How to Throw a Great Dance Party
Jul 28, 2020 | Beyond Barnabas
At Camp Barnabas, the dance party is always the highlight of every week. Why? Dance parties are a combination of everything we love at camp: music, snacks, activities, and, most importantly, dancing! Since we can’t have a dance party together at camp this summer, we want you to have the opportunity to host your own dance party with your family. That’s why we’re sharing some of our favorite resources and tips we’ve gathered over the years so you can make your dance party as fun as possible.
Step 1: The Playlist
The backbone of every great party is some good tunes to rock with. At Barnabas, we have a few favorite songs, but for a full-length dance party, you’ll need more than that:
We’ve compiled a Spotify playlist with our best dance party mix that you can find here. In this playlist, you’ll find some old classics for mom and dad with Dancing Queen (ABBA) and I Want You Back (Jackson 5), and some newer tunes as well, like Hammer Time (Lecrae) and Shut Up and Dance (WALK THE MOON). But don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten the camp classics. We’ll always have a few timeless songs at our dance parties, like the legendary Hot Cheetos and Takis (Da Rich Kidzz) and UFO (Vigiland). If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also make your own playlist using apps like Spotify or Apple Music – just make sure the songs you pick are CBA (Camp Barnabas Appropriate)!
Step 2: The Decorations
All of our dance parties have a theme that our attendees get to prepare for ahead of time – your party doesn’t need to be any different! Deciding a theme beforehand is a great way to figure out what kind of decorations you want and what fun costumes your guests can wear. Here’s some of our favorite themes over the years that you can use as inspiration or a starting point:
- Neon Glow
- Sci-Fi/Alien
- Futuristic
- Safari
- Cowboy/Wild West
These are some of our favorites, but don’t be afraid to get creative with your party. Your theme is only limited to your imagination and creativity, so dream big! If you’re looking for some extra inspiration, we’ve created a Pinterest board with some fun party ideas. Happy planning!
Step 3: The Costumes
Once you’ve decided what theme your party will have, let your guests know so they can start deciding their outfits. At camp, party costumes are only limited by our guests’ creativity – and we have seen some impressive get-ups. Check out some of our favorites in this photo collage!
Step 4: The Snacks
Every good party has snacks, and Barnabas parties are no different. Snacks can be difficult to fit into a party theme sometimes, but luckily for you, we’re here to help. If you’ve been staying up-to-date with Barnabas’ latest social media posts, you know we’ve already released some fun recipes for you to try at home. Here’s the ones we’ve done so far:
These party snacks are camp favorites and sure to be a hit at your dance party too!
So there you have it: whether we’re partying together at camp or partying safely apart in our own backyards, the recipe for a good time is simple. We hope this list helps you create your own dance party and you can use our resources to dance the night away. Be sure and follow us on social media @campbarnabas for more ideas and updates about camp. We’ll see you next summer!