Jack Trash is a man of many hats. He's a DJ, a fifth- and sixth-grade teacher, a viola player and CEO of the Twin Cities area's foremost electronic music promoter, Sound in Motion. The company has been creating eye-popping light-and-sound productions for the past 12 years.

"We want our events to be an experience, not just a DJ," says Trash. "If a tour isn't traveling with a stage, we will customize something."

Bringing in top electronic acts from around the globe is no easy affair. Pitted against New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, Trash has relied on his relationships with some of the world's most sought-after DJs, including Tiesto, Armin Van Buren, Avicii and Skrillex, to bring the very best to local venues. This week, Sound in Motion is presenting trance DJ Ferry Corsten at Epic on Saturday, as well as dubstep duo Nero at Myth on Monday. Trash says visiting artists have been impressed by the energy and passion in the Twin Cities.

"This town is amazing," Trash affirms. "We breed music lovers."

Through his unique and humble promoting style, Trash has built a robust rapport among his colleagues, customers and visiting artists. He works hard and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. On any one day you'll find him chatting up European DJs, conversing with fans on Facebook or lifting back-breaking speakers at center stage. "I love every aspect of seeing people excited about electronic music -- the smiles, cheers, dancing, everything," said Trash. "It's infectious and that's why I do what I do."

But to Trash, it goes deeper than music -- it's about creating unforgettable experiences and giving back to the community. From designing a banquet-style rainbow-ribbon ceiling for the British trance group Above & Beyond, which was then purchased by the group, to asking Sound in Motion's 8,000-plus Facebook fans to share their dreams on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Trash never settles for average.

Walk into one of Sound in Motion's shows and you instantly feel the difference. The bass hits, lights flash, and, after hours of dancing, the crowd transforms into one paroxysmal mass. The electronic music movement is growing in the United States, and once you've lived it, it's a feeling that for some people never leaves. Jack Trash is one of them.

"I want my community to be positive," says Trash. "We don't want people to just come for the party -- we want them to come for the experience."

Jack Trash

• Also known as: John Tasch.
• Age: Prefers to keep it private, as his elementary-school students have a running contest. Their most recent guess: 98 years old.
• Job: Founder/CEO of Sound in Motion, www.simshows.com.
• Hire date: Founded in 2000.
• Education: Certified teacher; master's degree in elementary education.
• Background: Co-founder of Mile High, a promotions company that pre-dated Sound in Motion; vice president of Aphrodisio Recordings, a local record label.