Hotel Roles And Responsibilities

Hotel Roles And Responsibilities Classification of hotel facilities is not based on rigid standards. On marketplace forces, touchstones, location, mathematical function, and the definitions can change, depending and preference, but the definitions that follow are generally accepted and are the ones intended for these classifications throughout this textual matter, in some cases, personal. A hotel usually offers guests a full range of accommodations and services, which may include reservations, suites, public dining and banquet facilities, lounge and entertainment areas, room services valet, laundry, hair care, swimming pool, gym, sauna, spa and other recreational activities, gaming/casino operations, ground transportation to and from airport, and concierge services. Motels: Motels offer guests a limited range of services, which may include reservations, vending machines, swimming pools, and cable television. The size of these properties averages from 10 to 50 units. Motels are usually in suburban highway and airport locations. Guests typically stay overnight or a few days. Motels may be located near a freestanding restaurant. All suites: It may include reservations, living room and separate bedroom, kitchenette, optional public dining room and room service, cable television, videocassette players and recorders, specialty shops, personal services valet and laundry, swimming pool, and ground transportation to and from an airport. The size of the operation can range from 50 to more than 100 units. This type of property is usually found in centre-city, suburban, and airport locations. Limited-Service Hotels: The range of accommodations and services may include reservations, minimal public dining and meeting facilities, cable television, personal computers, personal services (valet and laundry), and ground transportation to and from an airport. They are usually located near restaurants for guest convenience. Guest stays can be overnight or long-term. These properties sometimes specialize in catering to the business traveller and offer special business technology centres. Extended-Stay Hotels: At Hiltons Homewood Suites, the following room amenities are included: king-size bed or two double beds in the bedroom and foldout sofa in the living room; two remote-controlled colour televisions; fully equipped kitchen with a microwave, refrigerator with ice maker, coffeemaker, twin-burner stove, and kitchen utensils; a spacious, well-lit dining area; and ceiling fans and iron and ironing board. Additional hotel services include a business centre, an exercise room, and a pool. 2 Roles and responsibilities of accommodation and reception staffs Hotel receptionists are responsible for making guests feel welcome, checking them in and out efficiently, and dealing professionally with enquiries, face to face and by phone, fax or email. They deal with general reservation enquiries, as well as answering guests questions and dealing with complaints. Duties will often include: allocating rooms to guests taking and passing on messages preparing bills, taking payment, and handling foreign exchange Helping guests with special requests such as storing valuables in the hotel safe or luggage area, ordering taxis or booking theatre tickets. Figure 1 Medium size full service hotel organisation chart Their main tasks are: changing the bed linen and making beds emptying bins, vacuuming floors, and washing glasses and cups replenishing stocks of guest supplies, such as tea, coffee and biscuits Tallying up items consumed from the mini-bar. 2.1 Identifying responsibilities of reception service staff Receptionists are usually the first people hotel guests encounter, particularly in those hotels where hall porters are not employed. They thus occupy a gatekeeper role, frequently bearing the responsibility for guests first impressions of the hotel. In fact, the responsibilities that receptionists bear for that image of the hotel arguably extend beyond first impressions. E.g. Receptionists of Hilton hotels regularly being involved in book-keeping, letter writing, inventory taking, typing, record keeping, answering queries, filing, taking reservations, dealing with mail and lost property, dealing with room changes, taking payments of customers bills, banking monies, holding responsibility for room keys and producing reports and statistics. 3 Legal and statutory requirements for rooms division operations The following legal and statutory requirements must be met by the Hotels in the UK: Duty to guests Employment Pension Environment Food/ Hygiene Health Safety Guest information Insurance Intellectual property Licensing tourism Local national tax Planning zoning Other (Bureau de change) 4. Front of house area effective management The Front of House Manager will be responsible for providing a high standard of customer service in order to maintain the customer loyalty from the general public and visiting companies, as well as to maximise revenue from Bar, Kiosk and Cafà ©, hotels the post holder will report to the Operations Manager, and work closely with the senior management team. He/she will be in the front line of customer liaison. Responsibilities: To maintain safe and friendly environment for all theatre visitors. To give strong and effective management To develop and encourage high standards of customer service. To control and report on costs (staff and stock control). To manage the Front of House sales facilities. 5. Planning for managing the front of house area A little planning on the front office managers part is required to ensure that the new employee meets the entire staff in the first few days. Saying a few words about the role of each employee during the introductions will not only make new hires feel more comfortable with their co-workers but also make each current staff member feel like a special part of the team. The current staff will also appreciate meeting the new addition to the staff. Very often, this procedure is overlooked, and new employees feel awkward for days or weeks. 