FAQ's

As we notice questions being asked at our meetings, we will continually add to our frequently asked questions page. Browse below to see if your question can be answered!

 

What size dance floor should I get?

The typical dance floor, according to our wonderful friend and experienced party planner, Samara Hurley, is 21' x 21'.  This can accommodate approximately 75 kids and about as many adults.  It is important to take the venue in consideration when selecting the size of the dance floor, but it is important to have a dance floor that is welcoming to the guests.  If the dance floor is too small, it will seem packed out there and prevent everyone from wanting to get on it.  If the dance floor is too big, no matter how many people are dancing, there will always be open space, which makes it seem like there is no action on the dance floor.  Either way, we suggest at the very least having a dance floor.  It is important because it distinguishes the area that should be used for dancing. If a dance floor isn't an option, we suggest putting something on the floor at each of the four corners (where the dance floor would be) to designate the dancing area.  Balloons can really add effect, as seen in the picture below.  Imagine the below picture but without the dance floor.  Please note, this could also be used when there is a dance floor and always looks great!

 

Does the DJ really matter?

I know, we are a little biased, but this is our honest opinion.  At the end of the day, the guests combined with the venue really make a huge difference.  At the same time, we hear story after story from the community that went a low cost route or hired a "new" DJ that was getting their feet wet, and the majority of the time, those families regretted that decision.  Since we are limited in our availability, we provide opportunities for other DJ's to take on our contact's party by suggesting them, and we are usually let down.  

Each child has only one bar/bat mitzvah in their lifetime, so if there is one portion of the party to really make sure you get right, it is with the entertainment group.  We hear "horror stories" where even the regular bar/bat mitzvah DJ's have trouble getting the teens dancing because there is so much more to it!

Besides being young and fun, we set our group up a little differently than other "DJ's".  First of all, we specialize in bar/bat mitzvahs; this is our bread and butter and the only events that we do, with very few exceptions.  At each party, we include a DJ, an MC, and two EZ BAR MITZVAHS dancers standard, among several other things (lighting, dance floor giveaways, etc.).  By providing a large team, it allows us to match various personalities and stay "new and cool" with the teens throughout the year as opposed to them seeing the same one person week after week; they will get tired of it.  Also, we really care!  It goes a long way when our team is experienced, knows how to work together, knows how to handle our clients, knows how to handle the other vendors, knows how to work with the venues, etc.  Also, one requirement for us is this has to be a hobby, so we are there because we want to be there and not necessarily because we have to be there.  It shows!  When your party goes a little longer because everyone is still there dancing, we stay too!  We really care about the success of the party, and nobody sets higher expectations on the outcome than ourselves.  

Beyond that, we feel like we are a bargain!  Our pricing has remained the same since we got our start in 2006, and any reputable competition for the same package we offer will be 2-3 times our price.  

 

How do you staff out your parties?

Click here.

 

Is there anything else we can add to the party in addition to the DJ?

For all parties, we suggest one form of extra entertainment.  That form of entertainment should be a "photo type" of entertainment because the kids can bring home pictures from the party of themselves. Also, it's nice to have a tangible memory of the party!  If you are set on having two forms of extra entertainment, start with the "photo type" extra entertainment and add another quick form of extra entertainment.  We say quick because we don't want to kids to wait in line since that will keep them from dancing on the dance floor!  There are many ideas and possibilities for extra entertainment, such as wax hands, personalized leather bracelets, personalized street signs, and more.  For a list of the ideas we have found and liked since 2006, please click here.  If you happen to have other ideas with extra entertainment, we can give that vendor a call to book it for you.  Most times when we work with other vendors, we are extended a discount.  It's the same vendors you will use but at a little lower price.

Our suggestions, especially if you are having a party between January and June and have a child that goes to a school where they will be going to parties just about every weekend during their 7th grade year, is to add another form of live entertainment to your party.  This goes beyond the "extra entertainment" that we typically suggest, like the photo booths, wax hands, etc.  We are talking about a young magician or a high-energy ice carver who can do a 20-30 minute show for your guests.  Even a local up and coming singer that can put on a show for the kids would be fun.  It will make your party different and adds another fun aspect besides dancing.  

