by 
Catskills DJ and producer Mark Partridge, known as “Ambient Barn” on Radio Catskill, is inviting people to step into a different kind of dance experience — one focused less on nightlife and more on connection, movement and creativity.
Partridge is organizing Dance Labyrinth, a free event July 25 at New Memories in Parksville, combining electronic dance music, live percussion, costumes and visual installations.
Partridge says the event grew out of a collaboration with musician Julian Giaimo, a drummer, guitarist and local studio owner.
“We’re throwing together a set of just like, you know, hard dance floor songs with some live percussion on top of it,” Partridge told Radio Catskill.
The event is designed around the idea of a labyrinth — a place where people can lose themselves in the moment rather than focus on a destination.
“I think it’s this idea of like sort of losing yourself and kind of just like being in the moment and not sort of worrying about what the destination is or where you’re going,” Partridge said.
Partridge has become known for bringing electronic music experiences to the region, including events that explore different styles of dance music and create opportunities for community gathering.
Partridge says the Catskills have a growing creative scene, with musicians, DJs and artists experimenting with new ways to bring people together.
“I think there’s a lot of creative people up here,” he said. “There’s a lot of dancers up here. There’s a lot of people who just want to go out and do cool things.”
For Dance Labyrinth, Partridge says the goal is to make the experience welcoming for people who may want to enjoy live music and dancing without the expectations often associated with late-night events. The event begins at 7 p.m., an earlier start time Partridge says is intentional.
“We’re really trying to get to those folks who want to go out and want to dance and want to experience things, but don’t really want to stay out that late,” he said.
Image: Music Producer, Sound Designer, and Filmmaker Mark Partridge curates an hour
of electronic music in its many forms on Ambient Barn, Tuesdays at 9pm on Radio Catskill.