6. Operational issues affecting management and business performance The front office team have the common goal of providing hospitality to the guest. Training, empowerment, and flexibility are necessary to make the team work. Forecasting, scheduling, developing a supervisory style, motivating personnel, balancing staff personalities, delegating tasks, training, and effectively communicating are only a few of the skills a good supervisor must master. It is a lifelong effort developed through continuing education and trial and error. 7. Importance of property interiors and design to effective management This is important to positioning the front desk to allow front office personnel a view of guests who enter the lobby from the street entrance and elevators. The guests first impression is enhanced by the ambience, physical appearance, and orderliness of the equipment and personnel. The front office manager must establish a balance between guest service and work processing to allow for efficiency. Figure 2 Front office layout 8. Aspects of planning and management of the accommodation service Planning is very important to delivering continuous quality service in hotels, as defined by the guest. Successful extension of hospitality starts with managements commitment to a service management program. Preparing a service strategy statement will focus the planning efforts of the owners, management, and employees. Principles of total quality management provide a manager with an opportunity to involve frontline employees in analyzing the components of delivery of service and methods to improve existing services. The development of the service management program requires the involvement of frontline employees, discussion of the guest cycle, moments of truth, employee buy-in concept, screening of potential employees prior to hiring, empowerment, training, evaluation of the service management program, follow-through, and interfacing with other departments in delivering hospitality. A long-term commitment to a successful service management program is necessary. 9. Operational issues affecting the management and performance of the accommodation service There are some issues affecting this sector such as: Environmental Social Legal Economical Technological Political etc. 10. Yield management techniques Achieving the best yield involves redefining the use of occupancy percentage and average daily rate. Although these concepts are important to the long-range potential financial picture, they take on a new meaning with yield management. Optimal occupancy, achieving 100 percent occupancy with room sales, which will yield the highest room rate, and optimal room rate, a room rate that approaches the rack rate, work together to produce the yield. 10.1 Yield management strategies E. Orkin offers a simple policy for developing strategies to implement yield management: when demand is high, maximize rates; when demand is low, maximize room sales. These concepts are portrayed in Table 1. Orkin also offers some specifics on developing strategies. He says that when demand is high, restrict or close availability of low-rate categories and packages to transients [guests], require minimum length of stays, and commit rooms only to groups willing to pay higher rates. When demand is low, provide reservation agents with special promotional rates to offer transients who balk at standard rates, solicit group business from organizations and segments that are characteristically rate sensitive, and promote limited-availability low-cost packages to local market. Restricting or closing availability was indeed a challenge because most front office managers were familiar with the sell out the house operating procedure and were unsure if this aggressive marketing tactic would work. Some hoteliers were setting reservation policies that required minimum length of stay during heavy demand periods. The procedure recommended for low demand (special promotional rates and soliciting group and local business) was the strategy used during any demand period. As yield management continues to be tried and tested in hotels, various combinations of maximizing room rates and room sales will continue to challenge hoteliers. Table 1 Yield Management Strategies Demand Strategy High Maximise rates, require minimum stays Low Maximise room sales, open all rate categories The following strategies can be taken to maximise occupancy and room revenue: Forecasting room sales, setting strategies to generate revenue Block-out Periods high demand periods require to block out certain days Systems Procedures using automated system that will process reservations, track demand, and block out room availability during certain time periods Feedback on decisions employed in yield management to set right strategies 11. Sales techniques that can use to promote and maximise revenue The objective of the sales incentive program for front office employees is to encourage the front office to promote products and services in various areas of the hotel, including the front office, the food and beverage department, the gift shop, and the health facilities. Each promotional area may be considered, or the front office manager might choose only a few areas, perhaps those that generate the most revenue, as incentive targets. A few examples follow: Upgrading a reservation during registration Selling a meal in the hotels restaurant Selling room service 11.1 Creative ideas When developing a program to increase front office sales activity, the front office manager, in conjunction with other department directors and employees, should identify as specifically as possible the hotel products and services to be promoted. In this case, the overall purpose of the program would be to maximize sales by the front office staff of front office, food and beverage department, gift shop, and health facilities products and services. The team must decide which area or areas would be most profitable. 