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Articles and Interviews
The Musicalizadore of Argentine Tango
Part Three - The dancers and the DJ
(di Stephen Brown)
“This time, Steve, I would like to know more about the relationship between the dancers and the DJ. How to make everybody dance, enjoy and stay on the rhythm of the music until the end of the evening?”
Let’s divide the task this time into six parts: Basic elements of programming, Building tension, Releasing and Softening Tension, The Dancers, the Music and Pulling the Strategies Together, Alternative Strategies for Programming an Evening's Music, and Closing an Evening of Dancing.
Basic Elements of Programming:
A standard format for playing music at milongas is the continuous repetition of a cycle that is composed of six tandas: two of tango, one of milonga, two of tango, and one of vals. Using this format and the music listed above, the DJ has considerable latitude to create a unique and memorable evening of dancing.
On a typical evening, I draw the vast majority of the music I play from what I list as Golden Age recordings above. I also work to play a diverse selection of music and take dancers more deeply into the music. I find that starting with simple rhythms and working through more complex rhythms to arrive at the subtle, dramatic and romantic music later at night helps draw the dancers deeper into the music and create a more satisfying evening. A diverse selection of music contributes to a feeling of a more full evening of dancing.
I also want each succeeding tanda to be sufficiently strong in its own identity, and not too similar to what immediately preceded it, so that it will overpower the conscious memory of the previous few tandas and pull everyone back onto the dance floor. Two tandas in a row from the same category usually sounds repetitious, but I do not randomly jump around from category to category because the resulting impression is too much like a top 40 radio station.
Instead I try to work through the categories to build tension, romance, or drama, and then resolve it several times over the course of the evening to take the dancers deeper into the music. There are a number of ways to build tension and release it. Quicker tempos, sharper accents in the music, more dramatic crescendos all build tension. Light and lyrical music or music with a very smooth sound often releases the tension.
Building rhythmic tension involves moving from softer rhythmic to harder rhythmic to milongas. For example, moving from Caló with Podesta to D'Arienzo or Biagi and then to a tanda of milongas builds tension through tempo and accents. If salsa is popular at the venue, a set of salsa will further add to the tension through tempo.
Building romantic and dramatic tension, might involve moving from smooth to romantic or dramatic. For example, moving from DiSarli to Caló with Beron to DeAngelis or Pugliese builds tension through romance and drama. Playing music with a smoother slower, tempo—such as most DiSarli—or a light, romantic feel—such as Fresedo with Ray—releases tension.
Sometimes, these strategies could mean working to build tension through sharper rhythm, and then continuing onward to romance and/or drama. Early in the evening, I might start a cycle of six tandas with something like Caló with Podesta (softer rhythmic), progress to D'Arienzo (harder rhythmic), and then move onto a tanda of milongas. (Salsa follows milonga well if it is suitable for the venue.) I then might come back with something smoother and more powerful, such as Di Sarli intrumentals and then move onto something lyrical, such as Troilo with Fiorentino. A tanda of valses follows.
Further into the evening, I might start a series of six tandas with something like Tanturi with Castillo (softer rhythmic), go onto Biagi with Amor (harder rhythmic), and then onto a tanda of milongas. I might then come back with something lyrical like Caló with Beron or Di Sarli with Duran, play a tanda of dramatic Pugliese, and then continue onward with a tanda of valses.
Later in the evening, I might start a series of six tandas with a tanda of something lyrical, such as Fresedo with Ray or Tanturi with Campos. The next tanda will be softer rhythmic, such as D'Agostino with Vargas, and then a tanda of milongas. I might follow the milongas with a tanda of Di Sarli instrumentals, a tanda of dramatic Pugliese, and finish with a tanda of valses.
In many ways, the low-end density and power of Di Sarli is a perfect lead into the power and drama of classic Pugliese. Following Pugliese with valses solves the problem what to play after Pugliese. In some ways, no other tangos can follow classic Pugliese. Classic Pugliese is too ultimate in sound among the choices of golden-age tango music, and the more modern tangos are too much of the same thing as Pugliese. Following Pugliese with valses goes in another direction. The right valses can release the power and build drama and romance at the same time. But, the valses that follow Pugliese have to be sophsticated,. Di Sarli, D'Arienzo and Laurenz valses wouldn't work well. The sound is too elemental—"too country" as Nito Garcia would say. The more sophisticated valses of Caló, Biagi or contemporary orchestras work much better after Pugliese. So do some Canaro valses.
Releasing and Softening Tension
A release of the tension occurs when a tanda dramatically breaks the direction of the programming. I try to keep such a break from being jarring. Following a tanda of Pugliese with Los Tubatango valses or a tanda of contemporary valses with D'Arienzo is likely to prove too jarring. Some light Canaro valses, such as those with Nelly Omar, can release dramatic tension. Rhythmic tension can be released or eased by playing smooth or lyrical music. Light and lyrical music, such as Fresedo with Ray is often a refreshing way to release either dramatic or rhythmic tension.
A softening of the tension is less dramatic. A softening of tension occurs when a tanda is less ultimate in the direction of intensity or reverses direction of intensity. For example, late in the evening following Di Sarli instrumentals with a less dramatic tanda of Pugliese before the tanda of vals would soften the tension. Following the tanda of Di Sarli instrumentals with a tanda of softer rhythmic tangos before the milongas likely would soften the tension by more.
