Ha, What Else? Tango - Milongas

[sylvie]

Why take La Glorieta off your list? Everybody likes it, despite the level of dance. It's super relaxed and in a lovely park. There is no way to get stuck in a corner, since you're standing up in a circle. As for El Beso, I would definitely go... Tuesday (I agree with Jamila about Cachirulo), Thursday, or Sunday. As Bajo_cero said, it is probably just what you're looking for. Also, if you liked Canning on Sunday, you might like the matinee on Wednesday, too. It's very similar.

I just noticed Bajo_cero's post about codigos. Hilarious, and all hilariously true!!

Ah... the clothing question. At the older milongas, you will see some painful get-ups. But just because men dance with women who are wearing tons of makeup and showing outrageous amounts of cleavage doesn't mean that their partners find them attractive. They've been dancing with those women for years... decades. If you look sophisticated and well dressed, men will respond. Also, if you go to the young milongas, you will see women looking casually sexy and cool... not overdone. It's true that short-shorts are popular now, but I do not see makeup and tacky cleavage at the younger places.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

- one problem i had : a good dancer who, while speaking between songs in a tanda, wanted to stay in a somewhat close embrace, i did not think it was the norm and kind of wriggled out of it to make distance; what would people do here? it's not too inappropriate to say Gracias and leave, but was uncomfortable for me.

Be nasty, and leave him alone on the dance floor. Simple like that, And bann him for the next 200 years.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

Ah... the clothing question. At the older milongas, you will see some painful get-ups. But just because men dance with women who are wearing tons of makeup and showing outrageous amounts of cleavage doesn't mean that their partners find them attractive. They've been dancing with those women for years... decades. If you look sophisticated and well dressed, men will respond. Also, if you go to the young milongas, you will see women looking casually sexy and cool... not overdone. It's true that short-shorts are popular now, but I do not see makeup and tacky cleavage at the younger places.

I agree, be sophisticated instead of too sexy. Don t forget that many of us have wifes at the same milonga but we ndon t seat together.

If a woman is too sexy I cannot invite her to dance unless I want to sleep in the Coach.

Regards

pd: if you understand some Spanish, this is an outstanding blog:
http://milongueraque...01_archive.html
Milonguera, complaining and so what!

 

[Cialu]

Thanks EVERYONE!!! Plan and schedule made , will do it all

 

[Cialu]

I agree with most of what people have said. I think you need to find your own milongas. Depending on how long you have try a little bit of everything. but i would like to add my own thoughts.

i love viruta but is in not a traditional milonga. It is hard to [background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]cabeceo [/background]there because it is so big and dark. There are some very bad dancers there and some very good ones. I think of La Viruta as a place to go AFTER the milonga and hang out and dance with your friends. Wed & Sunday nights are best.. It's genrally free after 1:30 and thats when all the best people show up. Friday and Sat after 3:30. People don't follow the "rules" We often sit at tables mixed sex tables, sometimes the tandas go on forever and sometimes I dance with the same person more than one in a row... *gasp!* i know I know. I hardly ever dance with people i don't know or haven't been introduced to there...

One not I went to Tasso a few weeks ago and there was no orchestra and it was dead... i am not sure if the orchestra was on holiday or what. I like the milonga at plaza dorrego, the but you have to be careful of the level of the dancers ... again it might be a better place to go with friends

I like Canning best on Mondays and Tues ( live music) try to make a reservation. Canning is more traditional early in the night also people dance more milonguero style ( often because it is so crowded) and then changes later in the night. Especially on Tues. Stay after 2 and it changes into a whole different milonga, younger people more open dancing. much more casual.

I keep mentioning that many milongas are places where people go with their friends. I think in Buenos Aires it is important to make friends/ network... People ask people they know. A good way to do that is by going to classes and practicas. Take classes. Go to practicas talk to people. if you see or dance with people whose style you enjoy.. ask them where they are going tonight... tomorrow.

Tango is the same all over the world but dancing in Buenos Aires is different from anywhere else you have ever been.

be friendly, smile, try not to dance with the vultures, be open to new experiences, have fun and leave plenty of room in your suitcase for shoes! You are going to have a great time!


let me know if you have any other questions

people keep talking of 'vultures' and 'bottom feeders'
??? couldn't find in the dictionary
what exactly am i to look for to recognize the type, and why to avoid?

 

[Yogur griego]

http://tango-therapist.blogspot.com/2011/09/tango-vultures.html

 

[Cialu]

http://tango-therapi...o-vultures.html

Hi and thanks for the link. it points to an idea of 'vulture' as a guy seeking to get sex via special relationship/guidance/gaining trust of (usually newer) tanguera.
Article refers to it as 'sexual predator' , basically, and not limited to tango,
so per earlier comments it appears that these people frequent tourist-heavy establishments .

i used to think that 'bottom feeders/vultures' were those seeking to gain students for their classes via criticism of one's technique or via their charms.
Economic predator, basically.

