Encuentro Milonguero April 24-26, 2026
🎶 DJs
🎶Our DJs For this Encuentro, we wanted the music to reflect both the voice of our community and the deep roots of Tango Milonguero. Before finalizing our lineup, I conducted a survey among potential participants to learn which DJs they most wanted to hear. The top three emerged clearly—and I am thrilled to have invited them. This process was important to me because it shows that your input matters, and I wanted to respond to it directly.
Each DJ we’ve invited is a leader in their community, actively supporting the growth of Tango Milonguero dancing. In selecting them, I sought to honor their dedication, artistry, and the way they nurture our dance culture.
I’m especially excited to welcome Cathy Knowlton, a local talent who will be DJing at an Encuentro for the very first time. As a milonguero dancer of decades, I deeply appreciate her musical sensibility and feel her music will bring a unique and heartfelt energy to our event.
We can’t wait to dance to the music they’ve chosen with love, experience, and care for our community.
Each DJ we’ve invited is a leader in their community, actively supporting the growth of Tango Milonguero dancing. In selecting them, I sought to honor their dedication, artistry, and the way they nurture our dance culture.
I’m especially excited to welcome Cathy Knowlton, a local talent who will be DJing at an Encuentro for the very first time. As a milonguero dancer of decades, I deeply appreciate her musical sensibility and feel her music will bring a unique and heartfelt energy to our event.
We can’t wait to dance to the music they’ve chosen with love, experience, and care for our community.
Sohrab Soltani has been dancing Argentine Tango for over 13 years, in the past seven years he has DJed milongas in Charleston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Durham, Ashville, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Salt Lake City, Denver, Salida CO, Los Angeles, Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Marin, Mountain View, and at present DJs in San Francisco area milongas.
Sohrab has DJed events across the US: Utopia Encuentro in Charleston and Durham, Pioneer Encuentro in Salt Lake City, Two Moon Encuentro in Santa Fe, Salida Encuentro in Colorado, Nowrouz Milonguero Tango Festival in Ashville, Wine Country Encuentro in Santa Rosa, Queen City Tango Marathon in Charlotte, Close Encounters Tango Festival Denver, Los Angeles Encuentro Milonguero, and Albuquerque Encuentro Milonguero.
Sohrab prefers music from the Golden Age and his goal is to keep the dancers energized throughout the milonga.
Sohrab has DJed events across the US: Utopia Encuentro in Charleston and Durham, Pioneer Encuentro in Salt Lake City, Two Moon Encuentro in Santa Fe, Salida Encuentro in Colorado, Nowrouz Milonguero Tango Festival in Ashville, Wine Country Encuentro in Santa Rosa, Queen City Tango Marathon in Charlotte, Close Encounters Tango Festival Denver, Los Angeles Encuentro Milonguero, and Albuquerque Encuentro Milonguero.
Sohrab prefers music from the Golden Age and his goal is to keep the dancers energized throughout the milonga.
Andy Stein has been DJing tango since 2012, at Encuentros and Marathons across the U.S. and Europe. He is crafting musical journeys—mixing classic Golden Age favorites with a few surprises to keep things fresh.
His tandas are sequenced to create a pleasant energy flow on the dance floor, blending romantic, dramatic, rhythmic, lyrical, playful, and intense moods. He uses a monitor to show current and upcoming tandas, helping dancers pick the right partner.
During the pandemic, Andy started hosting weekly Zoom milongas called Tandas Around the World, giving dancers a chance to connect, chat, and enjoy great music from home. He also launched Milonga as a Service (MaaS)—a 24/7 online tango stream that’s totally free and open to everyone at tinyurl.com/milongaas.
His tandas are sequenced to create a pleasant energy flow on the dance floor, blending romantic, dramatic, rhythmic, lyrical, playful, and intense moods. He uses a monitor to show current and upcoming tandas, helping dancers pick the right partner.
During the pandemic, Andy started hosting weekly Zoom milongas called Tandas Around the World, giving dancers a chance to connect, chat, and enjoy great music from home. He also launched Milonga as a Service (MaaS)—a 24/7 online tango stream that’s totally free and open to everyone at tinyurl.com/milongaas.
