Claudia Petit:I try to propose different atmospheres during the night, not to play the same mood for a long time

New Great Tango DJ Interview. Today we meet, Claudia Petit. 

Happy reading.

From the beginning : I suppose that your first approach with tango, like for other dj, was with the dance. What inspired you to get into console and play music? A conscious decision or was the result of chance?

Both of them : with my friends Judith and Nicolas, we started a weekly new milonga (Les 9 Billards) and we decided that all three will play the music on it. 

What was your early taste of tango? There are significant differences with the current scene? My first class of dance technique... very big difference with today.

Do you remember your first engagement as a tango dj? Not the first one....

When do you prepare or construct your Set? A long time before the gig, on the day of the milonga, or do you improvise freely during the evening? I improvise freely during the evening, but sometimes I can prepare something just to play a track that obsesses me in the moment or a new track that I never played.

Have you ever played a boring set? Did you maybe understand too late that the milonga could not give you the right motivation and you could not wait to finish? Regrettably yes. But I always have pleasure to listen tango music, so I finish the night with my CDs by trying to work a little for my personal  luggage around djing.

Do you accept whatever gig is o!ered to you or do you try to select engagements, preferring a special location or fascinating evening with friends? At the beginning, all engagements were perfect to me. At the moment, as I have too much work with  teaching tango, I prefers to go to a milonga to dance and to listen the good music of my colleagues. So, I select the engagements at the moment. 

How would you define your style? Generally, people say that I play an energetic music... 

Has it evolved over time? Into which direction? I hope that it has evolved over time. I try to propose different atmospheres during the night, not to play the same mood for a long time, either feel like jumping from one thing to another...I try to build something which looks like a story that you tell during a few hours.  

What can influence you during an evening, the audience, the dancers, the acoustics of the location, the duration of the Milonga...All these points can influence me.

Do you prefer playing alone or sharing the night with a / colleague. Do you generally prefer to work alone, or with friends who you feeling? Or, you love the thrill of experimenting with a colleague ever heard until then?

I prefer playing alone, but sometimes it is nice to share the night with another DJ. The thrill... no, just playing music and I'm happy when it gives some pleasure for who is listening or dancing it.

If someone asks you the name of a track, do you give him the requested information, perhaps mentioning the CD where he can find it, or do you refuse and thus force him to engage into an adventure of search and find? 

I give him the requested information.

The audience bothers you with absurd requests: what do you do? Are you a jukebox? No, I'm not a jukebox ! I really not accept this kind of requests.

 Do you like to dance and listen to your colleagues enjoy the selections and styles of others from your performances?Of course !Do you believe that the art of “musicalizador” is different for geographic areas? Argentina, USA, Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean ... or is it similar in every countries? I think that the art of "musicalizar" is rather a personal business, a personal taste. So in the same country do you have a lot of DJs with their characteristics each one.But we always have the orchestras or singers or tracks which are "in" at one moment and so, every DJ plays it... sometimes it can be a little too homogeneous.

Would you like to have a milonga just for you, furnish it with the appropriate facility to your desires, try to create a wave that satisfies you over to play when you want and create a calendar of events to measure your tastes? Even if you have, organize a milonga, there are a lot of points which will make this milonga not only YOUR milonga... it must be for the dancers who come to dance, I mean, you can't do a milonga just for your satisfaction.... even a successful milonga is the one where everybody find his pleasure. 

Three orchestras that can not miss in one evening.D'ArienzoDi SarliPugliese

Your three favourite orchestras, which may also be different from the previous ones. 

At this moment : D'Arienzo, Di Sarli, Laurenz

Suggest a tanda of tango instrumental, a tanda of tango singer, one of vals and milonga.

Tanda instrumental:Di Sarli (40s) : Siete palabras, El pollo Rcardo, El pollito, La racha

Tanda with a singer: Canaro con Maida : Ojos negros que fascinan, Cadena de amor, Callecita de mi novia, Desaliento

Vals:Tipica Victor : Temo, Samaritana, Sin rumbo

Milonga: D'Arienzo : Milonga del recuerdo, La cicatriz, Milonga del 83

What are the three bands or singers you can not stand?

