If you are a good DJ you probably often ask yourself a lots of questions. One of the most important ones is 'Am I a good DJ?' You probably tried to think of a way to feel the pulse of the dancers and find out can you make some adjustments to improve. If you have not come up with a consistent method – here it is. If you already have one, maybe this will help you make it sharper. I have a tango DJ friend who once told me a funny story. I can not tell if it is true, but I imagine it might be. He was playing music in a local milonga in a small cafe and the night was great. The couples danced non stop and the dance floor was full. It was a DJs dream: no one sitting around, no one going out to … [Read more...] about Am I a good DJ?
How to dance like a man?
I doubt that there is a tango dancer who do not asks himself how the partners feel him? The next question is usually how to dance more like a man? What is that makes a dance manly? Tango is created in early 20th century Buenos Aires, which had a strong machist culture. Of course, I am not saying that we should recreate the same relations, but part of the magic of tango is in the polarity of the mans and womans role - and we should preserve the best what tango brings from its history. In this post I am going to share with you some of my insights on what makes a male dancer more masculine and what makes her feel his energy better. Please have in mind that those questions do not have a definite … [Read more...] about How to dance like a man?
The leader/follower confusion
The terms 'leader' and 'follower' are so much part of the tango vocabulary used today that I often see even some Argentinian teachers using them. In fact, most of the time when people use leader/follower, they learned them from their teachers, not because they came out with them because of how they feel them. I avoid using them whenever I can. Although to some might look like logical choices, when you think about it, they are deeply misleading. This article might be a reason for some disagreement, but hey, one shouldn't I ran away from saying what he thinks is the right thing, even when his voice shakes. Anyway, I see this as part of my duty to write about it. As I said, I name here … [Read more...] about The leader/follower confusion
The principles of danceability
Have you ever started a dance and soon discovered that it is quite undanceable tanda? Some dancers in this situation interrupt the dance and ask their partner to dance the next one. To be honest I don't like this kind of behavior since it's a sign that dancers didn't wait for the tanda to start before making the invitation. They gambled and lost. But what the DJ can do to help dancers avoid similar situations? How can (s)he differentiate between danceable from undanceable music? I'll share my experience on what might be important. I believe there are some undeniable principles that should be respected when choosing music for your tandas. Oh, how much I suffered when the vals was played … [Read more...] about The principles of danceability
The dark side of tango
How our beloved dance is connected to sensuality and sexuality; what it means for relationships; what makes it dangerous, and why understanding it can protect you. People often close their eyes to a simple truth: tango is a dance of passion. And there’s a reason for that - they don’t want to see its darker side. Some aspects of the dance we love make people uncomfortable. They are not inherently good or bad; they become such only when we choose to judge them. It’s a matter of perspective. “Can I ask you something? I need someone to talk to,” a private message appeared on my personal Facebook account. It was almost 3am, a late hour to reach out to someone not very close. Earlier … [Read more...] about The dark side of tango
How the DJs use their superpowers?
If one can say that the DJ has superpower, than it's his ability to control how the milonga unfolds. The mood of the dancers is often influenced by other factors as well, but the music selection can make or break the milonga. How does DJ's choices actually work? What are the tools in his/her toolbox? What knowledge he/she should have? Well, the short answer is that they have a lot of tools. Some are simple, other require some experience. In this article I will talk about some of the tools I learned during almost 8 years of DJing around different international events. The milonga tanda just finishes and dancers go back to their seats or part of the room where they make invitations. … [Read more...] about How the DJs use their superpowers?
