Zrinko Maloseja & Tajana Burger, Mediterranean Summer Tango Festival: "Live your dream and wear your passion"

Today we meet Zrinko & Tajana, the organizer of Mediterranean Summer Tango Festival, one of the great tango event in Europe. A festival that combines the charm of tango, its irresistible seduction that weaves music and dance, with the pure energy of rock spirit. A Tango Woodstock, or if you wanna remain  to our days Love Parade. Now let's discover the secrets of a festival that is ready to explode with joy and fun tango summer 2013. And how Zrinko & Tajana  say : " Live your dream and wear your passion! ". But I 'd like say just one thing "Zrinko & Tajana you are rock!!!". 

1) Tangueros from all over the world know you especially as the organizers of the Mediterranean Summer Tango Festival. What 's the secret of the success of this event?

First “Hi!” to all reading this. 

MSTF tries not to take itself too seriously. Of course, the tanguero experience is the most important thing and we keep it on the highest level – but let’s change wine with a cocktail, black suit with a colorful dress or shirt, daily walks through a city with sunbathing on the beach or dancing next to a beautiful pool. Combine this with a lovely Croatian coast and a holiday and you get a nice combo. It’s all about fun and relaxing.

2) This year we get to the fourth edition. Your passion remains the same?

Live your dream and wear your passion! Absolutely. We are just starting. We kinda always think about a year in advance. As the festival grows we have opportunity to do new stuff. It’s really fun and it’s our baby and we like caring about it and see how it grows. We hope it lives maaaaany years. 

3) The organizer is often one of the less glorious job in the tango world. How do you build a powerful shield to fend off public criticism, the tough demands of the artists, the logistical and practical problems?

You don’t build a shield. That would be a bad choice. You embrace the criticism and the comments. This is the only way to make your festival better. It’s not about you and your ego, it’s about the people who come there. So, you accept your flaws and mistakes and you learn from them and try to improve all the time. 

Artist demands are usually not very tough. It is important to communicate. All the time. With communication and mutual respect all the problems can we solved. But we must say that the artists we worked with up till now are all really cool and nice people and all the problems we had, we worked out really well. 

Logistical and practical problems? The answer is - good planning! Plan everything in advance. Think of what can go wrong and have back-up plans :) And also, surrounding yourself with a good team of responsible people who you can trust and who can help you out is essential! A HUGE HUG to our team members if you are reading this now! :)

4) What are the elements that make an event, really big? Internationally big and renowned artists, stunning location, international audience, high level of Tangueros ...?

Yes :)

5) The calendar of tango events is growing busier every day. How do you manage to organize a great event despite the huge offer of milongas, festivals, marathons?

Well, we try to differentiate ourselves somehow. We work hard on adding stuff to the festival that makes it special and different then all the others. And of course, promotion - we try to build a good “relationship” between the festival and it’s fans. In the end it just comes down to – “more work”. 

6) How would you rate your relationship with the artists you work with ( Maestros, Tangodj, Orchestra...)? Would you rather work exclusively with you to festivals or events in your area?

Well, very good. We always work with people who we would maybe enjoy to have as friends. Somebody we feel good with, enjoy their company and who share the same vision of tango. We think this is important for the “energy” of the festival. 

Total exclusivity no. But to have for example same artists in two events that are in the same area and with really short time frame between them wouldn’t be smart... for both festivals. It’s just common sense.

7) What is the event or issue that you love more? Who are the artists ( Maestros, Orchestra, DJ) with whom you have a closer relationship?

Well, that would be the last festival of 2012. It was sort of a make it or break it. Not many people know that the second edition in 2011 ended in such way that it was a big question if we would continue to do it. We kinda agreed to do it one more time and give it all we have. It was a big success. So we’re in the “sky is the limit” mode now :)

With some artists we worked for many years, they slept in our houses, we shared way too many drinks and many conversations – you can check the dancers and DJs line-up of Porec and you can see some of those artists.

8) What gives you more satisfaction in organizing an event? What makes you most angry?

Well the most satisfying part is the moment on the festival when you realize everything is working. Like some machine. All the parts are functioning as they are supposed to. Then you just relax, sip on a cocktail and start the cabeceo game :) 

When you find out from a friend that for a half a day your website is down cause you forgot to pay your web domain. 

9) Which artists would you have wanted to work there but you never got?

David Guetta :) 

In tango, we worked with everyone we wanted to work with. We are happily awaiting new blood from Argentina :)

10) What advice would you give to those who would like to organize for the first time a big tango event?

May the force be with you.

11) Is it possible to create events in synergy with other organizers? Do ya like attend events not yours?

Well, it really depends on the organizers. But there is a lot of open space for partnership between different events. Combo passes that MSTF has with the Belgrade Tango Encuentro is one of the examples. It was extremely successful. 

12) Which event organized by others, you wanted to organize?