I dont know very well Firpo... but except for some tracks with singers,  I'm not a fan of Firpo's intrumentals ; either Salgan (even if I really like some tracks of Quinteto Real)

What is the band most underrated by the general public and which is the most overrated? 

Underrated : Gobbi instrumentals; Troilo instrumentals from the 50s (renowned difficult)

Overrated : Fresedo

Your top three nights (in your opinion of course ...) one special night at the 9 billerds in Parisone spécial afternoon at The "Comptoir Général" in Parisone crowded night at one tango festival in Turin, Italy

We are less serious: Last night a dj saved my life. Are DJs sexy? have you ever had a relationship with a fan or a flirt with a colleague?Yes, some DJs are sexy... no, I never had it.

Jens Dorr: Always happy when people want to know more about tango music.

Ready for another great tango DJ Interview? Here, for you the secrets of Jens Dorr. Have a good reading.

From the beginning : I suppose that your first approach with tango, like for other dj, was with the dance. 

I started listening to tango by the time I played the tenor sax, playing tunes of Astor Piazzolla some 25 years ago. It was only about ten years later that I started to dance.

What inspired you to get into console and play music? A conscious decision or was the result of chance? 

Chance. I was invited to dj every night during two weeks of tango holidays in Greece. I didn't have anything better to do, so I went. It was so much fun, that I kept on doing it.

What was your early taste of tango? There are significant differences with the current scene? 

In the beginning I had around 500 pieces on my computer. 

Some traditional tangos, some non-tangos and, what I liked most, some modern Troilos from the 60s and 70s(!) ... and the people loved it.

After a while of developing my dance and listening more carefully I didn't like the non-tangos anymore. Today traditional tango music is appreciated much more than in those early days. By the way, I still like listening to the late Troilos...but not on the dancefloor.

Do you remember your first engagement as a tango dj?

Yes, see above.

When do you prepare or construct your Set? A long time before the gig, on the day of the milonga, or do you improvise freely during the evening? 

I like to prepare a folder of some pieces I'd like to play that evening. How I put them together, I decide during the set.

Have you ever played a boring set? Did you maybe understand too late that the milonga could not give you the right motivation and you could not wait to finish? 

First: Yes of course this happened in the past. 

Second: Yes of course I played at milongas where I had the feeling that people were not listening to the music and that can be tiring.

Do you accept whatever gig is offered to you or do you try to select engagements, preferring a special location or fascinating evening with friends? 

At the beginning I took everything to gain experience. Today it is more a question of time because of my tango school/milonga

How would you define your style? Has it evolved over time? Into which direction? What can influence you during an evening, the audience, the dancers, the acoustics of the location, the duration of the Milonga...

Of course I became more and more familiar with the music I have. Nowadays I can more easily react to the needs of the crowd. But that does not mean that I am always right... Everything around has an effect on me and on my music. 

Do you prefer playing alone or sharing the night with a / colleague. Do you generally prefer to work alone, or with friends who you feeling? Or, you love the thrill of experimenting with a colleague ever heard until then?

I prefer to play on my own. But there are some colleagues with whom I could imagine sharing the dj set.

If someone asks you the name of a track, do you give him the requested information, perhaps mentioning the CD where he can find it, or do you refuse and thus force him to engage into an adventure of search and find? 

I am rather generous with this kind of information. Always happy when people want to know more about tango music.

The audience bothers you with absurd requests: what do you do? Are you a jukebox? 

If I don't want to play it then I don't play it.

Do you like to dance and listen to your colleagues enjoy the selections and styles of others from your performances?

I don't know if I understand the question.. Of course I like to dance on other djs sets. Otherwise I could not dance at all.

Do you believe that the art of “musicalizador” is different for geographic areas? Argentina, USA, Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean ... or is it similar in every countries? 

