Undoubtedly, the best places to go dancing tango are the Milongas. Now, the milonga, understood as an event where tango, criollo waltz, and milonga are danced interchangeably, is usually held in the ballroom of a club (popular, social, and sports clubs are widely spread in Argentina) or any other venue intended for that purpose.
It’s worth noting that “Milonga” is also the name of the Rio de la Plata folkloric music genre, typical of Argentina, Uruguay, and Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). The genre originates from the gaucho culture. It is performed in binary rhythm, but often with a guitar accompaniment in 6/8 time. It comes in two modalities: on the one hand, the “milonga campera,” “pampeana,” or “surera” (belonging to the so-called “surera” or southern music), which is the original form of the milonga. On the other hand, the “milonga ciudadana,” a later musical style. However, what we are addressing in this article is the Milonga as a social event.
What does the Milonga consist of?
Typically, the repertoire consists of tango, milonga, and criollo waltz, which are grouped into “tandas” of between three and five dances, separated by small pieces or fragments of light music called “cortinas.”
Each tanda consists of only one of these rhythms, and it is customary to group them by orchestras, year of recording, with singers or not, by composers, modern, etc.
A sequence may consist of: instrumental tango, sung tango, criollo waltz, instrumental tango, sung tango, milonga, and so on.
The Milonga and the rituals: Men and women
Men and women sit at tables placed around the dance floor, and at the beginning of a tanda, men (usually) invite women to dance.
Traditionally – at least in Argentine milongas – the invitation to dance follows a strict rule: the man, from a certain distance, looks at a chosen woman and “cabecea” her, meaning he makes an almost imperceptible signal by quickly and once turning his head towards the shoulder corresponding to the side where the dance floor is located, and the woman can accept or decline the invitation (also with her head), or look away to also reject the invitation.
This prevents the man from the embarrassment of being rejected after having walked to the woman’s table, and the woman from the embarrassment of rejecting him directly if that were the case.
In milongas frequented by younger people, these rules are often less strict, and invitations to dance are made regardless of the “cabeceo,” and sometimes it’s women who invite men to dance.
Conclusion
At the end of the tanda, the man escorts the woman back to her table and then returns to his own. It is considered inappropriate not to finish dancing a tanda with the partner. The cortina provides the necessary time for this. It is also possible, if both have particularly enjoyed the tanda and agree to it, to continue dancing the next tanda; however, this is not common, and usually the man will wait for a tanda before inviting the same woman to dance again.
Where to dance Tango in Buenos Aires? 8 places where you can dance in Buenos Aires
If you’re looking for places to dance tango in Buenos Aires, you’ll find countless options. Places where milongas and tango classes are organized. Here’s a list of the top 15 places to dance tango in Buenos Aires.
1 – Centro Cultural BailaBA!
Located in the Palermo / Villa Crespo neighborhood. Av. Scalabrini Ortíz 540. It is an excellent salon where Tango is danced on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 pm to 1:30 am. Tango dancers, enthusiasts, people of all ages gather there. It is a very warm place, with a buffet service (food) and a drinks bar. And on Fridays in the morning from 10 am to 12 am (it’s a 2-hour practice).
2 – La Catedral.
An alternative space in the heart of the Almagro neighborhood. The milonga takes place in a truly unique place. It is a refurbished warehouse from the late 19th century that is covered with paintings and antiques. In its origins, it was a grain warehouse. Later it became a dairy factory and then a slaughterhouse. Today it is part of the artistic and tourist heritage of the area. The floors are wooden, it has three rooms, and only vegetarian food is served in the restaurant. Like almost all of its kind, it is a tango and folklore school. There are not usually very good dancers, but the atmosphere is unique! It is open every day from eight in the evening to four in the morning, but Tuesday is the busiest day. Address: Sarmiento 4006 (corner of Medrano)
3 – El Beso.
At El Beso, there are milongas for all tastes, every day. Find your space and come enjoy true Buenos Aires tango. Riobamba 426-
4 – La Viruta.
It is one of the most well-known milongas in the city, perhaps the most popular. To wear out the soles, those who know and those who want to learn come to La Viruta, one of the milongas, places to dance, with the greatest flavor of Buenos Aires. It is a basement, and the atmosphere can change depending on the time you go. At the beginning, there are many beginners and tourists. Then, as it gets later, the more professional dancers begin to arrive (after 3 am). Tango, salsa, and rock classes are given here for all levels. You can just watch while having a drink or eating something solid. From midnight, there are live shows, and only adults are allowed in the room. Casual clothing is acceptable. On Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, it is open until half past three in the morning. On Fridays and Saturdays, the doors don’t close until… six in the morning.
5 – La Calesita.
The charm of La Calesita can only be discovered in the summer. Good weather and warm temperatures are decisive factors for this outdoor milonga. The aesthetics are a bit like a fairground, with plastic tables and chairs and colored lights. It is located in the Núñez neighborhood, near the River Plate stadium. The person responsible for this milonga is Julio Méndez, a dancer and teacher of International Tango. The name is due to a tango by Catulo Castillo and Mariano Mores inspired by the Carousel (merry-go-round) that was in the Plaza Primero de Mayo in Buenos Aires, but “calesita” also refers to a tango step “in which the dancer is attracted to lean forward, balancing on one foot, while the dancer walks, forwards or backwards, in a tight circle around her.” Address: Avenida Comodoro Rivadavia 1,350
6 – La Glorieta de Belgrano.
Like La Calesita, it is outdoors and only operates in the summer, but it is also free. La Glorieta de Belgrano holds the milonga around a kiosk, in the middle of the square. It operates on Fridays and weekends, but it is said that the best day is Sunday. It usually starts around seven in the evening, and spontaneous people, tourists, and tango lovers come. This area is known as the Barrancas de Belgrano, and it is here where the teacher and dancer Marcelo Salas holds the fort, his and others’, for ten years. Address: Calle 11 de septiembre corner Echeverría.
7 – Salon Canning
Salón Canning. It is one of the most recognized milongas in Argentina. Tango professionals praise the wooden dance floor as the greatest jewel in the tango crown. Those who know everything about the milonga attend, but tourists enamored with tango also come. Everyone is welcome. It opens daily, and each day has a different coordinator. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, it becomes a phenomenon “ParaKultural”; on Thursdays, it is known as “Rouge tango,” and the rest of the week as Salón Canning. Weekends are the busiest, and it usually lasts until five in the morning.
8 – Maldita Milonga
Maldita Milonga. In San Telmo, tango tastes like something else. Maldita Milonga is the master and mistress of the neighborhood. Laura Heredia offers classes from nine at night for beginners and intermediate levels. All academic, everything very much about being with all five senses to not lose balance until eleven at night when another show starts. Live music is provided every Wednesday by the orchestra “El Afronte.” She brings her company of dancers but allows customers to dance on stage. Whoever goes, remembers it forever. Address: Calle Perú 571