I found this comment in the link, i think it's important to recognize that power-play dynamic is frequent anywere and everywhere not just tango, and yes, most of tango dancers hopefully can be be mature to make decisions as to affairs they will have:

verbatum:

[background=rgb(192, 161, 84)]We are talking about adults here aren't we? Some of this tends to verge on paranoia and perhaps, between the lines, sour grapes. [/background]

[background=rgb(192, 161, 84)]A seduction happens, instigated by male or female, in the dance scene. Everything works out, they get married, have kids and dance happily ever after. A fairytale romance come true. Same scenario. It doesn't work out. Feelings are hurt all around. Somebody gets branded a Tango Vulture. [/background]

[background=rgb(192, 161, 84)]Sexually active adults indulge in seduction, of each other, in social settings. Being new to a dance or to a social group doesn't make a child of an adult. Most of us can take care of ourselves.[/background]

 

[Yogur griego]

Hi and thanks for the link. it points to an idea of 'vulture' as a guy seeking to get sex via special relationship/guidance/gaining trust of (usually newer) tanguera.
Article refers to it as 'sexual predator' , basically, and not limited to tango,
so per earlier comments it appears that these people frequent tourist-heavy establishments .

i used to think that 'bottom feeders/vultures' were those seeking to gain students for their classes via criticism of one's technique or via their charms.
Economic predator, basically.

I found this comment in the link, i think it's important to recognize that power-play dynamic is frequent anywere and everywhere not just tango, and yes, most of tango dancers hopefully can be be mature to make decisions as to affairs they will have:

What I tend to hear a lot from women is the supposed attempts by many Argentine male dancers to use milongas as a vehicle for 'tomar un café', if you know what I mean. I can't really imagine how that works because straight male dancers often do not run into such things. I have experienced slightly similar attempts by women (although way more subtle), a part of this behaviour is a natural thing, but some men are clearly desperate to find someone or just trying to seduce foreign women for sex as some kind of game. It's not limited to beginner ladies. Cultural thing, I suppose.

I wonder if you seasoned tangueras recognize this behaviour.

 

[Cialu]

What I tend to hear a lot from women is the supposed attempts by many Argentine male dancers to use milongas as a vehicle for 'tomar un café', if you know what I mean. I can't really imagine how that works because straight male dancers often do not run into such things. I have experienced slightly similar attempts by women (although way more subtle), a part of this behaviour is a natural thing, but some men are clearly desperate to find someone or just trying to seduce foreign women for sex as some kind of game. It's not limited to beginner ladies. Cultural thing, I suppose.

I wonder if you seasoned tangueras recognize this behaviour.

just pointing out like in a post before - it's 21st century and women hopefully are more educated and empowered to both recognize and react how they prefer to male attention. the difficulty here arizes in the power dynamic - ie seasoned teacher/tanguero and (possibly) younger beginning dancer wanting to improve/impress/do well. I want to point out that it happens EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD AND SOCIAL STRATA AND PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT: EG bosses/subordinates, older wiser/younger less skilled, it's heavily represented in creative professions (artists - painters, ballet, theatre), architecture/design/fashion. everywhere. trick is to recognize such behaviour vs. fall 'under its spell' , which is rather easy if one is a stable individual whose self esteem is within him/herself. Is it not so?

 

[Cialu]

Update. Thank you everyone who participated in this conversation, invaluable information!!!

[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]1. i find that going to a milonga every day is superhuman and it's only been 2 days...[/background]

[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]2. Thurs - El Beso was nice but i definitely preferred Lo de Celia (Wed), as people at Lujos/El Beso know each other x 40+ yrs, + seats are such that it's impossible to cabacear; also people jump up immediately w music and don't even wait to see what's playing, and then your view is obscured. Many leaders i observed at both milongas were musical and showed such an organic pleasure just being there and dancing, which was great to see, but not all. Cliquishness observed at ElBeso; people definitely dance w people they know - and will continue to know when all the tourists are long gone. People dress more flashy/dancy at El Beso, and more elegant and subtly sexy at Lo de Celia. [/background]

[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]El Beso: I had 3 tandas only, 2 of which were superb; and !!! A TAP ON A SHOULDER WITH 'BAILAR?" VERBALLY! FROM A PORTENO. to which i said NO, GRACIAS. I have to learn the look Bajo_cero2 mentioned, [/background][background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]"look at him like he's raping his own mother" ;[/background][background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]) [/background][background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]at Lo de celia i danced non stop x 2.5 hrs (-2 tandas), fantastic and beautiful musicality and friendliness of leaders observed.[/background]


[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]3. Sun - i was invited to a ?new milonga called Boca a Boca - anyone has any knowledge about it???[/background]

[background=rgb(252, 252, 252)]4. SAT- it's supposed to be a rainy/stormy day, -- i suggested museum outings in a post here, you and your GF are more than welcome to come!!![/background]