Just because there's a pandemic going on, doesn't mean the party has to stop. And one DJ has kept it going – for 10 hours at a time.
The coronavirus has upended daily lives, with thousands of deaths around the world. Many people are staying at home in an effort to stem the rapid-fire spread.
Celebrity DJ D-Nice has begun hosting virtual dance parties on his Instagram Live channel in an effort to lift spirits as people self-isolate over coronavirus concerns.
Many of his A-list friends – including Rihanna, Common and John Legend – have made guest appearances thanks to Instagram Live's split feature, which lets two people appear in a split-screen.
On March 18, D-Nice posted on Instagram that he would be hosting "Home School", a "social distancing dance party".
He set up his turntables in his kitchen and invited his 950,000 followers to tune in and dance along.
What followed was a nine-hour long party that featured guest appearances from celebrities such as LL Cool J, Mary J Blige, Naomi Campbell and Lena Waithe.
"I can't believe that I started the Home School social distancing dance party just four days ago and it's become a place for us to virtually dance together and stay connected," D-Nice wrote in an Instagram post March 19.
"From my kitchen, I'm able to send positive vibrations to each of you."
D-Nice, who first entered the music scene in the 1980s as a member of the Bronx hip-hop group BDP, has begun hosting nightly dance parties in his kitchen, officially dubbed "Club Quarantine".
More than 100,000 people tuned in for his March 21 celebration, which lasted for 10 hours and had appearances from former first lady Michelle Obama, presidential hopefuls Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, and musician Diddy – who also sent the DJ a bottle of Ciroc vodka, in which Diddy owns a stake, during the set.
The party also included a shoutout to healthcare workers battling the coronavirus.
"Homeschool is a thing!" D-Nice said in a March 21 post. "This has been a great way to keep our spirits high."
Chasten Buttigieg, who is married to former presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg, agreed.
"Thanks for the dance party last night @djdnice," Chasten tweeted on the morning of March 22.
"Pajamas acceptable, nobody to judge my dance moves, all the snacks I preferred – honestly we should do this more often."
D-Nice seems only too happy to oblige: class resumes Sunday night. – AFP Relaxnews