I think it is more a question of the type of event. Is it a local regular milonga, is it a festival with live music or a marathon. I play a different set at each of them.

Would you like to have a milonga just for you, furnish it with the appropriate facility to your desires, try to create a wave that satisfies you over to play when you want and create a calendar of events to measure your tastes? 

I already have it... and I love it!!

Three orchestras that can not miss in one evening.

Juan d'Arienzo, Rodolfo Biagi, Francisco Canaro

Your three favourite orchestras, which may also be different from the previous ones. 

Anibal Troilo, Ricardo Tanturi with Enrique Campos, Pedro Laurenz

Suggest a tanda of tango instrumental, a tanda of tango singer, one of vals and milonga.

Tanda instrumental:

d'Arienzo 

-Yunta Brava

-El marne

-Por que razon

-Maipo

Tanda with a singer: 

Tango:

Tanturi/Campos

-Que sera de ti

-Y siempre igual

-Oigo tu voz

-El sueno del pibe

Vals:

Laurenz

-Caseron de tejas

-Mascarita

-Flores del alma

Milonga: 

Donato

Sacale punta

Ella es asi

De punta a punta

What are the three bands or singers you can not stand?

Heino, Kastelruther Spatzen... just joking, back to Tango: Nearly every orchestra has something to offer: I think it is always a question of when and how much of it.

What is the band most underrated by the general public and which is the most overrated? 

To be honest... I don't like that kind of discussion.

Your top three nights (in your opinion of course ...)

I liked all those nights where I had the feeling that I am with the dancers and they are with me.

We are less serious: Last night a dj saved my life. Are DJs sexy? Have you ever had a relationship with a fan or a flirt with a colleague? 

A gentleman never tells.

"GLI ACROBATI": AL TEATRO A L'AVOGARIA LA SHOAH, TRA IL TRAGICO E IL COMICO, SECONDO IL GRANDE SCRITTORE NEWYORCHESE NATHAN ENGLANDER

"GLI ACROBATI": AL TEATRO A L'AVOGARIA LA SHOAH,  TRA IL TRAGICO E IL COMICO, SECONDO IL GRANDE SCRITTORE NEWYORCHESE NATHAN ENGLANDER

L'umorismo amaro di Nathan Englander é di scena al Teatro a l'Avogaria. Venerdí 6 giugno 2014, ore 21.00, nello storico teatro di Venezia, Dorsoduro 1617, appuntamento con "Gli acrobati", saggio conclusivo dell'anno accademico 2013/14 della scuola di recitazione Giovanni Poli. Lo spettacolo,  per la regia di Stefano Pagin , é un adattamento del celebre racconto dello scrittore israelo - americano e newyorchese incluso nella sua prima raccolta di brevi storie " Per alleviare insopportabili impulsi" che lo ha portato alla ribalta internazionale nel 1999. 

Siamo nel pieno della seconda guerra mondiale e i carri merci partono strapieni verso i lager. Un piccolo gruppo di Chassidim sopravvissuti allo scioglimento del ghetto di un villaggio sperduto della Polonia si prepara alla deportazione per quella che viene spacciata come una “residenza estiva”. A causa dell'efficiente rapidità degli aguzzini, di equivoci e coincidenze, lo sparuto gruppo si ritrova in viaggio a bordo del treno sbagliato. Il convoglio trasporta artisti di circo, fantasisti, ballerine, musicisti ed è diretto verso una misteriosa località dove i teatranti sono stati scritturati per un importantissimo spettacolo. Pur di non lasciar trapelare la loro origine ebraica e senza alcuna nozione tecnica in proposito i Chassidim decidono di fingersi acrobati. La vicenda è paradossale, ma non impossibile, nella ricostruzione storica della Shoah ancora oggi si scoprono episodi che  superano ogni più terribile fantasia. Questa storia è inventata, ma avrebbe potuto accadere. L'ironia diventa la chiave di lettura per esorcizzare un passato pieno di crudeltà. 

