“We thought, hey - we can do this better” – How Indruipen grew from a birthday party into a major dance event.

“At Stay in Groningen we love to put local and young talent in the spotlight. Indruipen strengthens the city and makes visitors feel like one big community. Their values are affordability, inclusion and an eye for detail. No focus on big names, but on experience. Indruipen shows how you can grow in Groningen without losing your soul. That’s a story we love to tell.”

We meet Jim and Teun on a weekday afternoon, somewhere between studying, DJing and planning. Jim is 23 and is completing his Master’s in Applied Social Psychology in Groningen; Teun is 21, a producer and DJ, a graduate of the Herman Brood Academy and now a student at the conservatory in Haarlem. Together with Jessie — often behind the decks and on edit duty — they form the core of Indruipen.

The birthday party that wasn’t a birthday party

How it all began. Teun once called Het Vliegende Paard in Zwolle with an innocent plan: “Can I use the basement for a birthday party?” That was fine — it fits about 120 people. And so the first ‘trial’ of Indruipen emerged. But things escalated more quickly than expected. “We posted a slightly too enthusiastic announcement online: ‘first edition of Indruipen’, DM us for the guest list.”

Then the phone rang. “What the f*ck is this? Indruipen? I’m getting messages about a new house event, but you requested a birthday party.”

The result: everything had to go offline. The deal: first a closed, guest-list edition, then see if it worked. “It worked,” he laughs. “And on 22 December 2023 we hosted our first open night. That’s when Indruipen was officially born.” Not from a spreadsheet, but from guts and a bit of cheeky entrepreneurship.

Two friend groups, one shared idea

Indruipen is the result of two friend groups coming together: the musical core (Herman Brood Academy, producers/DJs) and the crew from Zwolle (friends who already made music together and went to parties).

What drove them? A shared irritation many creators will recognise:

“We went to parties and often thought: we can do this better. Or: the DJ isn’t playing well. One day we said: then we’ll put on our own.”

And that’s what they did — first secretly as a ‘birthday’, then bigger and more professional.

What makes Indruipen special?

It’s not “book a DJ and done,” it’s designing a night. “We always walk the entire route of the visitor,” says Jim. “Where do you enter? How does ticket scanning feel? Where do you hang your coat? How do you flow to the stage? Where’s the smoking area? How do you get back to the floor?” He leans back. “We don’t necessarily have ‘the biggest line-up’. We design the experience — from the door to the moment you step back outside.”

They also work hard to involve visitors. The boiler room setting: “We want people behind the booth. It generates energy,” says Teun. “No backstage divide; we’re in the room together.” That’s how Indruipen stays personal and intimate.

They also set themselves apart with a personal touch. At the events they hand out disposable cameras so visitors can capture the vibe of the night. Those photos appear on the site a few weeks later. “People recognise themselves again — always a fun keepsake,” Jim says.

Or the ‘heavy mirror’, as the guys call it. “It weighs 250 kilos, right?” Jim jokes. “That’s why we don’t need the gym.” It’s heavy, branded with the Indruipen logo, and a great idea: “People walk by and take a selfie — it just works,” Jim says. They try to buy/make as much of their decor as possible. That way they bring their own atmosphere to every venue and have their own personal stage design.

So why should people come to Indruipen? we asked. “You really answer the ‘why’ for yourself when you’re there. But compared to other events, the experience is different. A specific look and feel, we move through the crowd as a friend group, we aim to be inclusive and we play our own edits,” say Jim and Teun.

And the audience? “Everyone is welcome,” says Jim. “Our base is student networks — makes sense, that’s where we’re from — but our atmosphere is inclusive.”

The Indruipen community

So how do you fill the floor? The answer was clear: content and community. “We have a strong concept,” says Jim. “We do a lot with content. Our videos and photos do so much for the experience and spark your imagination: when you see our socials, you want to come. It looks great — and it is great — and we know how to convey that.”

