Festivalito Rural 2015

DJs

All dancers, all friends …

Walter Hiemer Germany

Melina Sedó Germany

... describes herself like this [source]:

I have been DJing (and greatly enjoying it) since 2004, during our travels as well as at our own events. I also give DJ-seminars in which I speak about the role and work of a traditional Tango-DJ.

Traditional arrangements: I arrange the music in tandas with cortinas and in a fixed sequence of tangos, milongas and valses. I use only classic tango music, mostly from the “Golden Era”, the 30s and 40s of the last century. Now and then I make an excursion into the late 20s (e.g. Orquesta Tipica Victor) or 50s (Carlos Di Sarli), and quite rarely I might play a track by a contemporary orchestra.

Danceability is my primary concern: I only play music which is fit to be danced to in the salón. Experimental or undanceable music like electro tango, non-tango, Piazzolla, show dance orchestras or tango cancion is never heard where I DJ. I also don’t play salsa or chacarera.

An interesting and varied selection of music: During the time between 1925 until the end of the 1950s so many wonderfully danceable tracks have been recorded that any milonga is much too short to present even a fraction of them. Since every orchestra has its own distinctive style, it never gets boring or monotonous when I DJ. The happy faces of the dancers attest to that.

Singers are part of the orchestra: For some time now claims have been made here and there that only instrumental music is truly danceable. Neither I nor the DJs in Buenos Aires agree with that. Roughly 2/3 of all tangos contain vocal passages in which the singer becomes part of the orchestra and transmits melody, mood or important content. In Buenos Aires, every milonguero knows the lyrics and you can often hear them softly sing along as they dance. This ratio is reflected in my choice of music.

This is an interview with Dj Melina.

Marina Mondini Italy

"I dance tango since 2001 and dj since 2005, an activity that brings together my current passion for Argentine Tango with my old passion for the theater, where I also worked as a light technician and sound engineer. My selection is mostly traditional, but my intent, while djing, is to lead the energy of the dance floor. I believe that the purpose of the dj is to entertain the audience, trying to perceive its taste and needs."

Carlos Cabral Portugal

"My enormous passion for dancing has greatly influenced my sets. Regularly DJing at European milongas, I love to play 30s classics and 40s traditional orchestras, and my main aim is to manage the flow of the dance floor by creating a sumptuous rhythm and melodic harmony for all to enjoy."

Trud Antzée Norway

"Like the other DJs, I play my music in tandas with cortinas. I play what I love: music from the 30s and 40s, with an occasional visit to the 20s and the 50s. My main concern is always the wellbeing of the dancers, and I put a lot of effort in choosing music that I believe to be danceable as well as beautiful."