L’Associazione Teatro a l’Avogaria, nasce nel 1969 dalla passione e dalla tenacia di Giovanni Poli, già fondatore del Teatro Universitario Cà Foscari di Venezia, e dagli esordi si pone come laboratorio di ricerca che coniuga un metodo d’improvvisazione teatrale tra la Commedia dell’Arte e le Teorie dell’Avanguardia. In più di quarant’anni di attività ha prodotto oltre sessanta spettacoli tra cui la “Commedia degli Zanni” rappresentata con successo sui più importanti palcoscenici internazionali. Riconosciuta come uno dei centri di formazione professionale di riferimento nel Triveneto, ogni anno organizza corsi, dedicati ad appassionati e professionisti, su discipline quali recitazione, Commedia dell’Arte, dizione, storia del teatro, canto, tecnica dell’interpretazione.

Lo spettacolo, in replica sabato 7 giugno, ore 21.00, e domenica 8 giugno alle ore 18.00,  su prenotazione telefonica ai numeri 

0410991967-335372889 , o via email : avogaria@gmail.com

Info: http://www.teatro-avogaria.it/

Tugba Tanoren: "When I hear a tango that I like I think all the time how I could do a tanda with this"

After a break, we continue our journey discovering the secrets of great TangoDJ. This time we meet the legendary and super cool Tugba Tanoren.  Are you ready?

From the beginning: I suppose that your first approach with tango, like for other dj, was with the dance. What inspired you to get into console and play music? A conscious decision or was the result of chance?

I suppose the DJ seed was first planted as I began to develop my dance and interpret the music of the different orchestras and singers in my own way. I became curious about the music and began to investigate the history of the orchestras and the way that they developed over the years and how one orchestra could be so different by a change of singer and/or decade. This seed then came to blossom as I on occasions became frustrated by the seemingly lack of knowledge and structure of the sets by some DJs and I began to feel that I could definitely do a better job. Hence I made the conscious decision to put my thoughts into action.

What was your early taste of tango? There are significant differences with the current scene?

In the early days in my region, it was very much tango nuevo that ruled the seas. If you didn’t do at least 5 volcadas in every song you were a nobody. J It has taken time but we are slowly getting back to the roots of traditional tango and the dancers are slowly realizing that the basics are essential. I hardly play Nuevo or alternative tangos in my Gigs but this is the truth is nuevo and alternative tango help to attract beginners and young people to tango.

Do you remember your first engagement as a tango dj?

Yes, it is a memory that will live with me until my dying day. I was an emotional wreck that night - I was excited, nervous, proud and scared. Luckily the dj set and night went well and was warmly appreciated by the dancers and organizer and I went home with a big smile on my face knowing that I had found something from within that I could share with others. 

When do you prepare or construct your Set? A long time before the gig, on the day of the milonga, or do you improvise freely during the evening?

I always have my favorite tandas as my base they stay more or less the same with one or two songs being changed from time to time. Then I select a second list depending on the milonga and city/country, as I know from past experience that different countries generally have different tastes in music. So I try to adapt accordingly. Then the choice of tandas, creation of new tandas and the order of play are arranged on the night depending on the mood of the milonga and the energy within the place. Preparation is a continuous process never stops actually. When I hear a tango that I like I think all the time how I could do a tanda with this.

Have you ever played a boring set? Did you maybe understand too late that the milonga could not give you the right motivation and you could not wait to finish?

In my early days I played a set where for whatever reason I was unable to inspire anything creative from the dancers. The organizers had ideas that they wanted me to do. The mood and energy of the place was low and I was unable to inspire – or at least that is what I thought. The dancers thanked me warmly at the end and said it was my music that kept them to stay at the milonga so they still had a good night. J

Do you accept whatever gig is offered to you or do you try to select engagements, preferring a special location or fascinating evening with friends?

I pick and choose my gigs, I don’t like to disappoint organizers who have shown an interest in my djing but sometimes it is not always possible to please everybody. I have to feel right about djing at the location/city and if my heart is not in it I believe this will affect my dj set.