That would be URBE TANGO RAVE. Last year was bloody amazing. The place where they made it is incredible and the dancers that ended up being there were so good as though they were hand-picked ;)

13) Do you prefer Festival, Marathons, or both? Why?

ZRINKO: Personally, I enjoy festivals more. I prefer when it’s all about the “night”. Far more interesting things happen in the night. :)

TAJANA: Hm...hard question....almost like do you love more your son or your daughter? There are absolutely amazing festivals and absolutely amazing marathons..it is hard to choose...but yes, like Zrinko, I prefer night dancing...

14) How would you rate the level of the great tango events in Croatia? Best or lower than Europe? In your opinion, apart from Argentina, which is the place where you can dance better in the world?

Croatia’s tango events are still below the level of Europe’s more popular events but some are on a good track.

Personally I think Italy is the best place to dance in Europe. Italians simply “get it”. It’s all about the socializing and enjoying the company of the other – tango is just the tool to do that. There is no bullshit around it. And since the number of people dancing in Italy is really huge, there’s sooo many good dancers.

15) Do you think there are some "groups or gang"in the tangoworld? Do ya think their presence can be decisive for the success or failure of an event?

I would say that good dancers are sort of a “group” in the tangoworld. They try to follow each other because they enjoy dancing with each other so a lot of them tend to end up at the same festival/marathon. But can they decide the future of an event? No. If the event is good, people will come. If it sucks, it sucks and nothing but work will help it get better. 

16) What are the big news of this year's festival summertango?

We still haven’t announced it. So, our mouths are sealed. :)

17) Four reasons to come to Porec

Sea&Sun, high dancing level, The Boat Trip experience, the feeling of happiness that stays for a long time afterwards :)

Dark-OH: My choice of music is getting wider and wider with every new song that I find “danceable”. When it is about structure of milonga evening, I look at it as a making of love: if you do it too rough with only strong rhythmical music all night it will be like a raping (for ears); if you do it too soft, others might fall asleep because it will be boring after a while.

Today we meet another great TangoDJ: Dark-OH. A deep love for the tango which also reflects a great love for music, as a musician ( violinist). It's very interesting studying his approach to the art of djing, reading his words " When it is about structure of milonga evening, I look at it as a making of love: if you do it too rough with only strong rhythmical music all night it will be like a raping (for ears); if you do it too soft, others might fall asleep because it will be boring after a while. During a time I was changing my structuring of tanda, changing a way of choosing a songs for miloga climax and lot of other things… I was growing up and still I am. Yes, a lot of details influence me on a milonga – dancers, place; is it a regular, festival or marathon miloga, is there a performance or concert, duration of milonga, quality of speakers (sometimes problems with technique can be “pain in the …” ) ". From Serbia, one of the tango capitals in Europe another great interview. Read and enjoy!!!.


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?


You know how almost all of the people say that when they were just a little kids, they knew that one day they will do the things in which they are good now. Well… it wasn`t my case. Yes, my first contact with Tango music was through dance. After few years of dancing, my good friend Angelica, famous actor from Belgrade was organizing a milonga and she asked me to be a DJ. I said: “Yes” - strangely very self confident, because I knew, somehow, that I could do it. When I was much younger, I finished music school and played violin. Then, I hated it… But now, I feel that I was lucky with it, `cause it helped me in this. If nothing, wit some musical education you develop some sense for music. Off course, there are always some DJ`s who are great musicians, but horrible DJ`s… I just strongly believe that it is not a good way for starting to be a DJ after one year of dancing and having a strong agenda for being a DJ just because it is “cool” .



What were your early taste of tango? There are significant differences with the current scene?
Even when I started to DJ, I tried to structure a whole music on milonga based on a “classic” tango music and now I`m kinda proud of that beginning… It took a lot of time to research about the “rules” of Tango DJ-ing before my first night when I played. Off course, some of the tandas I played then I find quit ridiculous now. Now, a lot of thing are different. My affinities change. With every new song listened, or with every new DJ heard on some other event, I change a bit, even unconsciously. Uh, and I must add that the beginning was quit stressful – while putting music for the first time I realized how big responsibility it is to create a mood of dancers on a milonga. But, all of that was mixed with a nice feeling of doing something good.


The difficulty of the search for songs on cd often burned, the explosion of the Web and the consequent relatively easy to find in the music. Do you think this paradigm shift has changed the way of working of the DJ?
A search for some song can be very interesting, but also difficult if you are impatient. When you buy a CD, one you were looking for a long time, you feel like a child in a candy shop and that is a beauty of it. And you appreciate money given for it and time wasted for search. Easy access to a world of Tango music on internet is also very nice, you don`t need to go to Buenos Aires or somewhere else to buy CD`s, shopping on internet makes life much easier for DJ`s. I think that it is good that Tango music is accessible this way. Everybody can get it and decide whether to enjoy it just for themself or try to “share” it through DJ-ing. Really, nothing else can give you that great feeling when you find some song you were searching for some time! It is like you did some big thing for humankind. Correction, for a “dancerkind”


When you build your performance? Long ago, during the journey to the milonga, or sudden moment by moment?