 

Can we see you in action?

Of course!  We always love for you to see us in action before you decide to book us.  We are booked just about every weekend throughout the year (coincides with the school year), so if you want to come see us, please send us an email indicating that.  This is way better than watching a promo video!  Anyone can put together clips of their best work and make it look great, but not everyone can be booked to their maximum capacity every year.  We will send you a list of upcoming dates we will be in action until one date works!  We will get permission from the host family, so there is no need to feel bashful for coming.

We also encourage you to ask around to see who the best bar/bat mitzvah DJ's are.  If you hear "MAXED OUT" (our old name), "CORY/CURTIS", "EZ BAR MITZVAHS", that is us!  You may also hear people talking about our dancers.  They are absolutely amazing!  Each dancer is experienced in the bar/bat mitzvah industry, and they are all people we are comfortable putting in front of your kids.  All of our staff is well spoken, well educated, and driven.  We make sure we put role models in front of your family and friends!  

 

What does it require to book you if you are available?

If you decide you want us to be a part of your special occasion, we will send a contract to you.  We ask that you please fill it out and mail it back at your earliest convenience along with the deposit.  Our deposit requirement is only $500; we have set it low because we want to know up to the day of the party that you actually want us to be there!   Some people get "locked in" to their DJ since they have to pay 50% or more up front.  Although we completely understand the business aspect of that, we think that is a little silly!  This is a hobby for us, which makes us fun and "EZ" to work with.  Please note, if you contact us about a date, we will pencil it in to the calendar, and if anyone else calls us about the same date, we will always give you the right of refusal.

 

Can our party be successful if it is not on Saturday night?

Absolutely!  With the amount of parties going on in our market each weekend, it is very common to do a Saturday afternoon, a Sunday afternoon, or a Sunday evening party.  There are also steep discounts for having your party at one of those alternative times.  The only thing we suggest, which is really the only reason why Saturday evening is different than the other listed times, is to choose a venue with limited natural light.  On Saturday evening, it eventually gets dark; during the afternoon or early evening, it does not get dark.  It is important to have the room as dark as possible because it allows an atmosphere to be created through lighting and decorations.  Once your guests get inside, we want them to forget it is day time, and I promise you, they will lose themselves in the action!  We will make sure we do not do parties on the same day for the same school or group of kids.  In case we accidentally schedule that way, we will make sure to change up the dancers.  Either way, we will make sure everyone has a blast, as we always do!

 

Can you please provide directions for the video montage?

Click here  

 

Can we make the video montage ourselves or have someone else make it for us?

Of course!  Please provide it to us no later than 5 days in advance!  

The video montage to us is a great way to highlight the bar/bat mitzvah teen and serves as a great highlight of them.  It also provides a perfect break to help the flow during the party.  Since it's only a 7-10 minute video, our recommendation is to go the easy, less expensive routes and use that money towards other things like t-shirt giveaway or even a videographer at the event to make a follow up video of the night of party.  

Note, some families put a lot of focus on the video and will spend a ton of time and money putting it together.  Based on feedback, we've learned they would have rather gone the easier route.  It adds an additional level of stress prior to the party, and it also adds stress at the party, as technical difficulties can always occur.  We have not run into an issue with this, but things can happen (i.e. the DVD isn't in the proper format and cannot be read, the aspect ratio is off, the sound doesn't start going, the projector bulb goes out - all of these could happen, but the show must go on).  We do everything we can in our power to get that thing to play and play smoothly every time, but things can happen.  

In short, the video montage is a small activity (timing wise) in the grand scheme of things, so we recommend not putting too much time, money, and resources into it.  Whichever route you go, you will be happy.  

 

What dance floor giveaways do you provide?

