DJs
Jonas Aquino
(Bay Area)
Jonas Aquino is thrilled to make his Tree City Tango debut in 2025! A tango DJ, teacher, organizer, and dancer based in San Francisco, Jonas has been part of the tango community for over 18 years. His DJing journey has taken him across the United States to renowned festivals and marathons, as well as internationally to events in Beijing, Taipei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and beyond.
Whether spinning for a crowded festival or an intimate milonga, Jonas curates each tanda with care—reading the energy of the room and tuning into how dancers receive and express the music. His goal? To inspire connection, joy, and unforgettable moments on the dance floor.
Milton "El Gallo"
(Boston)
Milton “El Gallo” is not your regular DJ. He is a true professional, an exuberant entertainer, a thoughtful romantic, a mischievous character, a dynamic dancer, and a magic-maker who understands that every moment of an event matters. His approach to DJing mirrors his approach to tango. He looks to deeply connect with the people in the room, carefully and thoughtfully selecting songs, tandas, and even cortinas to create a mood that accentuates the experience for each dancer present. Expect a carefully curated journey of musical emotion that inspires you, keeps you dancing, and leaves you satisfied.
Milton hails from Boston-ish (MA, USA) where he is the resident DJ of the popular and long-standing monthly event, Milonga Nueva, which he co-hosts with his lovely wife, Corin. He has frequently DJed throughout the United States and Canada, and at major events in Europe.
Sofia “Marfushka” Tikhovidova
(Albuquerque)
While most toddlers were focused on crawling, Sofia was already intensely practicing her cabaceo, and breaking in her first pair of high heels by the age of two. She brings her life long love of tango and her passion for the music to all of her sets; your feet won’t know whether to beg for mercy or just beg for more.
As a DJ, Sofia loves to incorporate contrast, while still embracing a delicate flow of energy that inspires warm embraces, playful movements, and endless possibilities; keeping you on your toes… literally. Her approach to DJing focuses on adapting to the crowd and tailoring her sets to make the floor come to life, in that unique shared moment.
Recently, she’s DJ’d the Gavito, Austin, and Albuquerque Tango Festivals as well as multiple times at the LA, San Diego, and Phoenix Tango Marathons. Hear her at the upcoming Bosthon Tango Marathon (September 2025).
Richard Cepeda
(Los Angeles)
For over 17 years, Richard Cepeda has traveled the world studying tango and the music that drives it. As a dancer-turned-DJ, he brings a deep understanding of what drives dancers to every set.
A traditionalist with modern sensibilities, Richard believes a great night of dancing requires more than just good music—it needs a journey. His sets blend dynamics, textures, and emotions to create an immersive, soulful experience on the dance floor.
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Whether at milongas, festivals, or intimate events, Richard’s goal is simple: to move people—physically, emotionally, and collectively.
Vania Rey
(Austin)
Vania has been DJing tango since 2008, and over the years she has witnessed a constant evolution both in her musical preferences and in her DJ style. A tango teacher since 2002, her greatest strength as a DJ has been to stay conscious of that development, because it permits her to relate to and play for dancers with wide spread of experience and skill levels.
Aside from hosting/DJing a monthly milonga in Austin, TX, she travels regularly to teach and DJ tango around the world, thus far having had the opportunity to play for dancers in over 50 cities on 3 continents. Those events include the big, national festivals and marathons, but also the more intimate, local milongas, including various locations in Buenos Aires. Vania maintains a close network of tango DJ friends, which has been a way to share and discuss ideas about history, trends, fashions, and technology in the ever-changing tango music world.
Tommy Smith
(Boise)
Tommy has a passion for both traditional and alternative tango music and DJing, pursuing the rarer path of professionally DJing both. He draws upon his 13 years of experience DJing traditional milongas to inform his alternative style, believing that the key to success of DJing alt is to treat it like a traditional set - creating a dynamic flow, varying energies and styles, and playing music with rhythms and emotions dancers delight in connecting to.
To educate and motivate beginning DJs, progressing DJs, and those interested in tango music, he offers semi-regular DJ workshops. Events he has DJ'd at include Marathon Z (DC), Tango on the Rocks (Denver), Austin Spring Tango, Abrazo (Montreal), and the Ann Arbor Tango Marathon.