When I started to DJ I needed some kind of playlist. After a while, I learned to rely on my senses and to work at the moment and on the place of milonga. And that is an art of DJ-ing. Some people approach to me and ask me during a tanda: “What will you play next?” Sometimes I really don`t know until the end of current tanda. DJ`s are not a composers of music, but creativity is a key word when you are structuring a songs in tanda, or building an atmosphere with tandas and that is influenced with lot of things. I think that a person who is DJ-ing is a medium between Tango and dancers. Tango music is constant in its greatness, dancers are every time in a different mood and my job is to get them closer to that stadium that Tango music has. Very spiritually thing… No, DJ just need to be present in a moment and observe…

Have you ever played in a boring night? Have you you understand too late that perhaps the milonga could not give you the right motivation and you could not wait to finish?
Hm… boring night… I always try to start from myself in a way that I`m the one who is the most responsible for an atmosphere on a milonga. I read somewhere that dancers are the one who create a mood of milonga and that if they are in a bad mood, good place and a good music can not do much. My job is to make this statement false. If the dancers are in a bad mood - try to change it. But, you can not allow yourself a luxury of being in a bad mood – dancers will feel it.

Do you accept whatever you offer or try to make a selection preferring location and fascinating evening with friends

When I`m invited somewhere to DJ, it might sound like a cliché, but I really try to give my 100% whether I play for 5 or 500 people… I can`t remember any reason or any place that can push me away from DJ-ing…


How would you define your style? It has evolved over time? And in which direction? What can influence you in an evening, the audience, the dancers, the acoustics of the location, the duration of your performance ..

Sorry… but, I can`t define my style. I don`t like when people say that some DJ is very “energetic” or very “romantic”, or “he plays just Tango from La Epoca De Oro”. I love almost all. But, there is a difference - some things I love, but I never play on a milonga. From the beginning and until now I was changing and my DJ-ing was changing. My choice of music is getting wider and wider with every new song that I find “danceable”. When it is about structure of milonga evening, I look at it as a making of love: if you do it too rough with only strong rhythmical music all night it will be like a raping (for ears); if you do it too soft, others might fall asleep because it will be boring after a while. During a time I was changing my structuring of tanda, changing a way of choosing a songs for miloga climax and lot of other things… I was growing up and still I am. Yes, a lot of details influence me on a milonga – dancers, place; is it a regular, festival or marathon miloga, is there a performance or concert, duration of milonga, quality of speakers (sometimes problems with technique can be “pain in the …” )



Do you prefer playing alone or sharing the night with a / colleague. 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?
Usually, I play alone on a regular milonga, where I`m a resident DJ. It happened to me that I played with a people I saw for the first time in my life. It was interesting – best thing is when people notice with just listening that a DJ`s have switched. When you play on a marathon it is inevitable to share an evening or a day. When I play on a regular or festival milonga, I love to play alone, think that every DJ does, cause I have my own vision of evening , something like an atmosphere I`m trying to make.


If someone asks you the name of a track you say it to him, perhaps suggesting where the CD is included, or invite him to venture into the trouble of searching?

This is a funny one. I always answer politely. But, if a person is persistent in asking for not one, but almost every song (it happened ones that a person was coming whole night, looking on desktop and trying to write down whole tanda that was playing), I suggest to him to try to search a bit by himself. In one way it is good for him and I try to make him understand how I value my time – it happened that I heard some song and I loved it so much, but I never wanted to bother a DJ for a song title, and after a year I find it by lucky chance. For the easy-going persons who wants it all and in a moment, there is a nice song from Rolling Stones called “You can`t always get what you want”…


The public bother you with absurd requests: what do you do? Are you a jukebox?

Uhhhh… absurd requests… I`m always trying to be nice to everybody. Usually, the longer the people are involved in tango they have less absurd requests. There were a lot of funny requests: to play La Cumparsita in the middle of evening because the guy who asked for it likes that song very much; or request like “Can you play that song (and than a person starts to sing badly) na –na- nana-naaa”; this one is pearl of absurd - one idiot (maybe not politically correct, but that is the word) who was sitting behind me asked me to move because he can not see a girls on a dancefloor, I was blocking his view. Hm, there was no polite way for handling this guy. DJ is not u Jukebox… If somebody asks you in a nice way, you can always put that song, if you feel like playing that song…


Do you like to dance and listen to your colleagues enjoy the selections and styles of others from your performances?
While I DJ I never dance. Therefore, listening to other DJ`s and dancing on other choice of music is always a great thing. Also, this way I can dance(enjoy) and learn something new at the same time.



