Festival DJs

Maria Valentina’s love for tango dates back to 1997.

In 2011 she co-founded Radio Recuerdo, an internet radio station that featured tango music and had a weekly live show interviewing interesting local and international tango personalities.

Radio Recuerdo eventually evolved into “Tango Talks”, a podcast co-produced by the late Carlos Quiroga and featured in ReporTango.net. It was during her time as radio host and podcaster that she began to really immerse herself in tango music, history, orchestras, composers, and singers.

In 2018 she officially began DJing at her own Milonga Capricho and has emerged as a popular DJ in New York City. Maria has traveled along the east coast DJing in Washington DC, Boston, New Jersey, Maine, across the way in New Mexico, and Mexico City as well. Maria’s creative and artful tanda construction tells a story. Each song is a thread of a tapestry that DJ and dancers weave throughout the evening.

Check out her fun and regular “Orchestra Battles” and participate in the comments from dancers from all over this tango globe of ours. You can follow “Orchestra Battles” on Social Media.

Originally from Montreal, Gabriel taught, performed and DJ’d for over a decade throughout North America before settling in his current home of Washington DC.

Gabriel’s style as a DJ is to create multiple varieties of waves for the dancers to ride. He loves building different kinds of energies throughout his set, always keeping his attention on the dancers and tuning into their vibe to identify when and how to raise and lower the tide. His inspiration is YOU!

Gabriel uses excellent DJ equipment and is particular about the quality of the sound, as well as his choice of tandas and cortinas. His music spans all eras, and he uses that range to bring out each dancer’s emotions. Everything is thoughtfully selected to expand your experience and inspire your creativity and flow!

Octavio Fernández began his tango journey as a teenager in Buenos Aires, studying under masters such as Rodolfo Dinzel and Mauricio Seifert. His natural talent and dedication led him to place third in the 2007 World Tango Salon Championship. He went on to perform in the historic tango show Sensaciones de Tango at Café Tortoni and later with the prestigious Tango x2 company, touring extensively across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. In addition to his performance career, Octavio is a respected tango DJ and the co-founder of El Yeite Tango Club and Festival, a vibrant cultural hub for tango in Buenos Aires.

Ignacio is a milonguero through and through. As a DJ, he brings you the tandas that make you unable to stay seated, even when your feet are done for the night. You can read a fuller bio for Ignacio on the teachers page.