Making the Music that Moves Teddi

When St. John Fisher College students dance the night away to raise funds for the children of Camp Good Days and Special Times, the event will be deejayed by one of their own: Jack Laino ’21. A media management major and four-year Teddi veteran, Laino will bring his passion for music and mixing to the dance, playing tunes for the full 24 hours.

A self-professed music fanatic, Laino started out making mixes for friends and playing songs from his phone. When the College hosted a musical fundraiser, Roc for the Homeless, he performed a short set using his Mac computer. The experience led him to embrace more fully his passion for music. He purchased a set of DJ decks and invested hours watching YouTube videos and researching articles on how to use the equipment, transition songs, read the audience, and set the vibe for a memorable experience.

Last year, his friends at Teddi asked if he would be interested in serving as a guest deejay at Teddi 38. He jumped at the chance, even making some special “DJ Laino” t-shirts for close friends.

“I found this was a great way to generate excitement and hype for Teddi—especially since I was the guest deejay during Cardinal hour,” he explained. “Selling the shirts to my friends and throwing some into the crowd during my one hour set last year was an incredible experience.”

For Teddi 39, he created two different t-shirt designs and made them available to purchase to anyone who was interested. He sold 100 shirts with all proceeds benefitting Teddi.

You could say a love for Teddi is in his blood. Both of his parents are Fisher alumni and participated in the dance in the late 80s-early 90s. While Teddi 39 will be like no other dance in its history, the committee is embracing a virtual format and Laino is ready to pump up dancers whether they are a small group in the field house or in their residence halls.

“Bringing the audience alive through the music is what I love and participating in Teddi means being involved with something bigger than myself,” he said. “Being able to raise an incredible amount of money for Camp Good Days and Special Times in order to create experiences for the campers that are memorable is truly an incredible feeling.”