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

I think that there is some difference between geographic areas. Some DJ`s from Europe don`t know or they don`t care about some “rules” and play something that is not to be played in Buenos Aires . Also, there are some general waves, like a flue, that hits whole Tango scene. In Europe, when I travel to a different countries I see that people react the same on some songs that are more” famous at the moment” . Like it was a case with Invierno… But, you can not make some rough generalization. There are just good and less good DJ`s. The good ones are different from each other with their taste and choice of music they play…



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 was lucky to start to DJ on a great milonga in Belgrade “Milonga de Angelica” and now I regulary DJ on “Milonga Alma”. This places offers me everything I need. I only wish sometimes I could clone myself and dance on the music I play. Just kidding! Also, in every other town in every other country, I feel good when I play. I don`t need too much time to get “familiar” with a dancers and a dance floor. Calendar of events? I don`t complain when it is crowded…




The classic point-blank questions you have to answer, you cannot refuse:

Three orchestras that can not miss in one evening.

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

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

I need to put four as an answer. Orchestras of Carlos Di Sarli, Juan D`Arienzo, Osvaldo Pugliese and Anibal Troilo.


My three favorite, in this moment, are the orchestras of Roberto Firpo, Francisco Lomuto and Rafael Canaro.


OK… Made in this moment, virtually…

Tanda of Tango instrumental (Orquesta Manuel Pizarro):


C`est mon gigolo


Consejo sano


La espuela


Tu caricias



Tanda of Tango with singer (Orquesta Juan Polito)


La Bruja


Una carta


Medianoche


Trago amargo


Vals tanda:


Tu palida voz (Francisco Canaro)


Luna del Plata (Miguel Calo)


La Pulpera De Santa Lucía (Alberto Castillo)


Milonga tanda:


Rebeldia (Angel Sica)


Milonga nueva (Jose Tinelli)


Mi vieja linda (Emilio Pellajero)



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

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

There is only one thing I really don`t like – La (Los) Tubatango. And… when DJ plays foxtrot instead of milongas. It is very subjective… Hm, that was a second thing. It is enough…


When it is about non contemporary orchestra, I think that Pedro Laurenz is underrated, maybe because I adore him and want to hear it more… Most overrated? Can`t answer that one…


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

Naming any milonga where I played as better than others wouldn`t be nice to others. But, whenever I finished playing and after that people were a bit happier – it was a good night!



We are less serious: Last night a dj saved my life. The DJ rule is sexy? have you ever had a relationship with some fans and some flirt with your colleagues?


I will answer in a less serious way - I just make love with Tango music and with a dance floor. Now, to be serious – main DJ rule is: Play only Glam Tango with sexy cortinas! Just kidding…

Aydogan Arkis, International Istanbul Tango Festival: "We and the team have always the same passion. Our team did not loose the passion because we love to see the people smiling. So, we always think what we should do as 'new' every year. Small but memorable things for the participants"

Today we travel in Turkey and we meet one of the greatest organizers of tango events in the world. Aydogan Arkis with his International Istanbul Tango Festival,  10th  edition, is a point of reference for all those who want to organize big tango events with teachers, orchestras, international dj. An interview should not be missed, and that makes us dream wonderful Istanbul. Like Aydogan says: "Our locations are unique in the world; We watch Asia from the location where we dance in Europe.We dance at the roof of 2 continents where the distance between them is 200 meters and they have exceptional view of Bosphorus. The artists are the living legends of Tango and the dance level is great'.

1) Tangueros from all over the world know you especially as the organizers of the International Instanbul Tango Festival. What 's the secret of the success of this event?

R: We focus on the satisfaction of the participants. They come here for dancing, learning and Istanbul. The maestros are the best ones and diverse. We provide dancing day and night with worldwide known quality Turkish dancers :-) Also this festival is the only festival where you have Middle Eastern dancers attend heavily as well as European and Pacific countries. And Istanbul, no need to say that it is a lovely never sleeping city and July is the best time to enjoy it.

2) This year we get to the 10th edition. Your passion remains the same?

R: This year we have 10th edition. We and the team have always the same passion. Our team did not loose the passion because we love to see the people smiling. So, we always think what we should do as 'new' every year. Small but memorable things for the participants.

3) The organizer is often one of the less glorious job in the tango world. How do you build a powerful shield to fend off public criticism, the tough demands of the artists, the logistical and practical problems?

R: I always think of that if something goes wrong or right it is because of ourselves. So I do not blame anything other than us. Feedback or criticism is my friends to help me to make a better festival next time. Therefore I do not hate them, but, love them

4) What are the elements that make an event, really big? Internationally big and renowned artists, stunning location, international audience, high level of Tangueros ...?

