All About Entertainment's Blog

Diary of a children’s performer

aaeinc — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:57:22 +0000

I recently received an e-mail from one of our performers recapping a party she entertained at this past weekend. It demonstrates many things, but I felt it completely shows WHY it is important to hire a TRUE professional entertainer as opposed to someone who calls themselves a professional. Enjoy. The following e-mail is from our very own DJ Debbie.

Hi,

The mom that booked me somehow didn’t realize that our Kid’s DJ program actually includes playing music. She knew that I would be playing interactive games with the kids, but for some reason she also hired an actual DJ (from another company). At some point she figured it out, but she already had both of us booked and didn’t want to cancel on anyone.

(When I called her to go over the details of her party, she told me that) she had a Rock Star theme but also told me her son liked Disney Channel type music and stuff from the 80′s. I figured pop music like “99 Red Balloons”, the Bangles, and Cyndi Lauper would work well. (upbeat, family friendly popular songs). The mom gave me the DJ’s contact info so we could touch base and he and I determined that he would play the music, I would play host and I would just plug my mic into his sound system.

When I arrived apparently the DJ took the “Rock Star” theme a bit too literally. What was he playing? Def Leppard (Pour Some Sugar on Me)! He also played the unedited version of the song “Creep” by Radiohead (in case you’re not aware, it has inappropriate language in it). The mom walked over to him during that song and asked him to change it.

The DJ didn’t play any of the music we had discussed when we touched base and had no concept of what was appropriate. (I’m still trying to figure out what on earth made him think “Creep” would be a cool song for a 6 yr old kid’s party.) The party was a classic example of why people should hire entertainers that specialize in working with kids.

I don’t think any of the adults paid much attention to the music he was playing, but I’m sure the kids would have preferred the Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana, and the Cheetah Girls. I was particularly glad that some of the guests had seen me before. (so they were aware I would never play that type of music for a child’s party!) One repeat client in particular was there and she’s had me several times and even hired me once as a Kid’s DJ.

I’m not complaining because it wasn’t a bad party. I just have to shake my head and laugh at that DJ.

Debbie

The beauty of a drink of water…

aaeinc — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:28:09 +0000

Q: Do I need to do anything for the performer coming to my child’s party?

Short answer: Do you NEED to do anything? No. Are there things you SHOULD be doing? ABSOLUTELY.

Long answer: I truly think that all of my birthday party clients mean well. They are generally considerate people who just are trying to make their child’s birthday a special day to remember. Often times, the party entertainer a mom or dad hires is a big part of that special day. So the real question is: what can you do to make it easier for your party entertainer to do a spectacular job for you and make your child’s birthday the most special day that is can be? The answer lies in the little things that make a big difference. Here are a few examples of things you can do:

Example # 1: “Fun, sweat & tears”…Try not to put your party entertainer outside to do their show. If you have no choice (it’s a park…there’s not enough room inside…etc.) then make sure they have ample shade. I don’t mean under a tree. I mean a tent or back patio with a roof or large awning. Why? Think of it this way: Could YOU do a high energy, interactive birthday party show in a full costume and keep 25 4-years olds completely engaged if you were outside in 90 degree weather with perspiration coming out of every pore on your body? And think about the kids- if they are uncomfortable, do you think they will be more or less able to enjoy a show? If you are having your party outside during a warm time of year, make sure your entertainer and their audience has ample shade. Maybe even place a fan nearby. Just think: what would YOU want if you were them?

Example #2: “Nothing wrong with a little gossip….or is there?” … So your birthday party performer arrives, you set them up in your living room and sit the kids down to enjoy the show. The show starts, the kids are engaged, laughing and having fun. After 5 minutes, the parents in the room start chit-chatting. Gradually, the adults get louder and louder. What is wrong with a little chit-chat? Nothing if you are just standing around at a birthday party and nothing else is going on. Now think about what is really happening as a result of your chit-chatting parents…. The show has started, and the kids at the party are struggling to hear the performer because the adults are not realizing that they are talking so loudly. Aunt Liz has just GOT to tell Aunt Selma about what happened at the grocery store, but do they really have to do it while the performer is trying to make your daughter the star of the show??? In addition, you are wasting your hard-earned money because the performer is unable to do the job you hired them to do.

