[TANGO-L] DJing and dancing outside the box

[Dan Boccia <redfox @alaska.net>]

Lots of discussion about music and DJing again, with a hint of dance styles.

My whole perspective about music, dancing, styles, etc. has changed a lot
lately.  There are some really great tango parties springing up on the west
coast lately - I'm still recovering from one of them last weekend.  The
milongas often go for over 8 hours and there are a LOT of people still
dancing at the end, not just 2 or 3 couples.  Needless to say, the music is
consistently above average and often absolutely fabulous, or the dancers
wouldn't still be dancing after 8 hours.  The DJs are using anything from
raw original CDs to MP3/laptop setups.  The music is definitely rooted in
the tradition of the classic-era orchestras but at the same time forging new
frontiers with music from other genres, etc. that are added tastefully to
the mix and mood of the atmosphere.  The dancing reflects the various
personalities of the participants with very few floorcraft issues.  We don’t
talk about styles of dance or what tools the DJ is using, but we talk a lot
about good dancing, musicality, and good music.  I don’t care if the DJ is
using a computer, a CD, vinyl or something else, as long as it is the right
song at the right moment, that is all that matters.  So let’s not knock
laptop/MP3 programs or any other sort of DJ tools!  Any problem with the
music is a problem with the DJ's judgment and/or knowledge, not his/her
choice of tools.

I get tired of worrying about what tools the DJ uses, or what style of
dancing goes with certain music.  I also tire of the supposition that
Piazzolla or non-tango sets necessarily result in poor dancing and poor
floorcraft.  That’s not what I’m experiencing.  The musical interpretation
that I witness at these parties is like watching and experiencing poetry in
motion.  The beauty is that it’s all happening on the same dance floor, and
everyone is having a blast, whether they dance close, open, whatever.  We
marvel at each others’ individual dance personality and special talent.  We
applaud the DJs that come up with fresh ways to present the classic music by
the classic orchestras that we all love so much, as long as thier focus is
intently on the dancers rather than "just being creative".  When there is
this much dancing, you end up hearing some of the same music at least twice,
but the DJs who are successful find ways to mix up the sets and otherwise
find ways to keep the music fresh.  These dancers and DJs definitely know
good dance music, and the best dance music always rises to the top - Troilo,
Biagi, Di Sarli, etc. are huge favorites simply because it's still the best
dance music available, period.  These parties are constantly raising the bar
for DJs and dancers alike.  In this environment, there is no chance to coast
or sit on old ideas - the atmosphere keeps us all sharp.  I always leave
thinking I have a lot of work to do with the music to be better next time
around when I DJ again, or I'll be left in the dust.

I can’t help but think that a little history is being written now, with the
tremendous energy flow up and down the US west coast we've been
experiencing.  I'm including the two big parties in Denver in this general
description because although these are theme parties specifically focusing
on milonguero style, the overwhelming abundance of dancing puts these events
in the same category for me.  I know there are other events around the
country that are similar (Washington, D.C. in March comes to mind) but I
haven't been to them (yet).  With rooms full of supercharged dancers sharing
the floor and getting high on tango in general, the truly excellent social
dancers emerge, who serve as role models for everyone else.  The thing I
love is that the dancers that are most in demand are the ones who are
courteous to their partners and the other people on the floor.  These are
the dancers who understand floorcraft, musicality, connection, and quality.
The few people (if any?) who do wild theatrics find themselves sitting down
a lot or changing their attitude.  We don’t need to have long discussions on
the internet about any of this because it all works itself out on the dance
floor.  Quality always wins in the end, as far as the music and the dancing
both are concerned.  The DJs who don't play good music get weeded out, and
the dancers who crash into other people or otherwise don't contribute
positive energy to the event get a lot of time sitting down or they change
their attitude.

Dan