Esteban Ortiz, 10, turned the gain knob clockwise on his DJ controller as high as he could. The song “FE!N” by American rapper Travis Scott blasted through the speaker.
He repeatedly turned the knob, raising and lowering the volume of the song. His head never stopped bopping to the beat.
He muted the song for a few seconds before transitioning to “Sicko Mode,” another song by Scott. He smiled as he made the switch.
“When you change the song, you have to be quick,” Esteban said.
DJing is Esteban’s new favorite hobby, an activity he dedicates his Monday and Wednesday evenings to perfecting. But, he didn’t discover his love for mixing on his own. He learned it from a Northside program dedicated to teaching youth about the power of music.
DJ for Beginners at Artes Academy at Artes de la Rosa is a class launched last year by executive director William Girón and Fort Worth DJ Gerardo Contreras to teach youth ages 8 to 18 the basics of mixing music.
The 10-week DJ class, which kicked off its fall lessons in September, guides students through the basic knobs and buttons of a DJ controller to build their confidence for performing in front of crowds.
Students perform at various community events throughout the semester, Girón said. The Artes Academy DJ Showcase is scheduled for 5 p.m. Oct. 3 at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
The classes conclude with a final showcase Nov. 14 and 15 at the Rose Marine Theater. Each student will perform a 10-minute mix in front of family and friends.
“I hear from families about how their kid is doing better in school, they’re communicating,” Girón said. “They’re learning not only hardware, but they’re also learning soft skills.”
Artes Academy is a cultural program that offers local youth a variety of courses in the fine arts such as theater, dance, music, creative writing and visual arts.
Esteban had participated in other Artes Academy programs before he heard about the DJ class. He didn’t hesitate to sign up.
“I’m like, ‘I don’t care if it’s hard. I’m signing up,’” he recalled.
Learning how to mix hip-hop and Latin music is Esteban’s favorite part because he finds those genres uplifting.
“When I’m down, sad, mad or anything, I need to put on hip-hop so I can pick myself up,” he said.
Isaac Venegas, 14, said the DJ class gives him the space to connect with his Mexican culture through the music his classmates often choose to mix.
“I’m trying to open up to something new,” he said.
Contreras, who grew up in the Northside, was eager to lead the class, not only to mentor the next generation of DJs but to give back to his community.
“Seeing people that I know in the community bringing their kids and trusting in me to show them something positive is pretty cool,” he said.
His favorite part of the class is watching his students “getting into the music” and exploring different functions of the DJ controllers without his instruction.
“I’m giving them the basics, but then they’re going further and cutting off certain frequencies or just using the beat,” Contreras said. “It’s cool to watch them be their own little mash-ups.”
Even though the class ends in a few weeks, Esteban doesn’t want to say goodbye to DJing anytime soon.
He plans to hone his new hobby and, one day, be the next best DJ in Fort Worth.
David Moreno is the arts and culture reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports.
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