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People who know me, know that I have a very strong passion for dance/electronic music. Here in the States, it's widely regarded as an underground genre, primarily relegated to some night clubs, small sections of shelf space at CD stores, and a scattering of low power radio stations.

But growing up in Chicago, listening to the world's very first house and freestyle music being broadcast on WBMX in the early to mid '80s, then hiNRG on WLUW Energy 88.7 FM and B96 (when it really WAS Chicago's Dance Beat) in the late '80s to mid '90s, it was the only kind of music that I could relate to. I felt it and deeply connected to it. I could hardly wait to hear the mixes of the Hot Mix 5, the Power Pack, and the B96 Mixmasters to blast through the boombox!

Having an interest (and some say talent) in writing, I began living the dream by interviewing the artists whom I've admired, and told their stories the best that I could in a dance music publication known as DMA.

The printed version of Dance Music Authority magazine has been defunct for five years now. As a feature writer (and Special Projects Coordinator) for the former print version of DMA, I am displaying some of the issues where my writing appeared. But brace yourself, because I'm going to take music media to a whole other level, with the help of other "true believers!"

I'm on a mission to serve YOU and your love for this music. Stay tuned...

Steven Ratz, Jr.