How would you define your style? Has it evolved over time? Into which direction? What can influence you during an evening, the audience, the dancers, the acoustics of the location, the duration of the Milonga...

My style has definitely evolved since my early days as a dj. I like to think that it has matured as I have learnt to appreciate the deeper side of the music and the orchestras. My personal taste for orchestras has become more rooted in the golden age with occasional scurries into the 50s and 60s. My sets reflect my personal taste but I also try to play a mixed bag to suit the taste of the region and tangueros on the pista. I feel I have an uncanny nack of knowing what tanda to play at any given time, I usually follow my gut feeling and by doing so I believe 100% in my set. I wish to be portrayed as a confident dj with belief in their skills – if I believe then the tangueros usually follow suit.

Do you prefer playing alone or sharing the night with a / colleague. Do you generally prefer to work alone, or with friends who you feeling? Or, you love the thrill of experimenting with a colleague ever heard until then?

I prefer to play alone so I can concentrate on my own dj set. I don’t mind following a colleague, say at a marathon, but I do not like to share a set but it would be nice to try it out and see how it feels like.

If someone asks you the name of a track, do you give him the requested information, perhaps mentioning the CD where he can find it, or do you refuse and thus force him to engage into an adventure of search and find?

I give them the information, I like when a dancer shows interest in the music and I feel I am contributing to the orchestral education of the dancers by sharing the knowledge.

The audience bothers you with absurd requests: what do you do? Are you a jukebox?

If it fits to my set and my taste I would do it but it has to be appropriate.

Do you like to dance and listen to your colleagues enjoy the selections and styles of others from your performances?

Of course I do like to dance and listen other DJs sets. Since I started Djing I experience festivals, milongas, marathon in another way. Sometimes questions in my head appear like Why? Why not? And I love getting inspired from other colleagues.

Do you believe that the art of “musicalizador” is different for geographic areas? Argentina, USA, Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean ... Or is it similar in every countries?

Absolutely – for example. I find that Italy, Argentina, Turkey and Northern Europe are worlds apart in their taste of tango music.

Would you like to have a milonga just for you, furnish it with the appropriate facility to your desires, try to create a wave that satisfies you over to play when you want and create a calendar of events to measure your tastes?

I do have my own milonga  in Malmö there we organize smaller and bigger events. I enjoy creating a place for everyone to enjoy it. I also run weekly practica there I try to vary the music especially for the beginners. We try to invite different Djs to our milongas to give different influences and inspiration to the tangueros in Malmö.

Three orchestras that cannot miss in one evening.

TROILO, D’ARIENZO, PUGLIESE, DI SARLI 

I simply had to choose 4 as to leave any of these out would be scandalous

Your three favorite orchestras, which may also be different from the previous ones.

TROILO, D’ARIENZO, PUGLIESE, DI SARLI

For the same reason above J

Suggest a tanda of tango instrumental, a tanda of tango singer, one of vals and milonga

Tanda instrumental:

Di Sarli (reminiscent of gerardo portalea)

Indio manso, 

El ingeniero, 

El abrojo, 

Una fija

Tanda with a singer:

D’arienzo/Maure

Amarras, 

Ya lo ves, 

Compadrón, 

El olivo,

Vals: (I like to mix it up)

Recuerdos - Tanturi/ Alberto Castillo 

Violetas – Alberto Castillo

El viejo vals - Francisco rotundo con Floreal Ruiz y Enrique Campos

Milonga:

Tanturi / Alberto Castillo

Mozo guapo

Asi es la milonga

Mi morocho

What are the three bands or singers you cannot stand?

I believe all orchestras and singers have something to offer, they may not be entirely to my taste at this moment in time but I respect what they have done for the development of tango, and if I name one I do not like and later begin to like them (as usually happens) I will be made to eat my hat. So – I pass on this question J

What is the band most underrated by the general public and which is the most overrated?

It depends on the region but in northern Europe I would have to say

Underrated: Troilo

Overrated: Biagi

Your top three nights (in your opinion of course...)

(Where I have djed?)

