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By Christopher Mills
 For
years the Electric Slide was the reigning king of all the line
dances. You couldn't go to any event, where a live DJ was
featured, without hearing the number one line dance of all time.
As time went by though, DJs across the nation started looking for
something new to replace the Electric Slide. The reign of this
old line dance was great, but after years, it was still the same old
line dance.
In 1995, rumors of
a new line dance happening south of the border were heating up within
the DJ community. And then it hit, the Macarena made its way up
north and unseated the Electric Slide as the champion of the line
dances. Who can forget the 1996 Democratic Convention.
Thousands of Democrats and politicians performing the Macarena
scattered over every news channel in the nation. Who would have
thought that in less than a year a line dance could have gained so
much popularity. But as fast as its candle burned, it burnt out
equally as fast. After a year and a half, the electric slide
regained its throne as the king of the line dances.
Enter the year
2000. A new millennium. Time for a change. And a
change is exactly what the DJ community got at the DJ Times DJ Expo
in Atlantic City. On the first night of the convention we were
introduced to the "Casper Slide Pt. 2" (otherwise known as
the Cha-Cha Slide).
The reaction to
this new slide was incredible. It incorporated the old Electric
Slide with some new steps, jumps, and stomps to make it that much
more exciting. Everyone wanted to get their hands on a copy of
it that night. Nobody could wait. I was fortunate to be
one of the few to get my hands on a copy. I took this new line
dance home with me with high expectations.
My first gig back
from the Expo was a three day stretch at Wet-N-Wild Water Park over
Labor Day weekend. After about an hour into the show I decided
it was time to drop the new slide on them. My first thoughts
were that I wouldn't have any problem pulling the younger crowd out
with this one. Than, much to my surprise, the Casper Slide
brought out men and women of all ages. Talk about being pumped
up. My next gig after Wet-N-Wild was a republican fund
raiser. The average age at the show was about 45. I was a
little hesitant to play the new slide and just when I was about to
play the old Electric Slide, I remembered what happened at the 1996
Democratic National Convention with the Macarena. I quickly
switched to the new slide, pressed play, and jumped in front of the
crowd to lead them. The response was great and all concerns I
ever had about playing this song to certain crowds were swept away
that night.
The new slide is
now a regular in the mix at all my shows. Now...will the new
slide dethrone the original as the king of the line dances?
Only time will tell. But for now, I will keep pushing the
Casper Slide Pt.2 and you should too. The excitement and energy
it brings to the show will only add to your event and make you look
that much better.
Christopher Mills
Owner of CJs DJs,
Located in New Mexico
Moderator at DJChat.com
Writers note:
The Casper Slide Pt. 2 has been released nationally and can be found
at most major music stores. The name of the CD is "Cha Cha Slide."
The writer has
never meet the creator of the Casper Slide Pt.2, but endorses the new
slide because he feels that it will help our industry gain greater heights.
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