and organizer, Julia Doynel
Dancing in Buenos Aires continues to expand as I recently counted 24 Milongas on Hoy Milonga today. They are all over the city from Palermo to Recoleta, San Telmo to San Nicholas, Villa Crespo to Flores.
I live in Barrio Norte and like to take the bus to my Milongas (the fare is 20 peso) and then take a cab home at night. So I dance at El Beso on Riobamba, Nuevo Chique on San Jose, Sueno Portenyo on Balcarce, Club Marabu on Maipu, occasionally straying to Salon Canning on Raul Scalabrini Ortiz or Nuevo Gricel on Rioja, La Nacional on Adolfo Asino.
Keep thinking I need to change the milongas I attend but always come to the same conclusion. I like the places I dance. Usually, I know the organizer and a lot of the dancers as been dancing here since the Milongas re-opened in September 2021 after being closed for almost 2 years.
In Buenos Aires when you are a known person, your reserved seat is repeatedly available or the front row table. This means people know where to expect to see you. This will usually lead to more cabeceos and possibly more dancing, but not always.
Remember January and February are peak summer months here, so a lot of local people go to the beach for month.
The void of Portenyos (locals) at the Milongas is taken up by foreign visitors wanting to escape those cold northern winters. Tables are always reserved, and usually filled with many dancers especially if there is a good orchestra.
Then there is the floor, dancers from a variety of countries can be exhilarating. With dancers in close embrace, and others in open embrace. Heels and elbows can fly on the floor. As the night progresses the floor becomes more crowded. There is more unintentional bumping into others. Experiencing another’s elbow in your back is not pleasant. Getting your feet stepped on by another dancer, does hurt. Looking at that person, apologies are murmured or looks are exchanged. All is good. We continue to dance wearing masks, but do rotate partners.
Remembering that here in Buenos Aires we are dancing, dancing, dancing. Many locations around the world are still not dancing. So all is good.
Tango has returned to this city almost with the passion of the past. Tangeros dance the night away oblivious to all but the person they share an embrace with.
Many Milongas start at 8 or 9 continuing until 3 or so in the morning with the performing orchestra taking the stage at 1 or 1.30.
A bit different from the afternoon Milongas starting at 2 or 3 and most orchestra will start playing at 5 and end at 6pm. Dancing will finish at 8 or 10.
Posted here are a couple of videos from dancing at some of these clubs .
Hoping to embrace you soon and enjoy your visit to the home of Tango.
Abrazo y Besos