up the mess.  Since that point, I bring garbage bags and incorporate a ‘clean up’ contest.  The team with the most in the bag wins a prize,” Karstens commented.

Lorntson must have been impressed.  He suggested they form a partnership and start a DJ company in Duluth.  He even picked a name for the company, “Freedom” and talked Karstens into looking at office space, meeting with hotels and the Chamber of Commerce in Duluth.

At the same time, Dawn Moser approached Karstens about a college advertising project.  He hired her as the Advertising Director at KMSC and kept in contact after his graduation while she transferred to University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.  She sought his opinion about logos for the project.  She chose a design project for a DJ company with five name choices.

“If you change this name to ‘Hot Hitz DJ Entertainment’ with a ‘Z’, we might have something here,” Karstens suggested.  “It was basically between two good friends and St. Paul or Duluth.  I picked the girl and St. Paul.”

With the addition of brochures and letterhead designs from Moser, the business began in 1993 with no customers.

“Dawn’s design work was outstanding because we were able to find several schools interested in our services with the first mass mailing.”  Their mailings even drew attention from fellow DJ companies that specialize in youth events.  “When I was elected as the Vice-President of the Twin Cities Chapter of the Midwest Association of Professional Disc Jockeys, I had avery interesting conversation with Howard (of Kidsdance/Total Entertainment).  He said that he liked our brochures and liked the humor in them.  What surprised me was that he had seen them as they were only sent to schools. Secondly, they were all in-house productions.  Dawn is very talented.  It was the clip art era.”

   

 (This very first mail-out  sent to  schools in 1993  since that time over  20  mailings evolved to include color and photos.)

 

Karstens has a natural ability to connect with people when he applies himself.  This ability helped build several long lasting relationships with teachers, student council advisors, students and school support personnel.

He recalls, “The first time I met Charles at Siren schools, he said ‘I don’t care what you play.  You just need to start and end every dance with “At The Hop”.’  It became an ongoing joke every time I did a dance for the next three years.  I would say, so Charles do you still want to hear that old song this time.”

Karstens’ overall calm nature can even put the most difficult people at ease.  Jana at Norwood-Young America is good example.  “When I went into this school, everyone warned me about her that she’s just and just and rarely smiles.  It was so funny she had this switch that turned off when she spoke to me.  She scolded a student (for good reason) and then spoke to me with kindness in her voice.  This was the first school where Hot Hitz perform and 18 years later it’s still going strong.”

Hot Hitz DJ has been able to keep relationships with schools even if advisors or principals move on.  Some schools are on their fourth advisor while they remain loyal to one DJ Company.

His love for working with the youth is one of things that have kept him performing at schools while most mobile DJs try it and don’t like it.

Photo taken from a middle school dance where Karstens incorporates line dances as icebreakers.

“It’s like having a state certification with being tested or going to school for another year.  I’m constantly in contact with students, and they definitely have left an impression on me.  When you hear things like ‘we have the cool DJ tonight’ or when a student asks for your business card because they want to put in their scrapbook to remember their DJ for the year, you can’t help but be moved.”

He even mentions a student by name.  “Avery was just hanging out after school and noticed all this equipment I was bringing and said, ‘Can I help?’  I agreed and only let him work with the light equipment.  He went on to spend 20 minutes just helping.  We still had two more dances scheduled at this school, and the next dance there he was again wanting to helping.

This time, he even went on to help after the dance.  I reached into my billfold and gave him a $20 bill as a thank you.  The third dance he was there again.  Keep in mind, this heavy hard work that makes you sweat.  Avery was sweating right along with me.  He had a unique chance to see the behind-the-scenes work that most don’t have an opportunity to experience.

“I’m somewhat afraid to say this, but I really like hard, physical work.  Lifting heavy equipment is an enjoyable activity for me that’s one of things I really like about being a mobile DJ.”

Karstens also told the stories of connecting with the school’s support staff.  “One of the nicest compliments that someone can say to you is that you have a gift for something.  That’s exactly what Diane said me when I went into the office at Northfield Middle School to sign in before the dance this past spring.  She told me that it takes a real gift to work with students and you have it.  The comment really stuck with me.”