R: The people all over the world come to any festival for dancing. It is not about bringing crowds in a room and leave them unattended, disregarded, etc. Therefore, I think first is the attitude of the organizers. Second is how you see your participants. Do you regard them as banknote or people who deserve to feel happy since they all come a long way to your festival? If you consider these as your priority than the other factors are just to help you to be bigger. Our locations are unique in the world; We watch Asia from the location where we dance in Europe.We dance at the roof of 2 continents where the distance between them is 200 meters and they have exceptional view of Bosphorus. The artists are the living legends of Tango and the dance level is great.

5) The calendar of tango events is growing busier every day. How do you manage to organize a great event despite the huge offer of milongas, festivals, marathons?

R: Indeed there are a lot of offers for dancing in everywhere. This was totally different 10 years ago. We try to isolate our festival from being a 'Tango Party' but make it a dancing and skill building event. Although the workshop participations are declining in many events our festival still attracts participants to the workshops. We could make the festival a summer-sun-sea-fun festival like a party but we do not prefer that.

6) How would you rate your relationship with the artists you work with ( Maestros, Tangodj, Orchestra...)? Would you rather work exclusively with you to festivals or events in your area?

R: I like the artists to work with only with my organization in my city. For other cities I cannot ask exclusivity. I have helped many organizers in different cities to organize something with the artists who are in my festival casting.

7) What is the event or issue that you love more? Who are the artists ( Maestros, Orchestra, DJ) with whom you have a closer relationship?

R: We are always friends with almost all the artists we work together, today or in the past. I was in Buenos Aires in March. I have meet artists there with whom we had worked once in 2008. I know Chicho since 1998. We have excellent relations with other artists.

8)What gives you more satisfaction in organizing an event? What makes you most angry?

R: What makes me the happiest is a note saying 'I was in Istanbul Tango Festival in July and I have enjoyed a lot'. What makes me the most angry is the people who does not respect the work behind the big organizations. Who does not check the history of the events but talk a lot about the events. I cannot help myself to interfere with the discussions where people loose justice.

9) Which artists would you have wanted to work there but you never got?

R: I wish I could have Gustavo Naveira in one of our festivals. We are very good friends with him but could not manage that due to many reasons.

10) What advice would you give to those who would like to organize for the first time a big tango event?

R: Do not rush. Understand the people's expectation. Put yourself into their shoes and ask what would make you happier. Then implement it.

11) Is it possible to create events in synergy with other organizers? Do ya like attend events not yours?

R: I attend to events not mine. It is the only way to enjoy tango as a dancer. In my last month I was in Vienna, Athens, Belgrade and Ankara participating to the other organizers' events. In other ways bring a synergy if you organize events together with other organizers. For example the last year we organized a Grand Milonga of Turkey with the participation of 34 different schools. It was simply great.

12) Which event organized by others, you wanted to organize?

R: Everything that I wanted to organize I did it.

13) Do you prefer Festival, Marathons, or both? Why?

R: I prefer both. Both have different tastes. I do not like to be against the festival, only since its name is 'festival'. As long as I can dance day and night during the festival (like Istanbul Tango Festival :-) ) I am happy. The same is true for marathons. As long as I can get good rest and the food I am happy to as much as I can handle

14) How would you rate the level of the great tango events in Turkey? Best or lower than Europe? In your opinion, apart from Argentina, which is the place where you can dance better in the world?

R: I think the events in Turkey, especially the ones in Istanbul are very attractive. These events attract many people into its gala milongas. For example in Istanbul Tango Festival around 1500 people dance its gala night. There are pros and cons of being such big. Being big does not mean that event is good but I think I would rate Istanbul events are close to the best ones in Europe, since Turkey has a great quality of dancers. I want to dance in all locations in the world. One can find good dancers in everywhere.

15) Do you think there are some "groups or gang"in the tangoworld? Do ya think their presence can be decisive for the success or failure of an event?

R: I do not think that a group of person could kill an event alone or make it fly. But there are some people whose presence may create low energy during the event. I meet couple of them in some different events. I was not impacted but I felt the tension in the air. To be honest, I believe that these 'gangs' will be dismissed out by the communities in time.

16) What are the big news of this year's festival? 

R: The big news for this year is about the celebration of our 10 th edition. Therefore we are inviting the living legends of Tango like Zotto, Chicho, los Veliz. We also will have two great orchestras like Solo Tango and Hyperion. As the time of this interview we gave 41 countries registered and the biggest thing from the  festival is that there are no other festivals in the world hosting such a colorful participation from all regions. If you earn to dance with a follower from Saudi Arabia for example you should be in this great event. We also have a legendary DJ. He is known as "Super Sabino" and he is really super!

17) Four reasons to come to Istanbul Tango Festival

R: Exceptional city, Unique casting, Warm and great dancers, organization focused on your happiness

Uno Scorsese... Fuori Orario

Uno dei film più divertenti ed assurdi di Martin Scorsese. Fuori Orario è l´incredibile e delirante avventura di un normale e kafkiano impiegato newyorkese ( Griffin Dunne) che intrigato dal fascino di una avvenente bionda ( Arquette) sprofonda nel cuore della Grande Mela a Soho, fra artisti underground, clochard e folli di ogni risma. Dopo una serie di peripezie al limite fra il grottesco ed il tragico, ritornerà alla normalità della sua grigia esistenza allo spuntare dell´alba. 

