Learn to DJ: What to know

Matty Giaquinto has been an EMT, a taxi and limousine dispatcher, an Uber driver and he’s sold life insurance, but he said he never “found my calling or my niche.” Until now.

Giaquinto — also known as “Matty Ice” — is a DJ, entertaining crowds with other people’s music, as well as emceeing and hosting events.

“I always thought it would be really cool to be a DJ,” said Giaquinto, 39, of Westbury. “I’ve always, since I was a kid, loved being up on stage and performing.”

Giaquinto said he learned the craft both on his own and through Farmingdale-based Spin DJ Academy.

Founded in 2012, the school has trained students from 7 to 70 years old to DJ as a hobby and profession. Among the topics covered are mixing songs to form playlists; “beatmatching,” which involves making songs with different tempos flow well into one another; scratching, in which a record is moved back and forth on a turntable to create sounds; and reading the crowd, according to the company’s vice president, Jared Feldman.

“They want to have fun making music,” Feldman said of the students. “I think it’s the most accessible way for people to get into music.”

Giaquinto was paired with instructor Kenyon Smith, also known as “DJ 4our 5ive.” Smith, 55, of Islandia, said he has worked with Run DMC, Notorious B.I.G, Lil Kim, Fabolous, Jay-Z, Young Jeezy and Lil Wayne.

“You can play the right song and instantly there’s an outburst. Everyone’s responding,” Smith said of DJing. “The goal is to keep them dancing and having a great time.”

Giaquinto said DJing is a dream come true for him.

“There’s something special about having the power to get a crowd dancing and living their best life,” Giaquinto said. “We all have our troubles, but for that little bit of time I get to help my fellow humans forget about that and let loose.”