12. Purpose of forecasting and statistical data within room division An important feature of yield management is forecasting room sales. Orkin suggests using a daily-decision orientation rather than a seasonal decision-making scheme in developing a particular strategy. Accurate forecasting of transient demand will assist hoteliers in developing strategies to maximize sales to this group. For example, if a hotel has group business reservations for 95 percent of available rooms, seeking transient business with special promotional packages during that time period would not be advisable. If the period following the group business is low, then advance knowledge of this information will allow time for marketing and sales to develop special promotional packages aimed at the transient and local markets. 12.1 Limitations of employing forecasting techniques Forecasting should be used to generate revenue by forecasting the volume of customers and allocating resources where it fits. Managers need to make sure that they have enough available rooms to control the guests flow. As we know more guests brings more revenue. 13. Performance indicators to measure the success of room sales A general manger who reviews the report of a recent five-day block-out period, as depicted in Table 2, would find that the period restricted for a five-day minimum length of stay worked well for May 1-3, but 178 room reservations were lost for May 4-5. The director of marketing and sales will have to research the contracts the hotel had with the various groups involved. Also, the front office manager should ask if the front desk clerks, bell staff, or cashiers heard any guest comments on why they checked out earlier than scheduled. The turn away business on May 3-5 might also indicate that the convention events scheduled on these days were more interesting or that the members of this group did not want to commit to a five-day stay and wanted reservations for only the last three days of the convention. Table 2 Turn away business report Date Yield % No. Rooms Turned away $ Lost @ $95 Rack Rate May 1 98 35 3,325 May 2 96 20 1,900 May 3 93 60 5,700 May 4 50 90 8,550 May 5 50 88 8,360 13.1 Considerable factors to review the performance of sales manager Were the anticipated profits outlined in the budget achieved? Use of a VIP Guest Card indicates to the restaurant manager that the guest was referred by the front desk clerk. Similar types of controls will enable management to pinpoint the origins of room reservations, gift shop purchases, and other sales. A recordkeeping system must be established to reflect the amount of money awarded to front office employees as incentives to increase sales in targeted areas and the directors should consider these costs in terms of generating revenues. The details of this recordkeeping system must be worked out with the various department directors and the controller. 13.2 Present and communicate appropriate findings of the Sales manager Front office management includes helping to promote the overall profitability of a hotel. Developing a point-of-sale front office involves developing a plan of action, which includes setting goals and objectives, brainstorming areas for promotion, evaluating alternatives, discussing supportive areas for consideration such as incentive programs and training programs, projecting anticipated revenues and related expenses in a budget, and preparing feedback mechanisms. This simple framework for planning will allow front office managers the opportunity to gain a larger perspective on the issue rather than pushing forward with desperate efforts to produce sales.

African American Culture Essays -- Papers

African American Culture Culture is not a fixed phenomenon, nor is it the same in all places or to all people. It is relative to time, place, and particular people. Learning about other people can help us to understand ourselves and to be better world citizens. One of the most common ways of studying culture is to focus on the differences within and among cultures. Although their specifics may vary form one culture to another, sociologists refer to those elements or characteristics that can be found in every know society as cultural universals. For example, in all societies, funeral rites include expression of grief, disposing of the dead, and rituals that define the relations of the dead with the living. And on the most significant cultural universals is the incest taboo, a cultural norm prohibiting marriage or sexual relations between certain kin. Whether the underlying basis of human behavior is biological or purely learned, how we channel that behavior is an important aspect of culture. From the time we are born, we are socialized to believe that our way of life is one that is good, civilized, and above reproach. Such ideals usually sets the tone for what sociologist would refer to as ethnocentrism, the attitude that one’s own culture is superior to those of others. Though it exists from one degree or another in every society, it may also serve as the glue that holds a society together. In the event that ethnocentrism is taken out of context or has reached an offensive tone, it may be suppressed with cultural relativism, the belief that a culture must be understood on its own terms. From the African American perspective, culture encompasses all we know, all we feel, and all we have absorbed from our elder... ...unting the lives of people who struggled for African and African American freedom. People who celebrate Kwanzaa hope to strengthen the black community by adhering to the seven guiding principles, designated by the terms from the Swahili language: umoja (unity), kujichagulia (self-determination), umija (collective work and responsibility), ujamaa (cooperative economics), nia (purpose), kuumba (creativity), and imani (faith). Although many African Americans share some culture similarities with those of the dominant culture, there are some aspects of their culture from the dominant ancestry of sub-Saharan West Africa in which they have retained. Culture is not a fixed phenomenon, nor is it the same in all places or to all people. It is relative to time, place, and particular people and African American culture plays a significant role in the United States today.

