Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Music Mixes Up Social Scene

COURTESY SAM RICCIARDI From left to right, Angelo Angelino (SFS ’17), Adriana Kranjac (COL ’17), President Sam Ricciardi (COL ’17), and Justin Kotwicki (COL ’17) share their love for dance music.
COURTESY SAM RICCIARDI
From left to right, Angelo Angelino (SFS ’17), Adriana Kranjac (COL ’17), President Sam Ricciardi (COL ’17), and Justin Kotwicki (COL ’17) share their love for dance music.

It’s well known on campus that the Georgetown social scene has a stigma for being open only to those involved in clubs. Often, freshmen pile their NetIDs onto as many listservs as possible for the sole purpose of getting that sought-out invite to the most happening parties. In this competitive atmosphere, academic and social lives are mixed, and making friendly connections at the Student Activities Fair sometimes comes with that all-too-familiar ulterior motive.

New to the scene is the Georgetown Nightclub, a group of student DJs and promoters striving to break this social norm.

“If there was something that people could do with consistency that is free, nondiscriminatory in any way and is fun, I think that would be a huge win for everyone,” Sam Ricciardi (COL ’17), president of the club, said.

Adithya Rajan (MSB ’17), head DJ, also saw the potential in creating a DJ music club.

“If this gets off the ground, it will basically change the party style here. You don’t have to be in a club to have fun at a party,” Rajan said. “You don’t need to know someone at Village A to be able to go there, and then have to worry about being kicked out or feeling uncomfortable.”

With this idea in mind, the two set out to create a group for people tired of the exclusivity of Georgetown’s party life. Georgetown Nightclub was born from their efforts, and it offers free, fun music for all. Last semester, the club DJed for both the GIVES Ball and a small event for the Georgetown Program Board. This semester, it already has plans to co-host music events with the Brilliantly British Club and the Young Republicans.

Beatrice Fabris (COL ’16), president of the BBC, sees the value inherent in the club. “The BBC thought this would be an amazing opportunity to celebrate the unbounded excitement that music can bring. Music is hugely important to British culture and tradition (just ask anyone about the Beatles, Queen, the Who),” she said, “We are so excited to throw an event with the new DJs on campus.”

Georgetown Nightclub might just be getting its feet on the ground, but it seems to have found ample support within the community of existing campus clubs. The usually competitive extracurriculars are already giving ground to this more supportive atmosphere. “Not only have we heard they are brilliant but also we appreciate the hard work and perseverance it takes to get started as a new club (the BBC being relatively new itself) and we look forward to working together,” Fabris said. This symbiosis is just the start, as the club looks towards future semesters to extend its reach across larger campus events.

Not only does Georgetown Nightclub cater to student-run organizations, but it’s also planning to launch its own events in the near future, approximating potential dates for dances around early to mid-October. These dances will be completely free for Georgetown students, providing entertainment for anybody who wants to stop by on a Friday or Saturday night out. By scheduling dances several times per semester that are open to the entire campus, the club hopes to break barriers and foster new connections between people who would never have met otherwise.

Ricciardi hopes that this club will affect more than just one’s access to the Georgetown social scene.

“Halfway through freshman year, I sort of had this revelation — why is there no dancing at Georgetown parties?” Ricciardi said. “What if we made a club where Georgetown students could regularly dance?” The events will be reminiscent of Club Lau fun, with a Georgetown Nighclub twist. All that’s required to attend is a shared love for dance music and an open mindset.

Since the club is in its early stages, getting involved right now is simple. If you’re interested in working as a promoter that spreads word of the event and has a general appreciation for dance music, just sign up, bring your friends and show up to a meeting. The club is also looking for people with technical backgrounds or a desire to learn the complex ins and outs of the equipment setup. Their duties would involve maintaining, transporting and laying out the DJ equipment for each event. In keeping with the club’s desire to be open to the entire community, they are continuously looking for talented DJs to join the lineup at campus events. If mixing and making music is your passion, simply email Ricciardi with some samples of your music.

Georgetown Nightclub is open to anybody looking to have a good time dancing and listening to good music without the pressure of being part of an organization. While it encourages you to join the club and learn more about the artistic and technical aspects of DJing, by no means is such involvement required in order to attend Georgetown Nightclub-sponsored events.

“We really want it to be open to all Georgetown students. It’s a Georgetown campus thing,” Ricciardi said.

Whether you have a resume brimming with extracurriculars or managed to completely avoid the SA fair, Georgetown Nightclub opens its doors to you and welcomes anybody to the dance floor.

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