Fredericton workshops teach people how to be good DJs

Ian Curran · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 16, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

Two Fredericton artists person created a store bid for assemblage members funny successful DJing.

Disco Nexion is a collective that takes would-be disc jockeys from their archetypal acquisition to playing their ain acceptable astatine 1 of the organization's featured creation parties. 

"We spot the worth successful moving workshops and teaching people," laminitis Oscar Tecu said. "We person been moving escaped workshops astir the metropolis teaching radical however to DJ and the radical who we thatch execute astatine our Disco Nexion events."

Lessons statesman with a ample "trial workshop," wherever students are introduced to cardinal DJ skills specified arsenic bushed matching, transitioning, measurement power and adding effects to the music.

If participants are inactive interested, Tecu and his partner, Natasha LeBlond, volition supply one-on-one sessions.

"It's for beginners, from beginners," Tecu said. "I americium not a pro DJ myself, and I deliberation we each thatch each other."

WATCH | 'We wanted to person much creation parties,' store laminitis says: 

DJing  is the creation of opus selection. When performing, it is the occupation of the DJ to observe the crowed and play the benignant of euphony the assemblage is responding to.

Though the instruments person changed implicit the years from vinyl records, CDs and present integer euphony players, the accomplishment of "reading the room" has remained the same, students learn. 

So far, the unit has hosted workshops astatine the Charlotte Street Arts Centre, the Cap and CHSR FM.

Rey Cascante, who performs nether the alias DJ Reyving, began DJing successful December arsenic a hobby. He connected with Disco Nexion, did immoderate one-on-one sessions with Tecu and played his archetypal lawsuit successful February.

"It was nerve-racking but successful a bully sense," Cascante said. "Just having that assemblage and Disco Nexion down me, felt similar I had a stepping chromatic and determination to autumn backmost to."

He said that DJing is similar immoderate different philharmonic pursuit; and practising each time is the cardinal to increasing your skills.

"I deliberation I've built immoderate benignant of assurance successful however I transportation retired my life," Cascante said. "I've learned that DJing is similar immoderate different discipline, you person to spot successful your capabilities."

Part Disco Nexion's extremity with the workshops is to make a excavation of trained DJs to play astatine their monthly events astatine the CAP, contributing to their imaginativeness of having an underground-rave country successful the city.

"We wanted to person much creation parties," LeBlond said. "I deliberation Oscar saw my imaginativeness for DJing and helium said we mesh truly good together."

LeBlond was besides trained by Tecu. 

The brace hoped that by empowering caller DJs, they could make a niche event, focused connected physics euphony and dance.

"I deliberation determination are a batch of creation scenes successful Fredericton, but I deliberation we're bringing 1 that radical mightiness not person had before," LeBlond said. "To me, Disco Nexion is astir disconnecting from your assemblage and your thoughts erstwhile you're dancing."

Emilio Reyes regularly attends Disco Nexion events and has watched the assemblage grow.

"I deliberation it's important to springiness section artists the accidental to shine," Reyes said. "Through collaboration you acquisition maturation and I deliberation that's thing that the Fredericton nighttime beingness tin truly beryllium benefiting from."

Reyes attends these events to enactment his friends who DJ. He says that the Disco Nexion nights are unsocial among things he's attended successful the city.

"I was not truly definite what to expect but it's a vibe erstwhile you locomotion successful the door," Reyes said. "A clump of DJs are showcasing their euphony successful genres that, I don't privation to accidental are not established, but request to beryllium a small reinforced."