They also lean heavily on their own network. “We know many people from Zwolle who moved to study across the Netherlands, in all the student cities. We ask if they’ll help promote. Mostly via WhatsApp — we message people and invite them.”

“Honestly,” says Teun, “Instagram is important, WhatsApp is decisive.” They literally reach out, share discount codes through friends who help, and are growing a community chat edging towards 250 members. “That chat feels almost offline,” Jim says. “You build a real relationship.” The community gets firsts: previews, pop-ups and often early birds. “Join the community,” says Teun. “Come along and experience it — that’s the point.”

Their photos and videos feel like the night itself: real joy and everyone involved. The aftermovies show exactly what an Indruipen night looks like. Each new event gets a fresh, more original promo video.

Was this always the idea?

The guys have always had lots of creative ideas — some more successful than others. In a previous interview they mentioned they once dabbled in hip-hop.

“Yeah, that was a bit of a flop,” says Teun. “We were always trying to capture our friend group. When I was fourteen/fifteen and we were throwing our first parties, I carried a vlog camera and filmed the crew: summer aftermovies on YouTube. Later, before podcasts were really a thing, we had the idea — we’d sit in McDonald’s for hours with wild stories, talking about organising things like we do now with Indruipen. We recorded a podcast once. We didn’t continue — felt a bit random then, but it was fun.”

Later, when Antoon was up-and-coming at the Herman Brood Academy (a year above Teun), “Hyperventilatie” hit and Teun and Jessie thought: we can do this too. With a friend who rapped, they made tracks for fun. “It sounded good — we could produce, he could write and rap — but we didn’t pursue it because it didn’t quite feel right.”

Indruipen, by contrast, grew organically: “We hosted something, it worked, people asked ‘when again?’ — it snowballed.”

“After trying so many ideas, this felt right,” says Teun. At events everyone can express themselves. It’s a diverse friend group: not everyone DJs or produces — that’s Jessie and Teun — while Jim is strong in organisation and relationships. Someone else handles finance, another tech and lights. Everyone found their lane.

Do they still go out themselves?

Do you still have time to go out? we asked.

“It happens, but less,” says Jim. “When I’d just moved to the city it was two/three times a week. Now not even weekly. We still try to hit events. ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event) is on the schedule with Overbruggen — we’re going with the whole Indruipen crew. But not weekly or monthly. We’re busy organising.”

And on an Indruipen night itself? They’re clear about boundaries. They know that drugs show up at some dance events, but they operate a no-drugs policy. If they see something, it’s addressed seriously. Drinks are fine — “it’s sociable and spontaneous” — but: “You represent Indruipen. If you can’t stand and nearly fall into the canal, that’s not representative,” they say. “We’re there for the visitors and want everyone to have an unforgettable night — in a representative way.”

“We recently got a compliment: ‘I was sober all night and didn’t even notice — I had so much adrenaline.’ That’s the kind of thing we really value.”

Can you already make a living from Indruipen?

“We reinvest everything,” says Teun. “Everyone’s a volunteer. We’re almost full-time on it. The experience counts; we’re building something bigger. At some point we’ll likely earn from it, but right now we put everything back in.”

Without passion it makes no sense, they add. There’s no external reward yet, so they prefer to invest everything into the event rather than skim a quick €100 now.

And what if you raised ticket prices? I suggested. Not something the guys are keen on. “If it ever goes up a euro or two, it’s because we’re adding value — more decor, stronger content, extras like disposable cameras — not to cash out,” says Jim. They know how expensive everything has become, especially for students. They want to keep their events as accessible as possible.

Pop-ups

As mentioned above, Indruipen also organises pop-ups — often just for the community. These pop-ups are even more intimate than the regular events and really bring that ‘living room’ feeling. What does that look like? The weirder the better: in a barbershop, at McDonald’s, at Peakz Padel in Zwolle, and on the rooftop of Hotel The Happy Traveler. They also did a boat edition in Groningen with Bozu Beverages on King’s Day. The guys are always scouting a fresh, unique spot for the next pop-up. Have a unique idea yourself? Join the community and share it.