In questa pellicola Scorsese si diverte ad ironizzare sulla figura dello yuppie , acronimo di Young Urban Professional, un tipo umano che dominava nella cultura occidentale degli eighties ed a confrontare le sicurezze che dominano il suo habitat con le paure dell´ignoto rappresentato da un quartiere esterno. Una dicotomia fra casa e strada  esasperata fino al parossismo con l´incontro di donne strane ed aggressive che attentano al patrimonio di certezze del perbenista borghese Paul Hackett. Il film riscosse un discreto successo e convinse particolarmente la critica che lo premiò a Cannes con la Palma d´Oro per la miglio regia. Rivisto a distanza di oltre 20 anni... è invecchiato su alcuni punti, in particolar modo il femminismo e il boom dell´arte contemporanea underground che svuotata del senso di ribellione appare un fenomeno di moda storicizzato, ma ha ancora tanto da dire in merito alla regia ed al montaggio frenetico.

Una testimonianza brillante dal  punto di vista storico e sociologico di quegli anni e di come la discesa agli inferi può essere anche beffardamente divertente.

Torino Tango Festival, dal Lingotto una pioggia di emozioni

Torino si conferma di anno in anno un appuntamento irrinunciabile per i tangueri da tutto il mondo. Un rito che, a cadenza fissa, le festività pasquali, si ripete con la sacralità di un rito. 

Al Lingotto, uno dei capolavori dell'architettura industriale italiana si tiene un rendez vous con artisti straordinari , organizzato da una coppia di artisti Marcela Guevara e Stefano Giudice che hanno contribuito tantissimo alla crescita del fenomeno tango nel nostro Paese. In un momento segnato da una recessione e crisi generalizzata dei consumi , preludio ad una contrazione creativa e spirituale, vedere tantissime persone affollare workshops e serate mi ha rinfrancato davvero molto. Vuol dire che il pubblico non rinuncia alla qualità' e sopra ogni cosa all'opportunità di studiare con maestri che hanno fatto e stanno facendo la storia del tango argentino. Rivivo le emozioni di ammirare dall'osservatorio privilegiato della consolle gli oltre 1000 e passa tangheri del sabato e della domenica. Una sensazione straordinaria che va ad affiancare quella di vivere con grande trepidazione le performance degli artisti. Ebbene sí , io faccio parte di una generazione che ancora sente come uniche e grandi le milonghe con lo show dei maestri argentini. 

Ovviamente parlerò solo di quelle cui ho assistito. Esteban Moreno y Claudia Codega , eleganti , sinuosi ed imperturbabili nella loro classicità. Un ballo pulito, chiaro, di un rigore geometrico. Certe volte penso che Esteban, straordinario e raffinato conoscitore del tango sotto tutti i suoi aspetti, imperdibili i suoi suggerimenti sulla musica, voglia dirci che non serve complicar il movimento, avvitarlo, dall'esterno va visto il movimento in tutta la sua struttura. Una lezione filosofica. Sebastian Arce y Mariana Montes hanno ammaliato il pubblico con interpretazioni di altissimo livello, proseguendo nel loro percorso di ricerca sulla struttura ed evoluzione del tango, dove classicità ed innovazione si integrano in uno spartito musicale perfetto. Un neoclassicismo del movimento che di volta in volta riesce a stupire. Ogni performance si arricchisce di nuovi contenuti, che Sebastian y Mariana dosano con consumata maestria, una teatralità mai sopra le righe, Enrosques y adornos non sono un riempitivo o tediosi barocchismi , ma il giusto arricchimento in musica di una frase, o un accento musicale. Domenica Miguel Angel Zotto y Daiana Guspero hanno davvero , per usare una metafora televisiva, bucato lo schermo. Energia, passione, sensualità, leggerezza. Il tango nella sua interezza mostrato ad un pubblico che in piena simbiosi emotiva si é lasciato andare ad un fragoroso e caldo , interminabile , applauso. Miguel y Daiana riescono, grazie all'autorevolezza di una carisma e di una semplicità straordinarie, a scuotere sempre il pubblico, a provocargli un moto dell'animo. Miguel é la storia del tango, l'artista che ha trascinato il fenomeno da oltre oceano in Europa, formando generazioni di ballerini. Una delle più grandi opportunità che possano capitare ad un tanghero é ascoltare Miguel raccontare aneddoti sulla storia del tango, parlare con emozione e devozione dei grandi milongueri , dei ballerini che hanno contribuito all'evoluzione di questo universo. Impagabili perché' riportati da chi ha conosciuto di persona figure del calibro di Todaro, Petroleo… 

