Tangodurians

How do you take feedback? Do you immediately raise your hackles and act defensive? Do you throw back insults that are a bit more heavy handed than necessary? Positive feedback of course is what we are aiming for. Pleasant surprise having multiple experienced visitors at last nights milonga which I was DJ-ing - great dancing overall and even I was surprised at how well the tandas were flowing after a quick construct his week. Good feedback too on the music choices, cortinas (emo chinese songs from the 80's/90's). As close to a perfect reception a DJ could wish for. This is why I dance. This is why I DJ. 

To cap off a beautiful 1st Singapore Tango Marathon, small workshop with Damian Boggio over cup noodles and instant tea in the cosy setting of Tangopura! Notes! DJ tips for creating a memorable night Role of the DJ - Phrases of music and the energy variation is very important. You can string together 4 straight tandas of 1940's golden age music, but sooner or later the energy level becomes too stagnant, with variation, no one should be asking for nuevo - that is your goal as a DJ to achieve - 1940's music was created for the dancer, hence you cannot go wrong selecting a tanda from the era, but be wary of choosing too much from a particular time period as most orchestras would be following a particular rhythm and style that was almost the same for all of them during that time - The DJ is a "service", people do not go there mainly for the music or the DJ, they are there for the people and to socialise - The best milonga is one where you are unaware of the DJ, ...

  Apenas suspiró tu encanto, apenas floreció tu amor, perfume de ilusión dejaste en mi pesar, recuerdo de una noche y nada más. Mi ensueño se quedó en la dicha y nunca te diré adiós, un beso de pasión, partiste sin amar y el claro de tu ausencia tan mortal. Cuando te veo pasar indiferente de amor, la risa es pobre disfraz de mi tristeza, después te alejas y ya mi pensamiento revive tus palabras y la noche del encuentro. Dijiste "siempre serás para mi vida el amor", palabras de tu emoción que ya murieron. Flor de un día, tu perfume, siempre embriaga a mi corazón. Y todo no fue más que un beso, encanto que plasmó mi amor. Después al despertar, la vida sin color es mezcla de dulzura y de dolor. En vano llamaré tu nombre ya nunca escucharé tu voz distancia de los dos, camino sin final, y el sueño que no espeja en tu mirar.   Just sighed your charm,  flourished just your love,  illusion perfume left on my ...

Who are we when we dance? When do we embody the little quavers, the running trills, the long sweep of a bow, the staccatoed steps of a quick beat and weight change, the spiralling ochos and giros leaning upon a centered foot and a delicate balance of weight? We start a story everytime we enter a dance situation, a strung together version of a longer epic Homer-type story that continues through the ages, forges through and chases each other like white sea-foam horses gallop and dissipate across a vast ocean. Nothing but a drop. This dance is music personified, it is a cloak we wear, which is why music is fundamental, THE core to everything. The puppet-master.