Milonga (place)
Encyclopedia
Milonga is a term for a place or an event where tango is danced. People who frequently go to milongas are sometimes called milongueros. The term "milonga
" can also refer to a musical genre.
The music played is mainly tango
, vals
and milonga (as the musical genre). Most milongas are held on a regular basis (usually weekly), and they often begin with dancing classes and sometimes demonstration dances. Usually, three to five songs of a kind are played in a row (this is called tanda
) followed by a short musical break (called cortina
) to clear the dancefloor and facilitate partner changes. There are a number of informal rules that dictate how dancers should choose their dancing partners.
Due to the strict assembly ban imposed by the military government, milongas almost disappeared from Buenos Aires
in the 1960s and 1970s. Nevertheless, since the beginning of the 1990s, the tango culture in Buenos Aires has undergone dynamic development, and today one can choose from between fifteen and thirty different milongas every day.
Milonga
Milonga can refer to an Argentine, Uruguayan, and Southern Brazilian form of music which preceded the tango and the dance form which accompanies it, or to the term for places or events where the tango or Milonga are danced...
" can also refer to a musical genre.
The music played is mainly tango
Tango (dance)
Tango dance originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata , and spread to the rest of the world soon after....
, vals
Vals (dance)
Vals is an Argentine tango style, the tango version of waltz. Unlike Argentine Tango and Milonga, there are no stopping figures. The vals is danced in a continuous movement. Not to be confused with the Peruvian Waltz, most widely known as Vals criollo....
and milonga (as the musical genre). Most milongas are held on a regular basis (usually weekly), and they often begin with dancing classes and sometimes demonstration dances. Usually, three to five songs of a kind are played in a row (this is called tanda
Tanda (tango)
A tanda is a turn of dancing in a milonga, and by association, a set of pieces of music, usually between three or five, that is played for one turn.Most commonly the music is tango, milonga or vals...
) followed by a short musical break (called cortina
Cortina (tango)
A cortina is a short piece of non-dance music that is played between tandas at a milonga . The cortina lets the dancers know that the tanda has ended. The partners can then without insult thank each other and return to their own tables, to find a new dance partner at the next tanda...
) to clear the dancefloor and facilitate partner changes. There are a number of informal rules that dictate how dancers should choose their dancing partners.
Due to the strict assembly ban imposed by the military government, milongas almost disappeared from Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
in the 1960s and 1970s. Nevertheless, since the beginning of the 1990s, the tango culture in Buenos Aires has undergone dynamic development, and today one can choose from between fifteen and thirty different milongas every day.
Well-known milongas
- Confitería Ideal: an old-fashioned milonga where dances are held afternoons and evenings, almost every day of the week. Confiteria Ideal was the setting for films like The Tango LessonThe Tango LessonThe Tango Lesson is a 1997 drama film by British director Sally Potter. It is a semi-autobiographical film starring Potter and Pablo Verón, about Argentinian Tango....
and EvitaEvita (film)Evita is the 1996 film adaptation of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical of the same name based on the life of Eva Perón. It was directed by Alan Parker and written by Parker and Oliver Stone. It starred Madonna, Antonio Banderas, and Jonathan Pryce...
. - Salon Canning: a meeting point for the best dancers of Buenos Aires on Fridays.
- La Nacional: another traditional milonga.
- Niño Bien: another traditional milonga.
- La Viruta: a preferred place for the younger public; up to 200 people attend dancing classes here before the dance. The music includes electrotango and sometimes even salsaSalsa musicSalsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
and rock and rollRock and rollRock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
. - Cachirulo: One of the most traditional milongas in Buenos Aires requiring men and women to sit on opposite sides of the room. It takes place every Saturday from 6 pm to Sunday 4 am.
- La Catedral: an interesting milonga situated in an old factory. There are classes and milongas almost every night, with Tuesdays being a popular night for tourists and first-timers.