Electronic Dance Music Essay

Electronic dance music (also known as EDM, dance music, club music, or simply dance) is a set of percussive electronic music genres produced primarily for dance-based entertainment environments, such as nightclubs. Dance music is generally produced for use by DJs and is most often presented in the context of a DJ mix.[1] So called â€Å"DJ producers† often perform live sets of their own dance music productions via a live PA.[2][3] In 2010, the acronym â€Å"EDM† was adopted by the American music industry and music press as a buzzword to describe the increasingly commercial US electronic dance music scene.[4][5] Other dance music communities have questioned the idea of EDM as blanket term for all electronic dance music and the term has instead been associated with specific dance sub-genres that became popular in the US, such as electro house and brostep.[6] A notable example of an early form of EDM is the 1977 collaboration between producer Giorgio Moroder and vocalist Donna Summer on the song â€Å"I Feel Love†, a groundbreaking dance/discothà ¨que hit with no traditional instruments.[7] The first era of electronic music comprises the instruments and music created prior to 1945.[8] The new field of information science inspired composers to explore the use of computers to compose and synthesize music, beginning in the 1950s.[9] The development of computer technology historically paralleled the development of the modern electronic music studio and synthesizer, leading to a cross-fertilization of the two fields that greatly benefited electronic music.[10] Birth of club music See also: Hi-NRG, Electronic body music, Euro disco, Synthpop, Italo disco, Electro (music), Garage music (North America), Post-disco and House music Hi-NRG (pronounced â€Å"high energy†)[11] is a style of uptempo disco or electronic dance music that originated in the United States and United Kingdom during the late 1970s. As a music genre, typified by a fast tempo (c. 140 bpm), staccato hi-hat rhythms (and the four-on-the-floor pattern), reverberated â€Å"intense† vocals, â€Å"pulsating† octave basslines, was particularly influential on the electronic dance music scene. Its earliest association was with Italo disco, which incorporated new American electronic sounds of post-disco and hi-NRG. Later, the genre became essential in the evolution of techno, and, to a lesser but important  degree, house music.[11] Artists like Daft Punk, Jus† ice or Calvin Harris represent only a small portion of those artists, coming mostly from a house music and electro-funk background, who gained a renewed interest in hi-NRG.[citation needed] Acid house and Rave See also: Acid house, Techno, Rave and Second Summer of Love Roland TB-303: The bass line synthesizer that was used prominently in acid house. Love Parade 1997 in Berlin. By 1988, house music had exploded in the UK and Germany with acid house becoming increasingly popular.[12] There was also a long-established warehouse party subculture based around the sound system scene. In 1988, the music played at warehouse parties was predominantly house. That same year, the Balearic party vibe associated with Ibiza based DJ Alfredo Fiorito was transported to London, whenDanny Rampling and Paul Oakenfold opened the clubs â€Å"Shoom† and â€Å"Spectrum,† respectively. Both night spots became synonymous with acid house, and it was during this period that the use of MDMA, as a party drug, started to gain prominence. Other important UK clubs at this time included â€Å"Back to Basics† in Leeds, Sheffield’s â€Å"Leadmill† and â€Å"Music Factory,† and in Manchester â€Å"The Haà §ienda,† where Mike Pickering and Graeme Park’s Friday night spot, â€Å"Nude,† was an important testing ground for American u nderground [13] dance music. Acid house party fever escalated in London and Manchester, and it quickly became a cultural phenomenon. MDMA-fueled club goers, faced with 2 A.M. closing hours, sought refuge in the warehouse party scene that ran all night. To escape the attention of the press and the authorities, this after-hours activity quickly went underground. Within a year, however, up to 10,000 people at a time were attending the first commercially organized mass parties, called raves, and a media storm ensued.[14] The success of house and acid house paved the way for Detroit Techno, a style that was initially supported by a handful of house music clubs in Chicago, New York, and Northern England, with Detroit clubs catching up later.[15] According to British DJ Mark Moore it was Derrick May’s†Strings of Life† that eased London  club-goers into acceptance of house, with Moore stating that: â€Å"I was on a mission because most people hated house music and it was all rare groove and hip hop†¦I’d play Strings of Life at the Mud Club and clear the floor. Three weeks later you could see pockets of people come onto the floor, dancing to it and going crazy – and this was without ecstasy.† [16][17] During the 1990s, events such as the Love Parade in Germany attracted large numbers of attendees, but this subsided after the start of the next millennium.[citation needed] One of the popular raves or EDM concert in the United States of America is Electric Daisy Carnival also known as EDC. EDC 2012 rave had over 85,000 people at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.[18] EDC at Las Vegas Motor Speedway has 6 stages for the DJ.[19] Not only there have 6 stages, they have amusement rides such as ferris wheel and numerous amounts of roller coasters.[20] Ever since EDC moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, they have been making more ticket sales.[21] EDC sold more than 230,000 tickets.[22] Also, another popular EDM concerts or raves in the United States of America is called Hard Summer.[23] Hard Summer is more an EDM concert that consist hip-hop, reggae, and rock that is infused with EDM style.[23] Los Angeles sold more than 40,000 tickets[23] North American commercialization of EDM Initially, electronic dance music achieved limited popular exposure in America when it was marketed as â€Å"electronica† during the mid to late 1990s.