Robert Hauk has been an Argentine Tango teacher and DJ since 1997. Based in Portland Oregon, he specializes in close embrace “milonguero” style tango. Robert’s teaching focuses on solid foundations with a particular emphasis on the dynamics of smooth, elegant walking and sensitive communication between partners.
As a DJ Robert is known for his knowledge and love of classic tango music. He has DJed at festivals around the country in addition to hosting and DJing the long-running Monday milonga in Portland.
More recently Robert has been working on DJing with vinyl, another challenge, the great sound of vinyl another pleasure for dancers.
After the pandemic Robert has been back DJing in Portlnad at La Naifas and at Tango Berretin.
As a DJ Robert is known for his knowledge and love of classic tango music. He has DJed at festivals around the country in addition to hosting and DJing the long-running Monday milonga in Portland.
More recently Robert has been working on DJing with vinyl, another challenge, the great sound of vinyl another pleasure for dancers.
After the pandemic Robert has been back DJing in Portlnad at La Naifas and at Tango Berretin.
Ken Brown’s favorite saying is: “I fell in love with the music first; then I learned how to dance”. With Ken’s love of tango music, he began a quest that led to the creation of the workshop “Musicality and the Brain,” which is a journey on how music affects the brain and how it affects your dance. Ken has been teaching this for over a decade and brings this knowledge to his DJ style.
Currently, the House DJ for one of the oldest running Milongas in Seattle, WA. Ken is known for listening to and playing for the crowd. Not believing in playlists, he chooses his music on the fly by the energy created by the dancers in the room. You will often see him standing to feel the music and sense the crowd during the Milonga. Ken has traveled all over the United States and internationally, DJing at different Milonga’s and dancing. Being a person who practices what he preaches, you will always find Ken looking for ways to improve his dance and his DJing. Winner of the 2019 ATUSA Senior Salon and 5th place in the Tango de Pista, Ken keeps broadening his Tango Horizons by traveling to Europe Encuentro’s.
Cathy Knowlton began dancing tango in 2006 and started DJ’ing in 2018, quickly becoming one of Vancouver’s most sought-after DJs.
From 2020 to 2022, she studied with renowned DJs Horacio Pebete Godoy and Hernán Alvarez Prieto, immersed in the milonguero culture of BA. These studies shaped her understanding of the great orchestras, the history and evolution of tango music, and the art of creating cohesive tandas that honor the spirit of the milonga.
Her style is rooted in the golden age of tango from the late 1930s and 1940s, with carefully chosen gems from the 1920s and 1950s when the energy is right. Drawing inspiration from the traditional Buenos Aires milongas, Cathy focuses on danceability, harmony, and flow—balancing rhythmic and lyrical tandas with just enough drama to keep the floor alive — always keenly watching the dancers. Above all, she strives to create memorable milongas where the music invites connection, joy, and full dance floors. Nothing makes her happier than a full dance floor of smiling tangueros.
Cathy co-hosts & DJs a popular monthly practica as well as regularly playing music at community milongas, practicas and special events.
From 2020 to 2022, she studied with renowned DJs Horacio Pebete Godoy and Hernán Alvarez Prieto, immersed in the milonguero culture of BA. These studies shaped her understanding of the great orchestras, the history and evolution of tango music, and the art of creating cohesive tandas that honor the spirit of the milonga.
Her style is rooted in the golden age of tango from the late 1930s and 1940s, with carefully chosen gems from the 1920s and 1950s when the energy is right. Drawing inspiration from the traditional Buenos Aires milongas, Cathy focuses on danceability, harmony, and flow—balancing rhythmic and lyrical tandas with just enough drama to keep the floor alive — always keenly watching the dancers. Above all, she strives to create memorable milongas where the music invites connection, joy, and full dance floors. Nothing makes her happier than a full dance floor of smiling tangueros.
Cathy co-hosts & DJs a popular monthly practica as well as regularly playing music at community milongas, practicas and special events.
