You've been invited to DJ in another community by the host who heard you DJ in your home community and enjoyed your music. While DJing at this new gig, a participant comes up to you and requests a song that is unusual, and not something you would normally play. How do you respond? What resources do you have to assist in responding?

You're DJing in your home community and notice that the energy seems flat and people are less enthusiastic than usual. You try playing more rhythmic music and that doesn't seem to help. What can you do? How do you approach trying to help the situation? 

You're DJing at a regional marathon or festival, midway through the night or afternoon. The energy is high, people are loving your music, everyone seems happy whether they're dancing or not, and you've been in a groove, really connected with the dancers and feel like you've known what they would want to dance to all along. It's time for a milonga set, but you're having a hard time figuring out what milongas to play, and fearful that a milonga set might disrupt the flow if they're chosen poorly. What do you do? What guides your decision?

You've been playing more romantic, deeper, emotional music, and feel like you need something more lighter, rhythmic, less emotional. What orchestra might you select songs from? Would they have a singer, or be instrumental? We'll discuss and listen to your choices!

DJ homework:

Given the following scenario and list of song options, create the next tanda, and be ready to explain your reasoning!

Scenario:

You're roughly midway through a 5-hour milonga, the room is full, and you have been playing richer, more melodic music from the mid to late 40s. You played a milonga set recently. Your last set tapered from 1943 to 1941 Troilo/Fiorentino (ie from rich and more melodic to sharper and more rhythmic) in preparation for a rhythmic, older-feeling D'Arienzo/Echague set for a different sound, and to transition to a new phase of the milonga. You're due for a vals set after the D'Arienzo tango set. The crowd is responding very enthusiastically to the more rhythmic Troilo song at the end of the current set and you're certain the D'Arienzo set will be a big hit. 

Choose a 4-song tanda from these songs (all 1938 or 1939):

Indiferencia

Nada Mas

Pensalo Bien

La Bruja

No Mientas

Mandria

Que Importa

Explain your choices, including your goal for the feeling at the end of the tanda, and what flavor/texture/feeling the vals set might have.

The above songs are all classics and if you're purchasing music, you must have them in your collection, so if you're into it, now would be a good time to purchase them from Tango Tunes, Tango Time Travel, or another site. If you're not yet purchasing music, they can be found on Spotify, Youtube, and other online sources with varying quality - DJ Toro on Youtube is a pretty reliable source.