[24] At that time, a wave of electronic music bands from the UK, including The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim and Underworld, had been prematurely associated with an â€Å"American electronica revolution.†[25][26] But, instead of EDM finding wider mainstream success, it was relegated to the margins of the industry.[25] Despite the domestic music media interest in â€Å"electronica† during the latter half of the 1990s, American house and techno producers continued to travel abroad to establish their careers as DJs and producers.[25] By the mid-2000s, a number of factors led to an increased prominence for dance acts in North America that was larger than previously observed. Daft Punk’s performance at the 2006 Coachella Festival—the first in the duo’s Alive 2006/2007 tour, which featured the introduction of a unique pyramid-shaped stage design and lighting rig, influenced what Spindescribed as an â€Å"arms race† for visual  effects in electronic music. Spin also considered the act to be a â€Å"tipping point† for EDM, as the appearance fueled nostalgia of the electronica era, and introduced the duo to a new generation of â€Å"rock kids†.[25] In 2009, French house musician David Guetta began to gain prominence in mainstream pop music after the 2009 release of â€Å"When Love Takes Over† (featuring the vocals of Kelly Rowland), which was internationally popular on both pop and dance music charts. The success of the song led to further collaborations with other pop and hip-hop acts, such asAkon (â€Å"Sexy Bitch†) and The Black Eyed Peas.[27] His collaboration with the latter, â€Å"I Gotta Feelin g†, was a major success for both The Black Eyed Peas and Guetta—in the U.S., the song achieved sales of 249,000 downloads and debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number two, behind their previous single â€Å"Boom Boom Pow†.[28] The song eventually reached number 1 on July 30, 2009, and Billboard magazine reported that the song, along with â€Å"Boom Boom Pow,† helped the group maintain a 17-week run at the top of the Hot 100, the longest time period achieved by a single, duo or group.[29] The increased prominence of EDM was also fueled by concerts and festivals, such as Electric Daisy Carnival, that placed an increased emphasis on visual experiences (such as video and lighting effects), fashion (which The Guardian characterized as an evolution from the 1990s â€Å"kandi raver† into â€Å"[a] slick and sexified yet also kitschy-surreal image midway between Venice Beach and Cirque Du Soleil, Alice In Wonderland, Willy Wonka and a Gay Pride parade†), and the DJs themselves, who began to attain celebrity-like statuses. Websites such as YouTube and SoundCloud also helped fuel an increased interest in house and other types of electronic music, such as electro house and dubstep—both of which had also developed a hard rock-influenced sound popularized by producers such as Excision, Knife Party, Rusko and, most prominently, American producer Skrillex.[30][31] In 2011 Spin declared the start of a â€Å"new rave generation,† led by names such as Guetta, Canadian producer Deadmau5, and Skrillex, that was followed by a new wave of mainstream consumers.[25] Elements of EDM also began to emerge in songs by mainstream artists, as collaborations occurred with artists such as Afrojack and Calvin Harris.[25]EDM producers and DJs also began experiencing success playing club shows in U.S. cities such as Las Vegas; at the time, Diplo argued that promoters could generate higher profits from DJs  over other acts, stating that â€Å"a band plays, it’s 45 minutes; DJs can play for four hours. Rock bands—there’s a few headliner dudes that can play 3,000-4,000-capacity venues, but DJs play the same venues, they turn the crowd over two times, people buy drinks all night long at higher prices—it’s a win-win.†[25] Other major acts gaining prominence during this period, such as Avicii and Swedish House Mafia, elected to hold concert tours at major venues such as arenas alongside nightclub appearances; in December 2011, Swedish House Mafia became the first electronic music act to sell out New York City’s Madison Square Garden.[30] In November 2013, Music Trades magazine called EDM the fastest growing genre on the planet.[32] In addition to the growth of EDM through live events and the Internet, radio and television were also credited with helping to increase mainstream attention: analysts noted that sales of Calvin Harris’s â€Å"Feel So Close† and Swedish House Mafia’s â€Å"Don’t You Worry Child† dramatically increased after they began receiving contemporary hit radio airplay.[33] EDM songs and artists have been featured in television commercials and programs, while some artists have produced more pop-oriented songs to make their work more accessible to a mainstream audience.[34] In January 2013, Billboard introduced a new EDM-focused Dance/Electronic Songs chart, tracking the top 50 electronic songs based on sales, radio airplay, club play, and online streaming.[35] Corporate investment in EDM In accordance with the significant growth in mainstream popularity, EDM became increasingly attractive to outside investors, with some comparing it to the dot-com boom of the late-1990s. The beginning of corporate consolidation in the EDM industry began in 2012; especially in terms of live events. In June 2012, media executive Robert F. X. Sillerman (founder of what is now Live Nation) re-launched SFX Entertainment as an EDM-focused conglomerate, and announced his plan to invest US$1 billion for the acquisition of EDM-related properties. His purchases included a number of regional promoters and festivals (including ID&T, organizers of the annual Tomorrowland festival in Belgium), along with two nightclub operators in Miami, U.S., and Beatport, an EDM-oriented online music store.[36][37] The current Live Nation has also made investments into EDM, with its acquisition of Cream Holdings and Hard  Events, and announced a â€Å"creative partnership† with Insomniac Events in 2013;[38] CEO Michael Rapino believed that EDM was the new â€Å"rock ‘n’ roll† of the generation.