Tango DJs: The Gatekeepers of Milonga

Although there is much debate about its origin, the Tango is regarded as an Argentine origin dance and music genre. Considering that it has a nearly century-long background in Turkey, today’s interest in the Tango is remarkable. In many other cities besides the big one such as Ankara, ？stanbul, and ？zmir, there are numerous dance academies that regularly organize tango lessons and milongas, which also provide the continuity of tango. Thanks to these events, the popularity of the Tango is increasing day by day. Milongas, tango festivals and marathons, which are usually organized by tango academies, also have the characteristic of providing a social space for both professional and amateur dancers. Although the dancers make up the primary component of a milonga, the DJs who select the songs, create the playlists and keep people dancing are an essential component as well. In a milonga, these two connected components create the harmony of dance and music. Therefore, the DJs have become an indispensable part of tango activities in Turkey over the past 10 years