Dance organ

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A Dance organ is a mechanical organ designed to be used in a dance hall or ballroom. Being intended for use indoors, dance organs tend to be quieter than the similar fairground organ. Dance organs were principally used in Belgium and the southern Netherlands.

The Dance organ came into its own during the 1920s, with the large instruments built by Mortier. While the earlier instruments had classically carved wooden fronts, in the 1930s fashion dictated elaborate art deco appearances. Later still, during the 1950s, organs were built with a noticeably simpler appearance, often making use of formica and imitation wood coverings. Most of the new organs being built no longer used pipes for making the sound, but tended to use electronic organs altered to be played mechanically.

With rhythm being an important part of dance, dance organs usually have many more percussion instruments than other mechanical organs. The instruments will often have piano accordions mounted on the front, and these are connected to and played by the organ. The saxophones found on the front of some organs are not actually played, but the keys will be operated to give the appearance that they are.

Apart from Mortier, the principle builders of Dance Organs were Gebr. Decap, in Belgium, and Gaudin in France.

There are also some combination electronic/pipe organs that have been built by Decap Decap's latest organs are very advanced having full velocity of pipes, accordions and percussion giving full volume control of the whole instrument. The electronic side of the instrument has a much wider tonal ability and can even imitate the human voice, the latest organs can be set to play for singing accompaniment. The result being an effect of a full band and yet having only one 'human' performer. The percussion section on these instruments is even wider than before, often having a full 'rock' drum kit.

Early Dance organs were operated by the 'book system' used on fair organs, some newer still have the option of cardboard books. The latest Decap organs are computer operated enabling full speed/volume control and the ability to set a certain order of music to be played completely independently. The possibilities of these new instruments are endless.

See Gebr. Decaps website for full details: http://www.decap-herentals.be/