Want to know more ‘About Us’
Hi, I’m Cathy Randazzo, Founder of Bop till you Drop
I started Bop till you Drop in 2003 with a simple idea: I wanted children to have a place where they could be themselves, have fun, be creative and feel confident, while giving parents the chance to actually relax and enjoy their child’s special day.
The inspiration for Bop till you Drop really began while I was working as a dance teacher.
I had been performing from the age of five and went on to earn my Diploma in Performing Arts in 1996, so dancing, singing and performing had always been a huge part of my life. But when I began teaching dance, I started to notice something.
In a traditional dance class, my job was to teach children specific steps and routines. Their feet had to go here, their arms had to go there, and everyone had to follow the choreography.
There wasn’t always much room to simply dance, be creative and feel free.
And I thought… what if there was?
That idea became Bop till you Drop.
At our parties and school holiday workshops, we deliberately do things differently.
There are no right or wrong dance moves. We encourage children to dance however they want, sing into the microphone, be silly, try something new and express themselves without worrying about whether they’re doing it “correctly”.
For me, it has always been about so much more than just ‘entertainment’.
When a child who was initially too shy to join in suddenly picks up a microphone… when they invent their own dance move and everyone copies them… or when you see their confidence grow throughout a party, that’s the magic I wanted Bop till you Drop Disco Parties to create.
I want every child to walk away feeling good about themselves.
Then I became a mum…
When I had my two beautiful daughters, I began to understand children’s parties from another perspective, the parent’s perspective!
Parties can be wonderful, but they can also be exhausting.
You’re organising the venue, food, cake, decorations, presents and guests, and then somehow you’re also expected to entertain 20 excited children!
That strengthened another important part of the Bop till you Drop philosophy: we want parents to enjoy the party too.
Our entertainers take control of the entertainment and keep the children engaged, so parents can take photos, chat with family and friends, watch their child having the time of their life and actually enjoy the celebration they worked so hard to organise.
Our customers helped shape what Bop till you Drop became
Bop till you Drop originally began with Disco and Karaoke Parties, and for many years they were at the heart of what we did.
Then something interesting started happening.
Families were coming back to us year after year.
Parents would say, “We love your parties, but we’ve already had your disco party for the last three birthdays. What else can you do?”
We listened.
Those conversations became the inspiration for us to create completely different experiences, including Science Parties, Slime Parties and other creative and interactive party options.
And the same philosophy remained behind every new experience.
If children are making slime, we want them experimenting and choosing their own colours. If they’re painting, we want them creating something that is uniquely theirs. If they’re doing science, we want them getting involved, asking questions and discovering things for themselves.
It’s still about creativity, confidence and FUN — it just looks a little different.
And then other businesses wanted to join the fun
As Bop till you Drop grew, other businesses began approaching us because they loved what they saw happening at our parties.
We started partnering with businesses offering experiences such as Photo Booths and Stretch Hummers, allowing us to create even bigger and more exciting party packages.
It wasn’t part of some grand plan I had written down when I started the business.
Bop till you Drop grew because we listened.
We listened to the children.
We listened to parents.
We listened to what families wanted next.
And more than 23 years later, we’re still doing exactly that.
From one idea to more than 100,000 events
What started as a small children’s entertainment business in 2003 has grown into an Australia-wide company with over 66 entertainers that has now entertained children at more than 100,000 parties and events.
We’ve entertained at birthday parties, preschools, school discos, vacation care centres, community events and huge festivals, from intimate celebrations with a handful of children to events with hundreds of kids.
Along the way, we’ve received more than 1,300 five-star Google and Facebook reviews and multiple industry awards.
Those numbers make me incredibly proud, but what matters most to me is what they represent.
They represent thousands of children who have sung into a microphone, danced like nobody was watching, made something they were proud of, laughed with their friends and hopefully walked away feeling just a little more confident than when they arrived.
The next chapter
Today, I’m incredibly proud of the team and community we’ve built around Bop till you Drop, and I’m excited about where we’re heading next.
We’re continuing to grow across Australia and welcoming passionate franchise partners who want to build their own business while bringing the Bop till you Drop experience to families in their local communities.
And eventually?
I’d love to take Bop till you Drop around the world.
But no matter how big we grow, the reason behind Bop till you Drop will always remain the same.
I want children to feel free to be themselves.
To dance however they want.
To create without worrying about getting it “right”.
To laugh loudly.
To try something new.
To feel included.
And most importantly, to feel confident and proud of exactly who they are.
And while the kids are busy having the time of their lives, I want their parents to be able to stand back, enjoy the moment and watch the magic happen.
That’s why I started Bop till you Drop in 2003, and it’s still why I love what we do today.
Cathy Randazzo
Founder & CEO
Bop till you Drop