[39][40][41] Advertisers have also increasingly associated themselves with the EDM industry; for example, alcoholic beverage companies such as Heineken and Anheuser-Busch have maintained marketing relationships with the Ultra Music Festival and SFX, respectively. Heineken also incorporated Dutch producers, such as Armin van Buuren and Tiesto, into their marketing campaigns. Avicii’s manager Ash Pournouri compared the increasingly commercial EDM industry to the transformation and commercialization of hip hop, which occurred in the early 2000s, arguing that the â€Å"corporate world† was beginning to â€Å"catch on† to EDM.[34] iHeartMedia, Inc. (formerly Cl ear Channel Communications), the largest commercial U.S. radio conglomerate, launched a dance radio format in Boston on December 20, 2012 under the brand Evolution 101.7. Marketed as the â€Å"first real EDM station† in the United States, the station, which changed its call letters to WEDX, was an extension of the Evolutioninternet radio channel on the company’s iHeartRadio service. The company also hired prominent British DJ and BBC Radio 1 personality Pete Tong to produce content for Evolution.[42] In June 2014, the dance/EDM format of WEDX was dropped in favor of country music; the format, however, was moved to the HD Radio subchannel of a sister station.[43][44][45] The 2014 business report by International Music Summit (IMS), estimates the EDM industry market worth $6.2 billion a year.[46] Criticism of commercial EDM Despite the growing mainstream acceptance of EDM, a number of producers and DJs, including Carl Cox, Steve Lawler, and Markus Schulz, have raised concerns that the perceived over-commercialization of dance music has impacted the â€Å"art† of DJing. Cox sees the â€Å"press-play† approach of a new generation of EDM DJs as not being representative of what he calls the â€Å"DJ ethos†.[30] Writing in Mixmag DJ Tim Sheridan questioned whether or not EDM was responsible for affecting the art of traditional DJing.[47] Sheridan contends that the emergence of â€Å"push-button DJs† who use auto-sync functions and pre-recorded sets featuring â€Å"obvious hits† rather than a diverse selection of music has led to a situation where â€Å"the spectacle, money and the showbiz [had] overtaken all—even notions of honesty.†[47] Some house  producers have openly admitted that â€Å"commercial† EDM required further differentiation and creativity. Avicii (whose 2013 album â€Å"True† featured songs incorporating elements of bluegrass music, such as its lead single â€Å"Wake Me Up†) stated that there was â€Å"no longevity† in the majority of EDM.[48] Deadmau5 has also criticized the homogenizationof EDM, stating that the music he hears â€Å"all sounds the same†Ã¢â‚¬â€he emphasized his diversification into other genres, such as techno and, in 2014, he released a techno song under the moniker â€Å"testpilot† for Richie Hawtin’s label, Plus 8. During the 2014 Ultra Music Festival, Deadmau5 made remarks attacking up and coming EDM artist Martin Garrix, and during his set later in the evening (where he filled in for Avicii, who was unable to attend due to medical issues), he played an edited version of Garrix’s song â€Å"Animals† remixed to the m elody of â€Å"Old McDonald Had a Farm†. Following the performance, Deadmau5 was also criticized on Twitter by fellow electronic musician Tià «sto for â€Å"sarcastically† mixing Avicii’s â€Å"Levels† with his own â€Å"Ghosts ‘n’ Stuff†, asking in response â€Å"How does one play a track sarcastically? â€Å"Am I supposed to sneer while hitting the sync button? Or is that ironic?†[49][50][51][52] In May 2014, the NBC comedy series Saturday Night Live parodied the stereotypes of EDM culture and push-button DJs through a Digital Short entitled â€Å"When Will the Bass Drop?†. The short featured a DJ named Davvincii—who is seen performing a number of unrelated tasks—including playing a computer game, frying eggs, and collecting money rather than actually mixing, and pressing a giant â€Å"BASS† button to cause the heads of attendees to explode.[53][54][55] Terminology The term â€Å"electronic dance music† was used in America as early as 1985,[56] although the term â€Å"dance music† didn’t catch on as a blanket term for the genre(s) until the second half of the 1990s, when it was embraced by the American music industry with their â€Å"Dance† charts (which continue to this day), as well as the consistent use of the term â€Å"dance music† in reference to artists in reviews.[56] In July 1995 Nervous Records and Project X magazine held their first award ceremony titled â€Å"Electronic Dance Music Awards.† [57][58] Writing in The Guardian journalist Simon Reynolds noted that music industry adoption of the term EDM was part of a drive to re-brand â€Å"rave culture† in the USA; an attempt to â€Å"draw line  between today’s EDM and 90s rave†.[59] While â€Å"EDM† has become the common blanket term for dance music genres in the USA, in many parts of Europe and online, in the UK the usage of â€Å"dance music† or â€Å"dance† is more commonly used.[60] What is widely considered to be club music changes over time includes different genres depending on the region and who’s making the reference, and may not always encompass electronic dance music. Similarly, electronic dance music sometimes means different things to different people. Both terms vaguely encompass multiple genres, and sometimes are used as if they were genres themselves. The distinction is that club music is ultimately based on what’s popular, whereas electronic dance music is based on attributes of the music itself.[61] Genres Main article: List of electronic music genres Just as rock, jazz and other musical genres have their own set of sub-genres, so does electronic dance music. Continuing to evolve over the past 30 years dance music has splintered off into numerous sub-genres often defined by their varying tempo (BPM), rhythm, instrumentation used and time period.[62] The broadest categories include house,techno, trance, hardstyle, UK garage, drum & bass, dubstep, progressive, electro, trap and hardcore. Electronic body music (EBM) is a music genre that combines elements of post-industrial music, EDM and synthpunk.