One of the best birthday party performers in the industry summed it up beautifully to me yesterday, “The most important courtesy that an adult can show a performer is to take all their conversation to another room while the show is going on. Loud conversation in the area where the young audience is gathered is not only disruptive, is not fair to the child who is trying to enjoy the show, the performer who is trying to do a great job or the parent who paid for it.” PERFECTLY said. So what can you do? BEFORE the show starts, please tell your guests that if they want to talk, they should leave the room. If you find your guests talking during the show, quietly and politely ask them to step out of the room if they wish to talk. Your child will be happy you did, and your performer will be able to do what you paid them for.

Example #3: “The kids have gotta eat”… but not during the show please. Why? Again, I will quote that incredible performer above, “Please do not feed the children when they are sitting down in front of the performer to watch the show, especially in the middle of the performance. A great show relies on 95% audience participation which requires the children to stand, clap their hands and and follow along with other hand and body movements. Is very hard to do so when they are holding a drink or popcorn.” Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Example #4: “The beauty of a drink of water” …OK picture this… so you HAVE to put your entertainer outside, but it is perfect weather. They are performing and working up a sweat, doing a great job and the kids are having so much fun. What can you do to help them do an even BETTER job? The answer is simple. Just offer them something to drink. In this scenario, the beauty of a simple drink of water goes far beyond the water itself. Yes- the performer will be grateful and their body replenished with fluids. Far more importantly, this sends a message to your performer that you value them as a person, as a performer, and you are acknowledging that they are working hard to make your party a success. There is value in that gesture.

It’s the beauty of a drink of water. ’nuff said.

How do you choose the right entertainment for a child’s birthday party?

aaeinc — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:44:29 +0000

How DO you choose the right entertainment for your child’s birthday party?

This is a question we get A LOT.

Here’s the SUPER short answer: Call All About Entertainment and ask us to help suggest options. We will walk you through a series of questions and suggest some terrific options that are guaranteed to be perfect for your party. We’re experts. It’s what we do. Take advantage of that….plus it’s free to ask our advice and we love to help.

Here’s the short answer: All you have to do is choose something that is age appropriate, matches your child’s interests or relates to something they love and you can’t go wrong. It doesn’t have to be fancy or be similar in price to our national debt. Nowadays, keeping it simple is a way of life for many families. A shortcut? Ask your child what they want the theme of their party to be, and go from there.

Here’s the LONG answer:

First, pick a theme with your child. If they are too young to choose a theme, choose one for them. This makes the rest of your planning quite a bit easier.

Next, decide how many kids will be attending, where your party will be held, how long you want the kids to be entertained and what your budget will be for entertainment.

Next, go online and do some research. See what is available, seek out companies that have impeccable reputations and are licensed and insured. Look at options that match all of your criteria, making sure that whatever you choose is interactive, age appropriate, suitable for the party venue (for example, if you choose a kid’s DJ, is there power accessible at your venue?), and will really engage your young guests.

I cannot stress the importance of choosing age appropriate entertainment.

There is nothing worse than working really hard to plan the details of your child’s birthday party and trying to make it a really special and memorable day, only to realize that the clown you booked is not appropriate for your son’s 9th birthday party!! You laugh…..I’ve seen it happen!! (By the way, that would NEVER happen at All About Entertainment. We would absolutely tell our clients if we felt they were booking inappropriate entertainment for their party!)

Need some inspiration? Here are some links on our website that suggest appropriate entertainment we can offer for different age groups:

Happy Planning!

Our very first BLOG!!

aaeinc — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 18:20:40 +0000

Hi there.

For All About Entertainment’s very first blog, I would like to introduce myself. I am the founder of All About Entertainment, Inc. I work in the office. I am an entertainer, a party planner, a wife, a mother, a housecleaner, a chauffer, a dog-walker, a schedule keeper, a diaper changer, a boo-boo kisser, and just like many of you, the list goes on.

I have started this blog for many reasons. Some include: assisting my clients with their party planning questions, letting AAE fans know what is new and exciting at the company, keeping my sanity and sharing all the wild and wonderful things that go on behind the scenes here at AAE, and most of all to reach out to other moms and get feedback on all sorts of topics that are of interest to other moms.

So now that we have been introduced, let the fun begin!