Electronic Dance Music - An Expanding Genre Worldwide

Laurence Grigorov guides Laurence Martin Developments in Johannesburg, South Africa, as executive director, overseeing the creation of luxury apartment complexes that incorporate leading edge design principles. Outside of work, Laurence Grigorov has a strong interest in electronic dance music (EDM) and was an amateur DJ when he was younger.

The most rapidly expanding genre of music over the past decade, EDM now encompasses a music industry valued at $7.1 billion, with Calvin Harris the top worldwide earner at $66 million. The music revenue is spurred not simply by albums, as with traditional performers, but by massive festivals and concerts that bring together tens of thousands of music lovers for multi-day experiences. For example, New Jersey’s 2015 Electric Daisy Carnival enjoyed a gross of $11.2 million on the strength of more than 90,000 fans in attendance. 

Although growth in EDM has slowed over the past year, it is still experiencing substantial expansion, with particular growth in markets in Asia. The Philippines and Vietnam recently launched new festivals, as did Panama and Cuba in the Western Hemisphere.

The Rural Facility at Wits University

With experience in engineering and property development, Laurence Grigorov serves as the executive director of Laurence Martin Developments. Laurence Grigorov also holds degrees in mechanical engineering and business management from the University of the Witwatersrand.

Also known as Wits University, the University of the Witwatersrand has several undergraduate and postgraduate degree options. It also has a rural facility where research and community outreach is conducted.

Wits Rural Facility is located 500 kilometers from Johannesburg, near Kruger National Park, and sits on 350 hectares of savanna that is home to many indigenous plant and animal species. There are four seminar rooms available and five different living accommodations with varying amenities. Caterers are also available for events. Visitors to the facility can bird-watch, enjoy the local flora and fauna, and take tours of the local villages.

Some of the resident programs associated with research and outreach at Wits Rural Facility are the Association for Water and Rural Development, Health Systems Development Unit, and Rural AIDS and Development Action Research.

Therapy Programs for Youth at the Johannesburg Children’s Home

A veteran of the Johannesburg residential property and construction market, Laurence Grigorov serves as the Executive Director of Laurence Martin Developments. Outside of work, Mr. Grigorov remains devoted to giving back to the community. One of the charities that he regularly supports is the Johannesburg Children’s Home, which provides shelter and other services for children who have suffered abuse. Because these children have all experienced trauma, the organization builds therapy into the core of its services to help them achieve a sense of wholeness.

Through therapy, the organization aims to improve each child’s ability to perform academically and make meaningful relationships with both peers and adults. Therapy takes place in one-on-one sessions to offer a completely safe environment where children can express themselves openly. A technique widely used is play therapy, as well as psychosocial counseling.

The Johannesburg Children’s Home employs a multidisciplinary team to handle its therapy services. The team includes a social workers, nurses, psychologists, and occupational therapists. Much of the therapy focuses on improving self-care so that children build excellent skills that will serve them for years to come.

The South African National Council for the Blind

Laurence Grigorov is the executive director of Laurence Martin Developments in Johannesburg, South Africa. The firm specializes in luxury residential developments, most of which are concentrated in the Johannesburg area. Laurence Grigorov is a staunch believer in good design, and truly cares about architecture. He also cares about charity, supporting local organizations including the South African National Council for the Blind.

The South African National Council for the Blind is dedicated to improving quality of life for South African people who have difficulty seeing. The organization offers medical and education services to help South Africans care for their eyes and cope with partial or complete blindness.

The organization created the Bureau for the Prevention of Blindness 60 years ago, hoping to help improve eye-care in South Africa’s less-fortunate areas. Members of the Bureau travel the country administering care as needed. They provide eye exams and glasses to people who need them, and also offer ocular surgeries to people who live with cataracts or other correctable maladies. These surgeries can sometimes completely cure blindness.

Helping Children at the Johannesburg Children’s Home

For 11 years, Laurence Grigorov has been the executive director of Laurence Martin Developments, a residential development and construction company in Johannesburg, South Africa. Laurence Grigorov donates to several charitable organizations, including the Johannesburg Children’s Home.

The Johannesburg Children’s Home, founded in 1892, is the oldest charitable organization in Johannesburg. It was created to serve neglected children and children in need. The home is entirely nondenominational, and takes in children from many backgrounds.

Children at the Johannesburg Children’s Home live in cottages grouped by age. They receive proper nutrition and medical care, and are looked-after by an on-site nurse. Twenty percent of children in the home have been diagnosed with HIV, and receive special care at local medical facilities.

The Johannesburg Children’s Home carefully ensures that each child attends an appropriate school for their level of development. Many students in the home have special needs, and are cared for accordingly. All students receive psychological support at some point during their care, and many receive help from trained therapists.