[63] It first came to prominence in Belgium and was considered a part of the European New Wave movement.[63] Pure electronic body music is referred to as â€Å"old-school EBM† and should not be confused with aggrotech, dark electro or industrial music.[64] Production Typical tools for EDM production: computer, MIDI keyboard and mixer/sound recorder. In an April 2014 interview with Tony Andrew, the owner and founder of the Funktion-One sound system—considered a foremost model of audio technology and installed in venues such as Berghain, Output and Trouw—Andrew explains the critical importance of bass to dance music: Dance music wouldn’t be so successful without bass. If you think about it, we’ve really only had amplified bass for around 50 years. Big bass is only a couple of generations old. Before the invention of speakers that could project true bass frequencies, humans really only came across bass in hazardous  situations—for example, when thunder struck, or an earthquake shook, or from explosions caused by dynamite or gunpowder. That is probably why it is by far the most adrenaline-inducing frequency that we have. Bass gets humans excited basically. Below 90 or 100 Hz, bass becomes more of a physical thing. It vibrates specific organs. It vibrates our bones. It causes minor molecular rearrangement, and that is what makes it so potent as a force in dance music. The molecular vibration caused by bass is what gives dance music its power. It is what makes dance music so pleasurable to hear through a proper sound system.[65] Andrew also warns that too much bass, as well as too much sound overall, can be harmful and a â€Å"good sound engineer will understand that there is a window between enough sound to give excitement and so much that it is damaging.†[65] Festival goers, celebrate at the AustralianFuture Music Festival (2013) Festivals Electric Zoo Festival 2011 at the Hilltop Arena See also: List of electronic music festivals and List of Electronic dance music festivals Other festivals, including Lollapalooza and Coachella have increased the number of EDM acts represented.[citation needed] Coachella in particular took an adventurous path giving electronic acts a high profile in a time when they were seldom booked alongside rock bands, in the United States at least. Rawley Bornstein, an MTV music and talent programmer, described EDM as â€Å"the new rock and roll,†[66] as has Lollapalooza organizer Perry Ferrell.[67] Ray Waddell, touring editor at Billboard magazine, noted that festival promoters have done an excellent job at branding.[66] Tomorrowland, a popular EDM music festival in Belgium has amassed millions of followers through YouTube and other social media. Tomorrowland broadcast the show live over YouTube and over 16.8 million viewers tuned in. The 20 minute recap video of Tomorrowland in 2012 amassed over 90 million views on YouTube, a testament to the growing popularity of electronic dance music.[68]

Book Review The Color Purple - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1604 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2019/08/06 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: The Color Purple Essay Did you like this example? The Color Purple was published in the year of 1982; the author of the book is Alice Walker. This book became the inspiration behind a film and musical. I watched the movie and fell in love with it. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Book Review The Color Purple" essay for you Create order The film featured Whoopi Goldberg as Celie and David Glover as Albert. The Color Purple was able to win a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and a National Book Award for Fiction as well. The book is filled with letters written by Celie to God. She writes to him about her life and struggles. God is somewhat Celies best friend; she tells him all the things she cant or wont tell anyone else. I like that the author chose to create a personal relationship between her and God. In the beginning, Celie writes about giving birth to her second child. She is only about 14 years old, yet she has been pregnant twice, which was a result of her being raped. Celie had a baby boy (Adam) and then a baby girl (Olivia). The father of both children is her father, Alphonso. Because Nettie and Celies mother was ill and could not meet her husbands sexual expectations, he turned to Celie. Once the children were born, they were taken away from Celie, leaving her clueless to where they would go or if they would be safe. After the passing of their mother, Celie and Nettie were left with their abusing father. Celies goal was to protect her younger sister, Nettie, from having to endure the same rapes and beatings that she did. Although Celie wished to protect her sister, soon other men were finding an interest in her.Change comes knocking on their door when Mister arrives wanting to marry Nettie, but ends up with Celie in the end. Eventually, Mister and Celie got married and she moved in with him and her new stepchildren. She did not receive and warm welcome, but instead was hit in the face with chaos and violence. After quickly coming to terms with her new life, Celie gets to work. Celie discovers Mister has a mistress by the name of Shug Avery who she becomes infatuated with. Everything Shug is, Celie wishes to be. She also dreaded leaving Nettie behind, but there was nothing she could do. I love the bond between Celie and Nettie. Alice Walker, the author, does a magnificent job at making the audienc e understand the relationship between the sisters. They are obviously all one another have and it is described and depicted well in the book. A great example of their shared love is when Nettie runs away from home to reunite with her sister. Unfortunately, Nettie could not stay for too long. Because Celie never heard from her sister again, she was under the impression that she was dead which left a deep pain within her. Another important even in the book is when Mr.s sisters come to visit. They both approve of Celie, which is