Hartstopper

You may have asked yourself, "Where on campus can I see a girl wildly dancing to a DJ set in a rainbow poncho on a weekday night?" After this past Wednesday, the answer is clear: Mane Entertainment's Battle of the Beats in The Living Room.
Student DJs each performed a set for approximately 15 minutes, doing their best to create a danceable atmosphere in hopes of winning the title of Battle of the Beats champion. The biggest incentive for winning was the opportunity to perform at Mane Entertainment and RHA's newest event, Sunken Garden Festival.
For the first half hour of the event, the majority of students in the audience remained shy wallflowers, lining the walls of the room and leaving the surrounding area of the stage barren (myself admittedly included, as I have the dancing abilities of a newborn giraffe). But, this didn't phase the first few student DJs who performed: it was clear that they loved what they were doing and were determined to give the best performance, regardless of whether or not students were clinging to their cell phones and room corners. One student that was determined to turn the Living Room into a dance floor was sophomore psychology major Lizzy Grosvenor.
"There was refreshing talent," said Grosvenor. "As the night progressed, the DJs fueled the crowd's energy. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of talent that my fellow students presented."
After some encouragement from the DJs, the Mane Entertainment employees and a crowd of fraternity brothers began to enthusiastically pepper around the stage and jive to the beat. As the night went on, the pod grew into a crowd and the colorful lights flashed around, inducing wild dance moves — even I couldn't help but dance along to the DJs' incredibly infectious sets.
It was impressive to see the caliber of talent that our own student DJs silently house on a day-to-day basis. Each performer had a clearly defined style, exhibited through their song choices, their style of mixing and, most importantly, their stage presence. While some DJs were more reserved, others enthusiastically jumped and danced onstage; one DJ, sophomore recording arts major Adam Cease, even wore a masquerade mask for a portion of his set.
At the end of the battle, the audience was able to use a coded vote via smartphone to poll their opinions. As anticipation grew and hopes were raised, the final winner was announced: freshman recording arts major Ryan Hartnett, who is also the Sports Editor, here, at the Loyolan. Hartnett, who goes by the stage name Hartstopper, enjoyed seeing other student DJs showcase their talent.
"Battle of the Beats showcased so many talented individuals on campus who all have a unique taste in music," said Hartnett. "I loved that no two sets were the same. The event showcased the diverse community that makes up LMU, as shown through their music selections."
Hartnett is excited to perform in front of the crowd at the upcoming Sunken Gardens Festival.
"There was no better feeling than hearing my name called before my performance and having a crowd of friends cheer for me," said Hartnett. "Events like these speak volumes to the awesome community that LMU offers. I cannot wait to perform in Sunken Gardens Festival; I'm already brainstorming some ideas to make my next set more unique."
Above all, Hartnett wants more people to know about the creativity he and his peers incorporate into the art of DJing.
"DJing is more than just pushing play," said Hartnett. "DJing is a creative platform that allows anyone to express themselves musically and tell a story." - The Los Angeles Loyolan