So you want to dance in the milongas in Barcelona

In Barcelona, tango is a bit different from what it is in Buenos Aires; here too there is a passion for tango, a passion for connection  but everything is not as impassioned.

Outside of Argentina, that passion for the dance and lifestyle is reduced to recreation, whereas in Buenos Aires, tango —the dance and the milongas—has a different intensity. Lots of enthusiasm and energy.

The city of Barcelona has an excellent public transportation system, which allows you to go out dancing late and most nights take a night bus or taxi back home. The night buses run from 10.30 pm until 5.30 am.

It may well be possible to go tango dancing almost every night in Barcelona.

Dance all night

On Tuesday night, there is Milonga Mia. A small but well-attended event, both by locals and visitors.

The room is an ample club space with lovely wooden floors. On either side of the main long wall, couches are placed, along with a few chairs. The most important thing to remember is that the couch or chair is not yours for the entire evening. It’s possible to keep, but it will require some rearranging and sitting.

Dancers range on age

The dancers range in age from the early twenties to the late eighties, and, as usual, there are more women than men. Some dancers feel their tango is superior to others, while others are trying out some new step they learned in a class.

On the whole, the room is friendly and cabeceos can go both ways here.

The DJs usually play a full assortment of traditional tango, and the resident DJ, Eddy, is not only a good DJ but also a beautiful dancer.

Milonga Mia
Time:9:00 PM to midnight
http://www.instagram.com/milongamia/
Bruniquer Street, 45 – Joanic
+34 655 151 194 – lamilonga.mia@gmail.com

There is a Milonga on Wednesday called The Messy, but we have never attended, so we have no information.

Time: 9pm to midnight 

C Olivera 55

Always possible more

On Thursday, there is Casa Valencia. This milonga has been in existence for approximately 20 years, and the organizer is Antonia Barrera. It is located on the 2nd floor, accessible by stairs or elevator, in a beautiful old club complete with a bar.

When you first exit the elevator, you step into the open hall area, which features tables and a bar. Then, as you hear the music and walk into the Milonga, you are greeted by Antonia herself or a member of her family. An abrazo, a bit of conversation, and after paying your admission. A table is reserved for you. Another if not.

The DJs here are usually excellent, hailing from not only Barcelona but also Spain and Europe in general.  Depending on the DJ, the music can be varied. As we’ve been attending this milonga for a while, we are known, and the act of giving and receiving abrazos is a welcoming gesture. It almost feels like we are back at a milonga in Buenos Aires. Almost.

As to the dancing, again the range of embrazos is quite extensive, from open to closed, as per usual, tangueros are listening to the music while some are dancing to the beats of the music that only they can hear.  On most nights, there is a performance by a maestro couple visiting from out of the area. Sometimes these are excellent, and sometimes meh! Like most exhibitions.

What is different

What sets Casa Valencia apart from the rest of the milongas in Barcelona is that it attracts a crowd that is typically a bit younger, perhaps more international in scope, and has been in operation for over 20 years.

However, we are always happy to see old friends and dance with new ones, creating a very friendly experience for both new and seasoned dancers.

The room has large round tables, which create a good atmosphere for not only dancing but also chatting up. It’s at this milonga that we have met new friends from different countries.

Time: 10:00 PM to 1:30 AM
http://www.antoniatango.com
Casa Valencia – C/ Córcega 335, main – Diagonal
+34 934 234 817 –info@antoniatango.com

On Fridays, there is another milonga run by a couple originally from Argentina, Graciela and Osvaldo Tango. Their milonga is on Friday nights, starting at 10:00 p.m. The space is a small, club-like area that they decorate for the season, with small chairs and tables scattered against the walls. This space is well-attended by both locals and visitors, so a reservation is definitely recommended.

And a slightly different

This milonga definitely has its fans and supporters, as Osvaldo liked to consider himself not only the house DJ but also a singer of tango, which is also the sweetest of genres. However, it may take some time to develop an appreciation for it.

Sometimes, at these milongas, the dancing can be somewhat haphazard, as the floor is small and many people want to dance, with a variety of different tango styles.

We have attended many times and enjoyed ourselves, but often left early as the space can get chaotic later in the evening, and perhaps people are thrilled as it is Friday night.

Milonga La Yumba

Time: 9:30 PM to 1 AM

89 Calabria Street

+34 626 10 74 15

On Saturday, there is Milonga De Emotión, held at the old club that is entered by walking down a flight of stairs.  Once situated in the tango club, you noticed a bar to one side, and the dance floor is a medium-sized rectangular space with wooden floors.

And around the room

Scattered around the room are tables and chairs, creating a comfortable space to sit or dance. There is a DJ booth in the back of the room, and the DJs usually play classic old Tango. The space is run by Liliana Tolomei and Santiago Leon, lovely and warm people and tango maestros. Santiago is very generous with his dancing  and will usually dance with newcomers, as is Liliana. Many classes are held in the space too.

n this smaller space, we have danced many a night, enjoying the amiable nature of the space and the dancers. The dancers here are usually very good, both enjoying the floor and the music.

MMolonga De Emotio

Time: 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM
Gran via de les corts catalanes 432 – Rocafort
+34 671 094 986 – http://www.emocion-tango.com lilianatolomei@emocion-tango.com

On Sunday, there is a wonderful milonga called the El Living. It is run by an Argentine man, Martin. The milonga is located in the penthouse of a residential apartment building where the elevators are the size of freight cars. The space is intimate, and the milonga seems to be very friendly and open.

The space is decorated with old vinyl records on the walls and there are sofas, tables and chairs scattered around the room.

In our experience, this milonga is one of the friendliest in Barcelona, which I think is partly due to its obscure location. You almost feel like you’re sharing a secret when you arrive there.

The DJ is usually local playing many classic tangos and the dancing is fun and open. Here things are a little more carefree than in other molingas creating a very pleasant environment where both sexes cabeco.

We had fun here not only for the danceling, but we also met friends from other places at this milonga.

Milonga El Living
Time: 8:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.  C/ Pallars 65-71 4th penthouse

The familiarity of tango

Another aspect of the small tango world that I love. Talk to someone new for 5 minutes and I’m sure there’s common person or place with that person after all tango is a small international world.

Link

Milongas | BCN