My Journey as a Tango DJ
Milonga Virtual de Vancouver Milongueros
Tango Radio Milonguera
I began DJing Tango in 1996 with only a handful of CDs from Vancouver's two music stores at the time—HMS and Virgin. Each album contained only a few tracks suitable for social dancing, so building an entire evening of music required patience, careful curation, and a bit of creativity. As I began organizing tango events, I became fascinated by the challenge of crafting an evening that would keep dancers inspired from the first tanda to the last.
In 1998, I traveled to Buenos Aires, where I discovered the rich world of Golden Age tango recordings from the 1940s and '50s—the music that forms the heart of social tango. I spent countless hours searching record stores for treasures to bring home. At first, I built my music library on cassette tapes, later transitioning to burned CDs. DJs who lived through that era will remember both the challenge and the joy of building a collection long before digital music libraries put thousands of tracks at our fingertips.
After returning from Buenos Aires, I introduced the concept of tandas and cortinas to Vancouver in 1999, helping establish the musical structure that soon became the standard at local milongas. In the early 2000s, I also shared what I had learned by hosting one of Vancouver's first Tango DJ workshops in my home.
When I started, Tango DJs were relatively rare. Today, anyone can assemble a digital playlist, but creating a memorable dance experience remains an art. I approach DJing first and foremost as a dancer. That perspective shapes every musical choice I make, and I look for music that feels as good to dance as it does to listen to. Every crowd tells a different story, and I enjoy discovering that story together with the dancers, responding to their energy in real time.
Over the years, I've had the privilege of DJing at festivals and milongas throughout North America and Europe, including Portland TangoFest, Seattle Magic Tango, New York, Halifax, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria, Istanbul, Berlin, and London.
The music may now be only a click away, but creating an unforgettable night of dancing still requires something technology cannot replace: listening to the dancers.
Milonga Virtual de Vancouver Milongueros
Tango Radio Milonguera
I began DJing Tango in 1996 with only a handful of CDs from Vancouver's two music stores at the time—HMS and Virgin. Each album contained only a few tracks suitable for social dancing, so building an entire evening of music required patience, careful curation, and a bit of creativity. As I began organizing tango events, I became fascinated by the challenge of crafting an evening that would keep dancers inspired from the first tanda to the last.
In 1998, I traveled to Buenos Aires, where I discovered the rich world of Golden Age tango recordings from the 1940s and '50s—the music that forms the heart of social tango. I spent countless hours searching record stores for treasures to bring home. At first, I built my music library on cassette tapes, later transitioning to burned CDs. DJs who lived through that era will remember both the challenge and the joy of building a collection long before digital music libraries put thousands of tracks at our fingertips.
After returning from Buenos Aires, I introduced the concept of tandas and cortinas to Vancouver in 1999, helping establish the musical structure that soon became the standard at local milongas. In the early 2000s, I also shared what I had learned by hosting one of Vancouver's first Tango DJ workshops in my home.
When I started, Tango DJs were relatively rare. Today, anyone can assemble a digital playlist, but creating a memorable dance experience remains an art. I approach DJing first and foremost as a dancer. That perspective shapes every musical choice I make, and I look for music that feels as good to dance as it does to listen to. Every crowd tells a different story, and I enjoy discovering that story together with the dancers, responding to their energy in real time.
Over the years, I've had the privilege of DJing at festivals and milongas throughout North America and Europe, including Portland TangoFest, Seattle Magic Tango, New York, Halifax, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria, Istanbul, Berlin, and London.
The music may now be only a click away, but creating an unforgettable night of dancing still requires something technology cannot replace: listening to the dancers.
