2026 DJ Lineup
DERRICK DEL PILAR - Portland, OR
Derrick took his first tango steps in Buenos Aires in 2006 and started DJing in 2008. Taking cues from the dance floor, he plays classic tangos, milongas, and valses with rhythm, romance, energy, playfulness, drama—whatever the dancers seem to be craving in the moment. He has DJed at milongas, marathons, and festivals across the U.S., such as: Century Ballroom in Seattle, Portland Valentango, Portland TangoFest, Portland Tango Marathon, Tree City Tango in Boise, San Francisco Tango Marathon, Nora’s Tango Week, All-Night Milonga in Berkeley, Oxygen Tango in Los Angeles, San Diego Tango Festival, Tucson Tango Festival, Phoenix Encuentro Milonguero, Albuquerque Tango Festival, Buscándote Marathon in Houston, Chicago Mini Tango Festival, and Gallo Ciego & Bailemos in Astoria in New York City. He is currently based in Portland, Oregon, where he regularly DJs at Tango Berretín and other local milongas.
Derrick also holds an M.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, with a focus on the history and literature of Argentina in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. You can read his English translation of tango lyrics at poesiadegotan.com.
RACHEL MOON - Minneapolis, MN
A lifelong social dancer, Rachel is a dancer-centered DJ who brings a deep understanding of tango dance, music, and culture. Her DJing reflects years of refining her craft at local milongas in the D.C. area, several months living and training in Buenos Aires, and extensive study of tango history, orchestras, and music. She deepened her knowledge of these topics when she and her partner, J. Abling, co-created and taught an online program focused on tango musicality.
Rachel has DJed at events across North America, including Bailongo (Montreal), Albuquerque Tango Festival, Tree City Tango Marathon, and CincOh (Chicago). Wherever she DJs, Rachel aims to inspire dreamy smiles, pounding hearts, playfulness, and at least a few moments of joyful delirium.
MAX STASI - Milan, Italy
Bringing two decades of expertise from the heart of Milan, Max Stasi arrives as one of the most versatile and respected DJs on the international circuit. 2026 marks a milestone for Max, celebrating 20 years of artistic activity—a journey that has seen him curate the energy for over 1,300 events across 21 countries.
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The Sound of Experience
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Max’s signature sets are built on the timeless elegance of the Golden Age, yet his deep musical archives allow for masterful detours into the raw energy of the Guardia Vieja and the lush, sophisticated textures of the 1950s. His technical foundation is matched only by his intuition; Max is renowned for his rare ability to "read" a room, emotionally connecting with the dancers to ensure every milonga feels unique.
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A Global Presence
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His reputation for excellence has made him a staple at
the world’s most prestigious tango gatherings.
Max has headlined:
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Europe: Berlin’s NouTango, Hamburg’s TangoJam, the Mattstedt Tango Marathon, Mannheim’s Maratango, and Switzerland’s Amitango.
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North America: New York’s TangoCafe and San Francisco’s El Abrazo
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Whether it is an intimate Encuentro or a grand Festival, Max creates a seamless flow that keeps the floor vibrant and the embrace inspired.
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HOWOON CHUNG (LOCO) -
San Francisco, CA
A life traveler, always in motion, always exploring. Whether through places, people, or ideas, I’m drawn to what’s new, what’s different, and what challenges me to grow. Sometimes, the journey pulls me so far outward that I forget who I am. So, I keep returning, keep grounding, keep learning how to be myself again and again.
Tango is one of the ways I navigate this path. I cannot regret dancing tango because no two moments are ever the same—even if I dance in the same venue, to the same song, with the same partner, something always feels different. That subtle shift, that quiet surprise, is what keeps me coming back.
As a DJ, I play not only well-preserved recordings where each instrument can be heard clearly, but also selections that have a similar mood yet are rarely played. I believe that both clarity and surprise inspire creativity. When dancers can experience the full richness of the music,
they’re invited to discover something new—whether in a step, in the silence, or in the space between themselves and their partner. That’s the kind of magic I first encountered through tango. Wishing you encounter those incredible moments on the dance floor, and it’s my pleasure if the music I’ve chosen can help guide you there.
Georges Naasan - New York, NY
Georges Naasan has been dancing tango since 2002. His journey debuted in Lebanon, at a time when there was no tango community or milongas to attend. He took classes with traveling teachers and taught himself at the American University of Beirut.
Along with a few friends, he founded the first milonga in Beirut and ran it for a few years before he moved to the United States in 2007. He continued to develop his tango skills with various teachers who traveled to Cleveland and later to the Bay Area.
In the summer of 2014, he was the recipient of the gold medal in Argentine Tango at the Gay Games. He started DJing in 2015 and quickly became one of the Bay Area’s prominent local DJs. He has traveled for DJing in various US cities including San Diego, LA, and New York. In 2016, he was invited to DJ at the Beirut Tango Marathon. Georges has learned much of his tango dancing and DJing skills from various mentors that he met along his journey and to whom he is ever grateful.
JAY ABLING - Minneapolis, MN
J Abling is a Traditional Tango DJ and educator with over two decades of experience. Since 2008, he has DJed at major festivals and cities across North America, known for musical clarity, strong floor awareness, and thoughtfully crafted tandas.​ His breakout at the San Diego Tango Festival in 2011 led to regular invitations throughout the U.S. and Canada.
As a classically trained pianist, vocalist, and conductor, music education is central to his work. Through musicality trainings, lectures, and listening sessions, J mentors dancers and aspiring DJs in musical phrasing, tanda structure, and deeper musical understanding - supporting more connected and expressive dancing.
Kostas Aretos - San Francisco, CA
Pre-Festival Party DJ
Kostas is based in San Francisco, CA, where he dances and offers his DJing frequently at all local milongas like legendary Milonga El Valenciano and renowned Milonga Genesis, as well as more recent ones like Che! Milonga. He has DJed extensively across the West Coast at milongas like Tango Berretin (Portland, OR) and the East Coast at historic venues like Milonga La National and Tango Café (New York, NY)
He is steadily paving his way into the tango DJ scene by
selecting music at major tango events in USA (LA, NY, SD) as well as Asia (HK, SG). He has supported performances by tango maestros like Ariadna Naveira & Fernando Sánchez, Los Totis, and Ines&Corina. He has complemented live tango bands like Tango Bardo and Juan Villarreal & Patricio Crom.
He is drawing his tandas mainly from the traditional tango era, enriched by tangos from the late 50s, as well as Guardia Vieja prior to 1935, always catering to the energy in the room and the needs of the dancers.