not something she is used to. Kate, his sister, feels bad for Celie after realizing what she goes through in that house. She encourages Celie to fight back, which is an ability she does not feel she has. Celies self-esteem is very low due to the talking down she has had to endure her whole life by her father and Mister. So when she is told to have some form of control or confidence, this contributes to the evolution of her character. Sofia is also a contributor to Celies rise of independence. Sofia is the woman that Harpo, Celies step son marries. She is an independent woman who is unafraid to stand up to a man. I found it interesting many of the characters she stands up to are men and I did not feel this was coincidental. Standing up to a man is something Celie was incapable of doing and even seemed wrong to her. After settling their differences, Celie and Sofia became close. Yet, Sofia leaves after becoming fed up with the treatment she got from her husband Harpo. They would fight one another physically and verbally but she had enough. Once again, Sofia was able to do something Celie would never even think of doing-leaving her husband. Shug is finally coming to town, but she is ill and stays with Celie and Mister. Celie is the one to take care of her, nursing her back to health. She loves everything about Shug; Shug Avery is the beautiful, independent woman she wishes she could be. All Celies life she has been beaten and controlled, while Shug is in control of her own life. Celie is poor, yet Shug is wealthy. They have many differences, but when Shug comes to town they create a bond. I feel this a very important part of the book due to the fact that the wife and mistress of Mister become fond of one another and even confide in each other. Two women from different backgrounds, find their similarities and help each other through their negative obstacles. As their bond grows, Celie tells Shug how Mister beats her when shes not there. This makes Shug stay longer, feeling pity for Celie. Her pity turns into more of a sexual attraction and they find themselves yearning for one another in a more intimate sense. Shug could only stay so long before she had to move on to continue her blues singing career and had to leave Celie behind. As Celie continues to write her letters to God, she goes on to inform him of Sofias return. Sofia initially gets into an altercation with her ex-husbands mistress (Squeak). It is obvious Harpo is following in the footsteps of his father Mister, but they are both following the wrong path. Sofia then gets into a disagreement with the mayor who slaps her for being disrespectful to his wife. She retaliates by punching the mayor to the ground. The stand she took landed her a cell in jail and Sofia is then required to be a maid for years at the mayors home. In my opinion, this was a way for Sofia to feel like Celie has for a majority of her life. This is another aspect they could bond over. Celie was also able to build a relationship with the mistress of Harpo, Squeak, because they were both raped. Alice Walker finds a way to bring all these women back together and connecting them through life experiences. They are able to relate to one another, building a sisterhood that will last foreve r. After about twelve years, Shug returns with her husband, Grady. When she returns, secrets begin to come to the light. Shug begins to question Celie about her sister, Nettie. To Celies knowledge, she is dead because she never heard anything from her after they were torn from one another. Nettie swore she would write letters to Celie, but nothing ever came. Shug confesses she has witnessed Mr. hiding letters from the mail. They manage to find the stash of letters, addressed to Celie, after searching through his things. After reading the letters, Celie is fully informed that her sister and her children are alive and well. Nettie, Adam and Olivia are together in Africa on a missionary trip. Nettie also informs Celie that the man they called their father was not their biological father, which means Celies children were not conceived through incest. As tension and anger have built, Celie finally stands up for herself. She cursed Mr. out of pure hatred for the years of abuse she has endured from him. After being influenced by the independent women around her, she was able to do the same for herself. Shug, Sofia and Kate pushed Celie to be the woman she always wanted to be but was afraid of being. Originally, Shug was the blueprint of the perfect woman but overtime her flaws were revealed as well. These women grew together, filling in the gaps in each others lives. Shug backed Celie up, saying she would be taking Celie with her to Tennessee. Squeak announced that she would be going as well. After breaking free from the slavery she lived in all her life, Celie was able to live up to her full potential. Soon afterwards, Celie was reunited with her sister and children, making her the happiest woman alive. The Color Purple tells the story of a poor, black girl in Georgia. Alice Walker presents a bit of racism, sexism, and the power struggle. She also depicts the struggle within oneself. I truly enjoyed the book as a whole. I love that not only was there a strong relationship created between all the characters, but there was also a relationship sparked between the reader and the characters. Walker had a way of making you feel for Celie as she lived in hell for years on end and I also had empathy towards Nettie. I also believe the storyline of the book was a success. I feel that everything fell in place and intertwined smoothly. Another aspect of this book that I fell in love with was the choice of the receiver of Celies letters. Walker chose God to be the character Celie writes to throughout the entire novel, which I find to be genius. There also letters written by Nettie towards the end. Many believe in a higher power and he/she always seems to be present and here it is in this book . In the beginning, Celies stepfather also tells her that she better not ever tell anyone but God, in regards to the children she had from him. She does just that.