25 years of ADE Conference

In 25 years, ADE's conference has grown to become the ultimate business and inspiration platform for the global electronic music industry, featuring dedicated programming for music professionals and aspiring DJs/producers.

Business (2011)Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)

ADE Conference (1997)Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)

The First Edition

The focus of the first ADE edition in 1996 was mainly on the business end of dance music. During a period in which dance rapidly became an increasingly important part of Dutch culture, ADE became the first conference in Europe purely focused on electronic music. 

ADE Program, 1996, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference, 1996, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference, 1997, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Lil Louis, 1998, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference, 1998, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference, 1999, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Carl Cox, 1999, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference, 1999, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Before email, direct messaging and digital demo's, we used these physical po boxes for delegates to interact with messages and to exchange (vinyl & cd) promo's. Every delegate had his or her own box.

ADE Conference, 1999, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Nile Rodgers @ ADE Conference, 2001, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference, 2000, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference, 2002, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference, 2002, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Junkie XL @ ADE Conference, 2003, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference, 2004, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference, 2008, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Jeff Mills @ ADE Conference (2010)Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)

ADE PRO

The conference program of ADE primarily includes the internationally acclaimed conference ADE PRO, which brings together professionals from 80 countries. This makes ADE PRO unique worldwide and leading in the dance scene.

ADE Green, Jorn Baars, 2017, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE PRO also includes sub-conferences ADE Green (focused on sustainability and social awareness), ADE Beats (focused on urban genres), ADE Tech (focused on technological innovation within the dance industry) and the ADE Guesthouses, a subprogram focused on strengthening international networks and stimulating trade within the global music industries.

Felix Meritis, 2011, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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David Guetta @ ADE Conference, 2011, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Flags, 2011, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Nicky Romero @ ADE Conference, 2012, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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In Bed With.. (2012)Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)

ADE Conference, 2014, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Felix Meritis, 2014, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference, 2014, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference, 2016, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Green, Jorn Baars, 2017, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference, 2019, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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The Only One in the Room, Tiffany Konings, 2019, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference (2008)Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)

Felix Meritis

After two editions of ADE conference in De Balie and De Rode Hoed, the conference moved to it's new home base: the monumental Felix Meritis, located at the heart of Amsterdam's canals.

ADE Conference, 2007, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Felix Meritis, 2005, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Felix Meritis, 2012, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Felix Meritis, Tom Doms, 2020, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Laidback Luke @ ADE Soundlab (2018) by Marco ScheurinkAmsterdam Dance Event (ADE)

Talent Development

ADE brought together a number of sub-conferences and programs aimed at talent development, education and knowledge sharing under several names the past years: ADE Next, ADE Sound Lab and ADE University. 

In the Studio with: Charlotte Adigery & Bolis Bopul, Laura Jacobs, 2019, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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This sub-conference is intended to give the current, but above all new generation of artists and professionals tools to develop, innovate and meet each other. The activities vary from master classes by world-class artists to demo pitches, writer camps, discussions and talks.

ADE Next, 2012, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Hard Dance Event, 2012, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Studio session: Sander van Doorn, 2012, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Roy Pereira @ ADE University, Aico Lind, 2012, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Playground, Willeke Machiels, 2014, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Promopitch @ ADE Sound Lab, Kari Rosenfeld, 2019, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Studio XL: Hardwell, 2014, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Sound Lab, Kari Rosenfeld, 2019, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Studio XL: Martin Garrix, Mark Richter, 2017, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Sound Lab, Mark Richter, 2017, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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rRoxymore @ ADE Sound Lab, Tom Doms, 2019, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Philip Glass, Mark Richter, 2017, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Brakke Grond, 2016, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Demopitch, 2018, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Charlotte de Witte @ ADE Sound Lab, Lieke Vermeulen, 2019, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE University, Isabell Janssen, 2019, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Demolition (2019) by Laura JacobsAmsterdam Dance Event (ADE)

Demolition

The annually hosted Demolition is a panel of DJs, producers, and music industry figures, ready to give aspiring producers an honest appraisal of their work, tips as to how to improve what they're doing and name a winner who will go home with a prize package. The Demolition panel has been part of the ADE conference program since the first edition and is currently part of the ADE Lab program.

Demolition, 2008, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Demolition, 2009, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Demolition, Laura Jacobs, 2019, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Demolition, 2012, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Demolition, 2019, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Demolition, Laura Jacobs, 2019, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Conference (2010)Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)

Gear Lab

During ADE, well-known global gear brands present their latest products, services, and technologies in order to let DJs and producers experience new gear, showcases, and more. 

Gear Lab (2012)Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)

Hard Dance Event, 2011, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Gear Lab, 2012, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Gear Lab, Aico Lind, 2012, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Playground, Willeke Machiels, 2014, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Gear Lab, 2014, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Gear Lab, 2016, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Gear Lab, Max Kneefel, 2017, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Gear Lab, Max Kneefel, 2017, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Gear Lab, Max Kneefel, 2017, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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100 Years of Electronic Music Instruments, 2019, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Cook off (2011)Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)

The ADE Cook-Off

To add a little spice to ADE’s regular schedule of panels, discussions and performances, the best food-loving artists also compete in multiple editions of the ADE DJ Cook Off.

ADE Cook Off 2012 (2012)Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)

ADE Cook Off, 2011, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Cook Off, 2011, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Cook Off, 2012, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Cook Off, 2012, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Cook Off, Henri Blommers, 2012, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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ADE Cook Off, 2013, From the collection of: Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
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Credits: Story

ADE is a platform for dance culture and electronic music since 1996, made possible by thousands of artists, fans and professionals, 200+ venues in Amsterdam. We would like to thank all the artists, promotors, venues, photographers and crew that have made all these highlights and thousands of other events possible over the years. If you want to contribute to ADE please get in touch with the Amsterdam Dance Event Foundation www.amsterdam-dance-event.nl. 

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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A brief history of electronic music
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