Dance floor giveaways help lure the kids as well as the adults onto the dance floor, which helps get the action started and to keep it going throughout the evening. We set a budget of $250 and get items that light up and can be worn.  This way, the kids won't have to hold anything in their hands throughout the party. Since it can all be worn, it is less likely to become a weapon and more likely to be utilized.  We go to www.WindyCityNovelties.com and get the giveaways listed below. You can go to the same website to create your own cart of items that we can purchase with you. Please keep in mind what the budget is. Our giveaways are typically what is popular with the kids and is enough for 50-150 kids.  This will be plenty, so there is no need to get anything extra unless your child really really wants more items.  The usual list includes the following items:

We have replaced the L.E.D. FLASHING MOUTHPIECE with L.E.D. Flashing Bracelets.  

 

When should we get together once we have booked you?

Depending on when you book us, we like to get together twice before your party (especially if it's your first party to plan).  The first meeting should be about 12 months in advance to go over any and all details related to the party.  This allows us to try and infuse some of our suggestions that we can incorporate into the party.  When we are about 1-6 months out from your party, we get together for the second time to finalize all of the details.  Please click here to schedule a meeting.  

 

What do you wear to the parties?

We can wear whatever you would like us to wear!  We have dressed up in tuxedo's, worn jeans with a stand out button down, and have even dressed to the theme of the party.  We have had a lot of requests to dress up to the parties and look clean, but we always want to stay comfortable.  We typically wear black jogger pants, black t-shirts, and a black hat.  It keeps us in the mix without standing out.  

 

I have no idea what I should be doing.  Help?

There is a lot that goes into planning a bar/bat mitzvah, including events and details beyond the party.  We are limited to helping with the party, but we were able to put together a timeline for you!  We are also working on a "guidance website" and will provide the link here shortly.  If you have any questions with any of the information within the timeline, please don't hesitate to contact us.  

We have timelines here for the services we offer, and below is a general timeline of things to think about between now and the special weekend.  

 

How much power do you require?

We honestly have no idea.  We can't even remember a time where the power went out due to our equipment, especially at a venue that is current.  Our lights are a mix between battery and electricity powered and most feature L.E.D. technology, so there is very little electricity needed to run our setup.  Additionally, we have four speakers, all which don't require too much power.  As long as the venue is somewhat up-to-date and hasn't run into power problems in the past, we shouldn't have any issues.  If there are known issues, we will do our best to work with what comes our way.  At the end of the day, we are always subject to power outages, equipment failures, etc., but we do our best to be prepared and handle situations as they arise.  The effect on the overall party, if any, will be tiny compared to the grand scheme of the celebration.  We have ingrained the "it's not a big deal" mentality to our clients, as we always, 100% of the time since we started this business, have successful parties. 

 

How should we pay you and when?

As of 2020, all invoices can be paid via credit card. 

 

Do we get discounts if we combine multiple services?

The short answer is no. Even though we offer several services, we directly provide the entertainment portion only. With that, we have always maintained our cost-effective price since 2006 while adding extra services (note, our first increase was in 2020 to offset credit card fees and the video montage fee, a net increase of $375), and we are able to keep it low since we require this to be a hobby for everyone involved - our entire staff maintains day jobs. 

Families asked us to add a photo booth since they were experiencing all kinds of issues with other companies. In an effort not to overwhelm ourselves, we helped our family members create a photo booth company that they own and operate. In return for us making them a standard part of our service offerings, they offer us great pricing that we pass along to our families, and we have 100% control over their service. This means we actively manage email communications, day of activities, etc as part of the arrangement. 

We duplicated this model as families asked us to do more (photography, decor, catering, etc). Rather than do it ourselves, we setup families and friends to provide the service, and rather than take any kick backs, we pass along any and all discounts to you and ask that they deliver the service like we do on the entertainment side. That is why we send two invoices - one for the "entertainment" without a credit card fee and one for "everything else" with a credit card fee. 

As such, we charge what we are getting charged on everything beyond the entertainment. 

 

Do you have one page that has helpful links regarding all of your services?

Click here