Salon canning – Buenos Aires What an inspirational and unforgettable night it was. I still remember every second of it. I was so nervous of course but I had so many friends there to support me that made it even more memorable. The day after I read the words from one of the inspiring writer, teacher and dancer “I liked the music a lot - actually much better than usual. They should hire her permanently. ….. I had goosebumps.” To read these words make me keep going J

Santiago de Chile – at the festival of Carlitos Espinoza

La Milonga del Corazón in Malmö – festival in June, beautiful location and atmosphere

We are less serious: Last night a dj saved my life. Are djs sexy? Have you ever had a relationship with a fan or a flirt with a colleague?

LADIES NEVER KISS AND TELL J

" I GIOIELLI DI FAMIGLIA, OVVERO PAGA PANTALONE": AL TEATRO A L'AVOGARIA INTRIGHI, EQUIVOCI E COMICITÁ DELLA COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE

Sabato prossimo, 10 maggio 2014, nello storico teatro veneziano, un canovaccio inedito ideato ed interpretato dagli allievi della Scuola Giovanni Poli del Teatro a l 'Avogaria con la direzione artistica di Giorgio Bertan ed Eleonora Fuser. 

" I GIOIELLI DI FAMIGLIA, OVVERO PAGA PANTALONE": AL TEATRO A L'AVOGARIA INTRIGHI, EQUIVOCI E COMICITÁ DELLA COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE

Lo spettacolo in replica domenica 11 maggio 2014, ore 18.00

Un appuntamento da non perdere con la tradizione del teatro veneto ed i suoi più celebri ed immortali personaggi. Si terrá sabato prossimo, 10 maggio 2014, ore 21.00, a Venezia, presso il Teatro a l'Avogaria, Dorsoduro 1617, lo spettacolo "I gioielli di famiglia, ovvero paga Pantalone".  Un canovaccio inedito secondo lo stile della Commedia dell'Arte ideato ed interpretato dagli allievi della Scuola Giovanni Poli del Teatro a l 'Avogaria con la direzione artistica di Giorgio Bertan ed Eleonora Fuser. 

Ambientata nella splendida Venezia di un tempo non ben definito, la vicenda narra delle vicissitudini che avvengono nella casa di Pantalone De Bisognosi, vecchio mercante in disgrazia il quale conserva un tesoro di famiglia di cui lui solo conosce l'esistenza, o almeno così crede. Infatti la notizia  del tesoro si diffonde in poco tempo e attira le brame di tutti gli ospiti della casa e in particolar modo del bieco consigliere personale dello stesso Pantalone, l'oscuro Pancrazio. Da questo leit motiv si snoderà un intrigo di vicende con al centro Pantalone che farà di tutto per impedire che i suoi preziosi "gioielli" finiscano in mani sbagliate, cercando di risollevare le sorti della propria nobile casata. Un susseguirsi di equivoci ed imprevisti alternati a momenti di comicità  porteranno alla risoluzione della storia. 

L’Associazione Teatro a l’Avogaria, nasce nel 1969 dalla passione e dalla tenacia di Giovanni Poli, già fondatore del Teatro Universitario Cà Foscari di Venezia, e dagli esordi si pone come laboratorio di ricerca che coniuga un metodo d’improvvisazione teatrale tra la Commedia dell’Arte e le Teorie dell’Avanguardia. In più di quarant’anni di attività ha prodotto oltre sessanta spettacoli tra cui la “Commedia degli Zanni” rappresentata con successo sui più importanti palcoscenici internazionali. Riconosciuta come uno dei centri di formazione professionale di riferimento nel Triveneto, ogni anno organizza corsi, dedicati ad appassionati e professionisti, su discipline quali recitazione, Commedia dell’Arte, dizione, storia del teatro, canto, tecnica dell’interpretazione.

Lo spettacolo in replica domenica 11 maggio 2014, ore 18.00,  su prenotazione telefonica ai numeri 0410991967-335372889 , avogaria@gmail.com

Info: http://www.teatro-avogaria.it/