Un clima davvero magico, quello di questa edizione con il pubblico a gremire la sala fino alle 06.00 del mattino, ma soprattutto l'intero cast di artisti,. oltre a quelli già menzionati altri grandi interpreti quali Damian Rosenthal y Celine Ruiz, Sebastian Achaval y Roxana Suarez, Erna y Santiago Giachello, scatenati a ballare per ore. Mai visto un evento simile. Vuol dire che davvero l'energia c'era, un mix fra grande kermesse e convivialita' di milonga da amici. Ed in questo il merito credo vada ascritto agli artisti ( privi di ogni divismo), ed agli organizzatori con il loro staff efficiente ed impeccabile nel risolvere qualsiasi richiesta. 

Mi é mancato molto dopo tanti anni non condividere la consolle con Felix Picherna, il maestro Felix, tornato nella sua Buenos Aires, ma l'aura della sua voce, della sua presenza, e'ancora al Lingotto. Tentato dalla nostalgia, sopraffatta peró dall'attesa della prossima edizione. Marcela, Stefano, sono sicuro che siete già al lavoro per regalarci ancora una volta il grande tango...

Lene Oskaria Stengaard: "I’m a storyteller having a clear intention or message and I use the different moods in the tunes to form the story"

Our journey to discover the secrets of the great tangodj bring us in Denmark, Copenhagen. Today meet Lene Oskaria Stengaard  one of the most popular DJs,  present in the most important European events. Musician and music lover. I think the most beautiful way to define her poetry  are her words." I’m a storyteller having a clear intention or message and I use the different moods in the tunes to form the story. People have often told me that they feel like being a part of an old black and white movie when I DJ – and I take is as a compliment. I like the idea of creating a time warp, where the audience can linger to atmosphere of the past.  No doubt I have a classical style and mainly play music from the golden area (1935 – 1945), using tandas and cortinas and rarely mix the orchestras, recording time or singers". 

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

Music has been very important to me. I played the cello for more than 10 years, and my mother introduced me to symphonic music when I was just a kid. But classical music, the cello and I never got along so well – the music was to correct and boring, I missed some wildness, noise and playfulness in the music. I found that in jazz that used tango elements or interpreted composers like Astor Piazzolla. The music made me curious about the dance, and the dance dragged me into an old world of music where I immediately felt at home. 

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

My collection of tango music and my analytic critical opinions about the music I heard in the milongas in Copenhagen made me realize that I had a desire to DJ, but it took years before the right circumstances for my debut showed up. 

The difficulty of the search for songs on cd often burned, the explosion of the Web and the consequent relatively easy to find in the music. Do you think this paradigm shift has changed the way of working of the DJ?

Yes it is clear that the amount of available recordings and knowledge about them have grown with the Internet.  It is much easer to buy music and to structure your collection. The knowledge make it possible for us DJ’s too make more conscious decisions. 

When you build your performance, do you do it long time before, during the journey to the milonga, or sudden moment by moment?

I always collect information about the event and the place before I go. How do the room look, what kind of people is coming, if there is a performance I try to get an idea of the style of the orchestra or the dancers. I try to imaging how the milonga is going to be and what I would like to give or ad to the atmosphere. Before going I often have a selection a 5 or 10 tangos I would like to play and a suggestion for cortinas. Beside from this everything is don from moment to moment. I’m not working with premade tandas but select every tango and the order of them during the dj-set.  

Have you ever played in a boring night, where you understood too late that perhaps the milonga could not give you the right motivation?  

Oh yes I have tried to be at a milonga where I found the energy boring. But it is not my job to judge if the evening is boring or the audience is too small. My job is to play music and to create a desire to dance it out.  In northern Europe it can be a bit problematic to dj, because people in general do not show their emotions or enthusiasm. It is frustration to share your music with an audience, where you don’t see any reaction in there faces and you can’t catch eye contact whit anybody.  DJ’ing is not a one-way communication, the audience has a great influence on the music during the evening…. if they dare to react on the music.  

How would you define your style? 

I’m a storyteller having a clear intention or message and I use the different moods in the tunes to form the story. People have often told me that they feel like being a part of an old black and white movie when I DJ – and I take is as a compliment. I like the idea of creating a time warp, where the audience can linger to atmosphere of the past.  No doubt I have a classical style and mainly play music from the golden area (1935 – 1945), using tandas and cortinas and rarely mix the orchestras, recording time or singers.  

What can influence you in an evening, the audience, the dancers, the acoustics of the location, the duration of your performance ...

I try to be open to it all, because I know the location, the sound, the performances, the other guests, the dancing ect. will affect the audience too.  

Do you prefer playing alone or sharing the night with a colleague? 

Normally I work alone and I love it.  But it is great to make a duet with a colleague once in a wail. The duets are a great tool to get new inspiration and to form and get aware of how you work. It has to be someone I trust and have an open and relaxed communication with, so we can focus on creating an atmosphere together. 

