So, I did it.
Not so long ago, I ruminated on whether you can dance tango moves on non-tango music. My position until now was that you cannot.
Somehow, that conversation between my friend Thomas Kröter and the (neo)tango DJ Elio Astor has planted the seeds in my mind. And they've grown.
Consider this: all milongas in Prague are 100% traditional. Once in a blue moon, there is a so-called "neolonga", and it's usually packed full. A sub-community of my dancers are hungry for fresh beats.
And what I am as DJ if not a crowd-pleaser? After enough tangueras shared with me that they'd love to dance neo again, I said to myself, fuck it, I'm gonna do it.
I organized a cross-over milonga that would include contemporary cover bands, non-tango songs, and some electro beats. I called it Nuevo Tango Bar, where "Bar" was meant to indicate a cheerful, slightly intoxicated mood I was going for.
What I saw was beautiful.
While the music was new, I saw the same old tango moves we all cherish. It was a party, relaxed, sometimes wild but mostly with a respectful ronda.
The playlist was pre-planned, with only minor fine-tuning during the event. This is how it went.
- No sé tú * Orquesta Romantica Milonguera, Roberto Minondi (2020)
- Solo tú * Orquesta Romantica Milonguera, Hache de Huilen (2019)
- Algo contigo * Orquesta Romantica Milonguera, Ximena Gimenez, Roberto Minondi (2020)
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- A Mi Viejo * Calavera Acid Tango (2018)
- Under The Moon feat. Ekaterina (Full Moon Remix) * Seoan (2010)
- 2046 Main Theme (Rumba Version * Various (2004)
- Querer * Francesca Gagnon (2014)
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- Amor O Nada * Otros Aires (2016)
- Like A Tango * Otros Aires (2016)
- Raro - versión español / siciliano * Otros Aires (2013)
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- Yo no sé que me han hecho tus ojos * Sexteto Andiamo (2019)
- Buonasera * Orquesta Típica Andariega (2019)
- Gira Gira * Sexteto Andiamo (2019)
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- Trenzas * Collectif Roulotte Tango, Gaspar Pocai (2015)
- Corrientes y Esmeralda * Collectif Roulotte Tango, Gaspar Pocai (2012)
- Qué falta que me hacés * Collectif Roulotte Tango, Gaspar Pocai (2012)
--
- Cada vez que respiras * Esteban Morgado Cuarteto (2007)
- Yesterday * Orquesta Romantica Milonguera (2020)
- Por una cabeza * Bandonegro (2017)
- Tango to Evora * Conjunto Berretin (2005)
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- Baldosa floja * Tangorra Orquesta Atípica / Laura Vigoya Arango (2019)
- Milonga en la 31 * Aureliano Tango Club (2010)
- Retrolonga * Electrocutango (2003)
--
- Adio Kerida (2007) * Yasmin Levy (2007)
- Beautiful Tango (Unplugged) * Hindi Zahra (2019)
- Querer * Francesca Gagnon (2014) (This was by special request since most people missed it the 1st time :)
--
- The Perfect Tango * Otros Aires (2016)
- Bailando Sin Paraíso * Otros Aires (2016)
- Perro Viejo * Otros Aires (2016)
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- La loca de amor * Sexteto Cristal (2019)
- Lágrimas y sonrisas * Sexteto Cristal (2019)
- Vals De Invierno * Solo Tango Orquesta (2017)
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- El último café * La Auténtica Milonguera / Marisol Martinez (2020)
- Cada vez que me recuerdes * La Auténtica Milonguera / Marisol Martinez (2020)
- Cristal * La Auténtica Milonguera / Marisol Martinez, Jesus Hidalgo (2020)
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- Nocturno Calavera * Calavera Acid Tango (2018)
- Englishman In New York * Tanghetto (2008)
- Tango de Amor * Magda Navarrette (2008)
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- Futbolera * Esteban Morgado Cuarteto (2007)
- Milonga de la Puteada * Esteban Morgado Cuarteto (2007)
- Morena * Esteban Morgado Cuarteto (2007)
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- Mil Pasos * Soha (2007)
- Los Celos * La Negra (2012)
- Martingala * Julieta Laso (2018)
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- Tristeza de arrabal * Otros Aires (2010)
- Barrio de amor * Otros Aires (2010)
- Junto a la Aurora * Otros Aires (2010)
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- No nos veremos más * Collectif Roulotte Tango, Gaspar Pocai (2015)
- Musa * Quinteto Ángel / Sergio Gobi (2014)
- Que nadie sepa mi sufrir * Tango Spleen Orquesta, Mariano Speranza (2018)
--
- Milonguea del ayer * Craig Einhorn (2005)
- Dársena Sur * Juan Carlos Caceres (2013)
- Una Noche Mas * Yasmin Levy (2007)
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- Solamente ella * The Alex Krebs Tango Sextet (2011)
- Hasta siempre, amor * Tángalo, Fabían Rodríguez (2014)
- No te apures, Carablanca * The Alex Krebs Tango Sextet / Vicente "El Cartucho" Griego (2011)
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- Allerdings Otros Aires * Otros Aires (2007)
- "Otra Noche en "La Viruta"" * Otros Aires (2007)
- Sin Rumbo * Otros Aires (2005)
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- Cuando florezcan los rosales * Sexteto Cristal, Guillermo Rozenthuler (2018)
- Noches de invierno * Sexteto Cristal, Guillermo Rozenthuler (2018)
- Vals del recuerdo * Sexteto Cristal, Guillermo Rozenthuler (2018)
--
- Remembranza * Orquesta Romantica Milonguera, Roberto Minondi (2020)
- Vida mía * Orquesta Romantica Milonguera, Ximena Gimenez (2020)
- Algo contigo * Orquesta Romantica Milonguera, Ximena Gimenez, Roberto Minondi (2020)
- La cumparsita * Tángalo, Susana Bishop (2014)
It may not be immediately obvious but the set has the TTVTTM structure even as it does not feature any TVM recorded in the previous century.
There were no cortinas, which led to some confusion among my dancers. Remember, all events in Prague are hard-core trad. I will think hard on what to do next. For this type of music, I strongly prefer a continuous flow.
We had leaders! Gender parity! The RSVPs had 1 man for every 4 women. Thankfully, they brought their favorite leaders over.
Last but not least, I heard that miradas and cabeceos were more egalitarian than usual. Perhaps that goes with the overall feel of the event. Allegedly the women were not shy of initiating. Bravo!
What this means to my DJing is unclear, other than I'll attempt to make this a regular affair, perhaps monthly. As of now, I feel somehow liberated and freer. As if I've broken out of a mental prison.