Not only parties

Indruipen isn’t only about throwing the best parties and finding unique locations. The guys are conscious of everyday struggles too. “Loneliness among young people has increased enormously in recent years,” says Jim. That’s one reason they’re building and broadening their community. “Come meet new people at one of our pop-ups. It’s more intimate — a perfect place to connect. We want to involve everyone and be truly inclusive.” In their view, everyone is welcome at Indruipen.

They also work with charities. “We’re sometimes approached by good causes — we almost always say yes,” Jim says. For example, they’ll give away tickets together.

Holding up the (heavy) mirror

Are they critical of themselves? Absolutely. “Teun keeps a feedback list,” says Jim. “Whoever has feedback comes to him and he types it out; sometimes people write their own notes too.” Within 48 hours after an event the group reconvenes and puts everything on the table. “Isn’t that a bit fast?” I asked. “The event only just ended?” But the guys explained why it works: “It’s still fresh,” Jim says. “We’re still euphoric, but we remember everything clearly. That way we know exactly what went great and what can be better next time. We’re always improving, so we stay critical.”

“Sometimes we see others use ideas of ours,” Jim adds. “Great — it pushes us to go further.”

They also told us that around show days they sleep very little. There’s so much to arrange, build and then break down. “We’re often awake for more than 24 hours.” The dedication shows how much passion is in this team. They draw so much energy from the events and the crowd — and it’s great to see how, after all that work, another banger of an edition stands.

Plans and ambitions

What’s next? “We’re building our own label,” says Jim. “Releases and edits under Indruipen.” Beyond the label there’s more: “We’re working on fashion,” Jim adds. “Not simple merch, but sustainable clothing that fits our aesthetic.” A new city will be added to their event locations — to be announced later. Will that mean fewer Groningen shows? Absolutely not, if it’s up to Jim and Teun. They love Groningen’s nightlife and enjoy putting on events here again and again.

And the bigger dreams? “Our dream is a gala in a castle,” says Jim. “First dinner in tuxedos and gowns, then clear the tables and dance.” Teun laughs: “And a DJ set in a hot-air balloon over Groningen would be fantastic.” They know these dreams aren’t realistic right now, but they also made their previous dream — playing at McDonald’s — come true within three months. Best keep an eye on the sky for a balloon over Groningen…

Indruipen in Groningen

Indruipen may have started in Zwolle, but it has grown much bigger in Groningen. Their very first Groningen event was on 21 November 2024 at club OOST, which now operates as Fixy. “That felt like our serious year in the city,” says Teun. “This could become bigger than we think.” And it did: multiple sold-out editions followed.

So what makes Groningen so great? “The Groningen crowd — I just call it ‘us’ — we go out to dance,” says Jim. “We don’t wear our fanciest clothes; we wear outfits that can get messy, so you get home after a night out having had the best time of your life. In other cities it’s sometimes different, more about the ‘perfect picture’ than letting loose.” And that’s what we do so well here in Groningen: let loose.

The next edition

Indruipen wouldn’t be Indruipen if they weren’t ready with a bold new edition — their biggest one yet. “But we’ll keep it intimate,” they say. “That intimate, involved feeling is what we always want to preserve.” On 14 November Indruipen takes over the Graanfabriek. Both the warehouse and the hall will be transformed into Indruipen’s homely decor. The edition is bigger, with many new people and connections — but most importantly: friends.

Do the guys have a message for the audience? “Just come by and experience what an Indruipen night feels like — and join the community.”

We’re convinced and can’t wait to see them shine at the Graanfabriek. Still hesitating (we can’t imagine why)? Take a look at the website: www.Indruipen.nl.

Grab your tickets now and come enjoy a night of great partying with us. A friendship-based effort driven by dance music — we’ll experience it together on 14 November.