“We were performing between four and six dances a year at Dakota Meadows in North Mankato and when everyone goes home including the teachers and advisors.  It’s just the janitor and me.  Perry was that janitor; we would talk about life and dreams of future after the dances sometimes as long as 20 minutes after everything was packed in the van.”

 “When our company went to Las Vegas for a mobile DJ convention, the first person I sent a postcard to was Perry.  It is situations like this that keep you going back to school dances.”

(Above Karstens gives a happy gesture at the completion of a dance at Dakota Meadows middle school in North Mankato, a school where he performed 57 times.  Also, he credits 23 different schools with at least five appearances and a total 99 schools since 1991.)

When asked about his performance style and approach to music, he leaves the impression that it’s still evolving.

“I find that a lot of mobile DJs get stuck in their ways and don’t want to change.  They often become trapped in an era of music that they can relate to and don’t want to perform at schools because of a dislike of music outside of that defined era.  My theory is that you either change with the times or change will define you.”

(Here’s a glimpse into his showroom where you see carefully labeled thousands upon thousands of CDs, records, tapes and autographed posters.  There’s also map of Minnesota and Wisconsin with many black dots and gold and black banner with the caption “We’ve Been There…” )

This kind of philosophy also explains why he is one of few remaining (if not the only one) that has performed an average of 20 school dances every year in Minnesota for a total of over 400 dances personally performed.

In addition, his performance approach has a lot of appeal.  “I feel that everyone is welcome at a dance.  I always incorporate requests, prizes, contests and novelty dances.  It’s not about me; and what I want to hear.  I will play something for everyone without leaving anyone out.  Even if a music or gym teacher brings me a CDR, I will find away to include those songs into the performance.  The two keys in my music selection are (1) can you dance to it and (2) will it offend anyone.”

He admits that there are many challenges in this area with some schools just giving up on dances all together.  “Grinding is huge issue of today.  With the remake of the ‘Footloose’ movie, I see a renewed battle ahead for the administration, students and the DJs.  This is why I proudly support the efforts of the Responsible DJ network.  If everyone has open communication before the dance, you can have a successful dance that everyone can agree on.”

He added that many of our long time clients have placed a tremendous amount of trust in his decision about music selection.  “I guess if the dance coordinator believes that I will make the best decision without guidance that’s a plus.  Maybe, I have earned a level of respect after 20 years.  It sure makes the teacher’s work easier knowing the content issue will be handled by the DJ.  However, every community has different levels of acceptable music.  Because of this, I wish that all schools would at least email or talk to me before the dance so we are on the same page.  I want to give students the most of what they want within the guidelines set forth which can be difficult at times.”

Hot Hitz willingness to address this issue might explain why schools have sought this company from long distances especially middle schools.  Karstens explained that he has performed from Moorhead, Minnesota to Richland Center, Wisconsin a distance covering over 8 hours.

 

(Hot Hitz DJ Entertainment changed their logo design three times. To the left is their latest flame design.)

“One of our favorite trips was to Perham middle school from the St. Paul location.  We would make the trip two to three times per school year, and it worked out to be the same distance as a one-way trip from St. Paul to Chicago.  It was a great treat to get out of the urban area to see and feel the prairie winds,” Karstens reflects.

As we head back to where our story began, North Branch High School, we see all the equipment careful packed into his mini-van.  Karstens talked about his company’s future and what lies ahead for the night.

“This trip back to Cannon Falls will take between 1 ½ to 2 hours.  I’m thinking 2:30 a.m. my day will be done, not bad considering I left for this trip at 3 p.m. and packed the equipment around 1 p.m.  I will have plenty of time to plan the future and celebrate the fact that I’m starting my 20 years in this business.

Look all I can do is put myself out there to be accepted or rejected.  I will keep trying until everyone rejects my efforts, which reminds me we need to start Twitter and Facebook accounts along with a good community service project.  We need to….”

And Karstens’ commitment continues to celebrate youth.