I never play any songs I consider mediocre (in that I'd rather dance to them than sit them out) — though I make an exception for Tanturi/Campos, because it's my tradition to play Muchachos, comienza la ronda at the start of every milonga.
That's a welcome coincidence. But why do you differentiate between milongas where you must have every tanda and those where you don't? Is it the day of the week, the time of day, or the perfume of the dancers? (Just curious)
A British court orders him to
I have those too, even as a follower, believe it or not The number of people present who expect a dance and I don’t want to snub anyone because it’ll backfire for the next time I need more guys in the room. It’s much worse in my scene for a follower to ‘snub’ (even inadvertently) a leader. Us followers perfectly well understand the guys don’t have enough tandas to go around for all the followers waiting around. So if a guy we ‘expect’ a dance from doesn’t get to, it’s a question of math.
Your answer makes me realize how far I've strayed away from tango. I actually only go to milongas that people can remember my face, not to dance. Dancing happens more by chance, or coincidence, when a lightweight dancer asks me to dance while also music is playing that I like. everything else no longer is an option.
I completely agree - but that is the conscious opposite of intuitive and sometimes also situation-related selection.
It may depend on what you consider "great music." And you have to consider that the majority of dancers won't comment on the music; they'll essentially dance "despite" the music.
DJing at a regular, well-known milonga, at least, means reading similar stories over and over again. Sometimes it's full, sometimes it's emptier, sometimes it's warmer, sometimes it's colder. And since the selection is also meant to be "predictable and consistent," you can focus on the playback quality and even dance yourself.
If the DJ isn't 'responding', i.e. reading the floor, then may as well just provide a curated playlist, since they're adding so little. Should the DJ be a 'performance' (attraction?) themselves (e.g. some USP like crates of vinyls)?
If this is indeed the case, then the DJ's job becomes massively easier, as they only have to please the minority!
It's not the majority who care; it's the majority who will pay (they may, or may not, 'care' for what the DJ thinks is 'good').
An average DJ's music selection could be handled in a similar way these days by an algorithm or an AI. Additional information could also be provided, such as whether the dancers are tired or alert. However, DJs don't consistently assess such situations, and there's no consensus on how to respond musically in such situations.
What is wrong with you dude? Sounds like you lost stamina completelly.
A maximum of 10% of the dancers can comment on the music in a qualified manner, i.e., what they would specifically like better. So I focus on their feedback (if I can get it). For the others, it has to be just right.
Due to the poverty gap there, organizer and DJ are main occupations. This creates a completely different pressure to be customer-oriented. If the elderly regulars are neither able to cope with Biagi's syncopations (either due to their hearing or joints), then he shouldn't be played. Here in Northern Europe, where the expense allowance practically doesn't cover the actual costs plus the working time, we have a different starting point.