If someone asks you the name of a track you say it to him, perhaps suggesting where the CD is included, or invite him to venture into the trouble of searching?

Of cause! Tango is made to be used and if I can open someone’s ears to piece of music I gladly give the name of it. I have asked a lot myself, and always got a fair answer. If I get inspired by a tanda of one of my coluges I’ll never ask for the information about all four recordings. I will aks for the name of one and then use this piece as an inspiration for a creation of my own.

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

Yes! It is always a great inspiration to listen to my colleagues. Some of them I really admire because they make me listen to known music in a new way.  It is always interesting to listen to DJ’s and try to understand there ideas and characterize their style, even if you do not agree with there solutions or taste of music. To dance to a DJ’s music is the best way to listen, because you can use both the body and the mind. 

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

I guess the expectations to a DJ is the same all over the world – the DJ must play nice and danceable music, but for sure there is geographical difference in the definition of “nice and danceable”. It is really great, especially when organizers dare to invite DJ’s from abroad, because then the dancers can get surprised or introduce to new solutions or new music and the DJ’s get challenged on their style and taste. 

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 guess I have – Piso Clásico in Copenhagen is created out of the vision of a milonga where social interaction is the most important, not the dancing (dancing is just a part of the milonga). The light, the balance between the dancing- and the sitting areas, the staff, the DJ’s and the bar is selected to create an atmosphere of friendly energy and social interaction. Piso Clásico is only on Fridays, and the room is used for other things during the week, so it is not complete. Chicago in Stockholm is a cool milonga, you can drink, dance, eat and talk in a well-design atmosphere  of a cozy cocktail bar. It would be heaven to have a place like that. 

The classic point-blank questions you have to answer, you cannot refuse: Three orchestras that can not miss in one evening.

Every orchestra can be left out. I do not have any dogmas about what I have to play, it depends on the energy and the atmosphere. But Francesco Canaro, Di Sarli and Caló is very useful, because they have such a variety in there style. 

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

Biagi! He is the absolute master of excitement. He dares to start a tango with a roar from the whole orchestra and then the second after change to almost un-hearable staccato rhythm for the violins. The contrasts in the music do not give any relief, why it is vibrating and powerful.

Rodruigez can both make you smile and break your heart. The rhythm is often very clear and still there is details to challenge the dancer. 

Lomuto with Omar. I love the sound of the orchestra  - sneering almost a bit out of tune. The precision of the voice makes it a bit barking, but still able to be tender and smooth in legato sequences.  And then is there so many delicate details and brilliant solutions in the music

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

Sabino, I don’t have any premade tandas – the choice is depending on the moment.

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

Osvaldo Pugliese is the most overrated. The music is often used as a some sort of metaphorical orgasm of the evening …… and afterwards people leave, fall asleep or go to have a smoke. The explosive effect of Pugliese is useful and nice once in a while, but I just hate when it gets an orchestra you can not miss in an evening. I often notice a floor in absolute chaos during Pugliese, but it is maybe just the effect of uncontrollable desire. - I’m more into tandra-DJing where you keep the energy for a long time ;-) 

I do not know if the term underrated is useful, because if the audience do not like or value an orchestra, why play it? 

Let us be less serious. To be a DJ is sexy? have you ever had a relationship with some fans and some flirt with your colleagues?

I am a human and for this reason I flirt! I do not think that my position as a DJ has changed any thing in this matter. Sitting at the consul selecting music, is a job where all my focus is needed, and I prefer to sit alone whiteout any one sitting beside.  This puts a sort of limit to admirers.  To be serious my job is to communicate and give attention to the whole audience not a single person.

Thin White Rope, i visionari del deserto

Musica da ascoltare ad alto volume  mentre si attraversa in moto il deserto dell'Arizona. Uno stupendo album Exploring the Axis, che Guy Kyser ed i Thin White Rope non sono riusciti più a ripetere. La voce del leader si insinua viscidamente subdola nel fragore delle chitarre elettriche , proponendo un urlo strozzato visionario. Echi dei mai rimpianti abbastanza Gun Club e delle scorrazzate lisergiche dei Quicksilver attraversano questo disco davvero magnetico che potrebbe essere la colonna sonora rigorosamente in bianco e nero di un visionario film dove protagonisti sono coyote e cactus, un novello Easy Rider, più cupo ed intimista, meno fragoroso e senza l'ottimismo sessantottino. 

A rendere chiaro questo loro manifesto che ne ha fatto dei maestri senza eredi, Down in the desert, il brano di apertura, folleggiante e profetico, che disegna il suono del deserto. Prima o poi tutti hanno sognato di correre nel deserto e suonare una chitarra nel vuoto e nel silenzio di un paesaggio desolato e sconfinato… inseguendo talvolta i silenzi dell'anima.