On some evenings, it may prove desirable to work with much less tension throughout an entire six-tanda cycle. Keeping a sense of continuity while reducing tension can be accomplished by using recordings with less intensity in a given direction or by reducing continuity in rhythmic and dramatic intensity. For instance, I might start a cycle of six tandas with a tanda of smooth Di Sarli instrumentals, continue with a tanda of lyrical or softer rhythmic tangos, and then play a tanda of milongas. Such an approach builds some intensity, but much less so than progressing from softer rhythmic tangos through harder rhythmic tangos to milongas.
After the milongas, I might use a tanda of softer rhythmic or lyrical tangos (whichever didn't precede the milongas). I might follow the tanda of lyrical tangos with either softer rhythmic tangos or dramatic tangos before concluding with a tanda of valses. I might follow the tanda of softer rhythmic tangos with either lyrical or harder rhythmic tangos before concluding with a tanda of vals.
If I work toward more rhythmic intensity with the tangos—lyrical to softer rhythmic or softer rhythmic to harder rhythmic, the tanda of vals will soften the tension and provide a sense of variety. If I work toward more dramatic or romantic intensity—lyrical to dramatic or softer rhythmic to lyrical—the tanda of vals will heighten any drama or romantic intensity and release any power that has been built. But, progressing from lyrical to dramatic tangos or softer rhythmic to lyrical tangos builds less intensity than progressing from powerful Di Sarli instrumentals to dramatic Pugliese.
The Dancers, the Music and Pulling the Strategies Together
When I DJ, I also watch the dancers to see whether they are connecting with the rhythm of the music. If they seem to be having trouble, I will play music with simpler and clearer rhythms such as 1930s Canaro, D'Arienzo, Caló with Podesta, and Di Sarli. Playing these orchestras helps educate the dancers to the basic rhythms of tango music, and it improves their ability to dance to the more complex pieces that build tension and draw them more deeply into the music. When the room seems full of beginners, I typically end up playing more music with simpler and more obvious rhythms.
Any strategy is less effective when conducted in isolation from the dancers. If the dancers seem willing to accept more tension, I will push it farther. If they seem to be at the height of tension or unwilling to accept much tension, I will find music to release or soften the tension. In general, I try to create greater tension as the evening progresses.
With an intuitive feel for the energy in the room and watching the dancers, I keep all of above strategies in mind while I select the next tanda to play. I find that my pursuing these strategies gives the dancers a stronger impression of having spent a full emotional evening dancing, and they go home a happy tired.
Alternative Strategies for Programming an Evening's Music
Although most DJs work at pleasing their dancing audience, not all take the strategy of building a mood that takes the dancers deeper and deeper into the music. Some play music for an audience whose composition shifts over the evening. Some play music in a wide mixture of styles during each hour.
At a milonga that I have attended a few times in another city, the DJ relies heavily on the more dramatic music from Pugliese, Caló with Beron, DeAngelis and tango shows early in the evening. In mid-evening, he shifts the mix toward the simpler social dance rhythms of DiSarli, Canaro, and Caló with Podesta. Moving toward the end of the evening, he shifts the mix toward music, such as D'Arienzo, Biagi, and Lomuto, that has the ric-tic-tic rhythm that is favored by those who dance the close-embrace styles of tango.
A friend who attended this milonga regularly explained that this DJ is playing music for people who want to dance theatrically early in the evening. And, when he starts playing serious social dance music, those who are into theatrics go home and leave the dance floor to those who want to dance socially. Personally, I have not found dancing at this milonga very satisfying, but I am glad that those who dance theatrically go home early.
Another strategy is to play tango music in a wide mixture of styles during each hour, keeping the music in tandas, but mixing the orchestras in the tandas of vals and milonga without much regard to style. A milonga where the DJ uses this strategy feels like the top 40 hits of tango—fun, but without the development of an intense mood that draws the dancers deeper and deeper into the music.
Whatever the strategy, DJs who watch the dancers are provided with instant feedback about how they are doing. If half of the dancers sit down and leave the dance floor nearly empty, it may be an indication that the music is not inspiring enough for the moment. If the dancers seem to be struggling with the rhythm, it may be an indication that the dancers need music with simpler and clearer rhythms. If the floor is crowded with people who are dancing well (by the community's standards) and dancers walk off the floor with big smiles at the end of a tanda, it is an indication that the DJ is doing something right.
Closing an Evening of Dancing
When the DJ at a milonga in Buenos Aires plays the tango classic "La Cumparsita," dancers know the milonga is ending and the evening is coming to a close. At milongas in Buenos Aires, DJs typically play at least two versions of "La Cumparsita" to end the evening. Dancers often dance the first version with whoever is nearby and reserve the second for someone special. Sometimes DJs will play more than two versions of "La Cumparsita."
Many DJs in North America have also adopted the practice of playing "La Cumparsita" to close the evening. The practice helps educate their dancers to the social codes of milongas in Buenos Aires.
Many orchestras have recorded "La Cumparsita," and some have recorded it more than once. Consequently, the DJ has a wide range of excellent choices in every style including old guard, harder rhythmic, softer rhythmic, smooth, dramatic, transitional and nuevo tango.
In selecting which version of "La Cumparsita" to play, the DJ should consider what most of the dancers would appreciate hearing and dancing to at the end of the evening. Do most of the dancers tend toward the close-embrace styles of tango, or to salon-style tango? Would many like the challenge of dancing to the jazz elements of new tango?
