Dear milonguero events organizers,
I am sure you noticed that there is this perception among some dancers that tango milonguero is a dying thing; something which was something in the past and does no longer exist. Many think that the natural development of tango went into direction they call “tango salon”, appropriated term which is basically toned down version of tango escenario.
I believe that what they don’t understand is that social tango (the real tango salon), or tango milonguero, actually is still existing and developing far away from what has been served to them.
I’m not that long in the world of tango: my decade and a half long tango adventure is minuscule compared to some much more experienced dancers. But, I’ve been around long enough to witness how one by one we lost almost all of the best milongueros who lived in the Golden Age. They were our unbroken thread who preserved tango as it was in the Golden Age, something on witch we built upon to develop social tango as it is today.
Last one we said goodbye to was the great El Chino Perico (1931-2024). He witnessed the rise and fall of tango, and participate in it’s renewal.
The Current Landscape
The view that milonguero is an outdated relic of the past must be challenged. Not because we love milonguero, but because this perception is wrong.
For example, while traveling to encuentros and other events, I personally witnessed great milonguero dancers. They dance that way because they find it most suitable for social purposes, but the problem is that people who don’t travel (usually the newcomers) rarely have the opportunity to see them. Those are social dancers and never perform: they usually don’t feel comfortable to be filmed.
So, when I talk to my students about milonguero, I understand that it really feels like it’s something from the past. Most of the videos we have are mostly 10 or more years old, and the vast majority of them show performances of the old milongueros from the Golden Age – usually already past their 60s.
It really feels like milonguero is for old people!
On the other hand, Youtube and other social platforms are flooded with videos of shows and performances. Usually, those are show videos of young ambitious people who put a lot of effort to make a name for themselves – so there’s a lot of advertising going into it. The organizers of festivals and workshops are also pushing this kind of videos to sell their events.
And, I agree – the nature of tango escenario is such that it’s much easier to sell. Its purpose is to captivate attention, which is great for becoming viral content among tango enthusiasts.
On the other hand, social dancers and milongueros are not even feeling comfortable being filmed, let alone being virally shared on social media (I know because I feel like that as well).
On top of that, their dancing is not quite attractive to watch, especially for beginners who still haven’t experienced the bliss of dancing simply and with great connection. So, milonguero videos are considered boring to watch for an inexperienced eye.
All of that results in a lack of representation of milonguero on online platforms – which sadly has a huge influence on people’s perception, and even more sadly on how tango is being danced around the world.
What Should We Do?
I think we need to produce more videos of contemporary milonguero dancers. We also need videos that show that there are also younger people dancing milonguero.
Milonguero is social dancing, but it can be performed as well.
The benefit of this is multifold. First, I see this as a way to change the wrong perception that milonguero is something from the past. Second, it will vastly contribute to the development of milonguero – watching other milongueros dancing contributes to your own style and we’re creating a rich and diverse culture around it.
The roadblocks for this are also multifold. First, people who dance milonguero don’t like to be filmed. Also, the participants of milonguero events usually don’t like milongas to be interrupted with performances – like they do at festivals. I am also one of those – as a dancer, DJ, and organizer I also hate when the flow of the event is being disrupted.
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From my heart to yours!
Ivica
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How Do We Do It?
My proposal is to produce and distribute videos of a skillful couple demonstrating/performing tango milonguero. I must note here that organizers must be cautious to choose a milonguero, not a show-dancing couple, and know how to make the difference. There are many performers that represent their dancing as milonguero, but in fact, are just a trimmed-down version of tango escenario.
1. The first thing to do is to arrange a deal with the couple
Since many of these couples are probably teachers as well, this deal will be helpful for their work as well, since it’s great promotion.
2. Choose wisely when the couple should perform
Milonguero aficionados usually don’t like when milongas are disrupted by performances – this makes things a little bit complicated. If the couple is giving workshops, then it’s much easier: it’s nice to finish the workshop with a demonstration.
When it comes to encuentros or milongas, the interruption is the most obvious option if you want to have a performance with people watching around. But, maybe there is an alternative option as well: the performance can be done after the last tanda when people have finished their night but are still present in the venue to see the performance.
I don’t claim that this is the ultimate solution; it’s just my idea and a proposal. If you have other ways to produce more high-quality videos that promote contemporary milonguero dancers – I’m all for it. I’ll be happily sharing them, promoting your event and the couple along the way.
If there is something that you can call the ‘science of movement’ it is somatics like the Alexander Technique or the Feldenkrais Method. If you read any books, eg., Moshe Feldenkrais “Awareness Through Movement” there is nothing in any of that to suggest that looking at ‘skilled dancers’ can improve the quality of your movement.
I gather that you’re a coder. Do you learn coding by looking at ‘skilled coders’?
I find the whole argument quite ridiculous. The model-and-drill approach to dance teaching can be traced to the spatial analysis of movement by the modern dancer Rudolf Laban. This analysis has several uses, but in dancing the main use is to provide for visual appeal of movement for an audience.
I really do not understand the logic of applying this type of analysis to movement which is supposed to be EXPERIENTIALLY aesthetic.
It seems that you, along with the other ‘milonguero’ teachers like Susana Miller and Monica Paz, are pretending to be promoting an alternative to the exhibitionist Villa Urquiza tango when in reality you’re using the exact same logic and really promoting a performance tango milonguero.
I go into that in detail in my book, and you can get the relevant chapter for free.
It’s really the reason that these encuentros are nothing like milongas in Bueos Aires where people don’t learn tango milonguero by looking at ‘skilled dancers’ or from these tango milonguero teachers.
Some lost opportunities here.
Why do you have to portray an older man with a much younger women, to show an older style? If any style can be danced to old age, it is this one. I dance a lot with >90 year old tangueras. It’s fun as they are almost all musical and naughty ;-). And the smile you get, is worth dying for.
It is not the ultimate style, it isn’t the oldest one, it isn’t the best one, as that is subjective. It is not milonguero style, more a tango salon.
It is not shown in the environment you talk about (stole that one from Christos).
It is, not even a good performance. Yes, with mediocre connection, movements, musicality, etc. If you do want to pay Richardo a tribute, please use another video. There are plenty better than this one..
Although this is the style I dance >90% of the time, I do think tango is about change and strangely also about resistance to it. Both belonged to the tango from the beginning on. And I love the 10% where I can go wild, if it is the time, the place and the tanguera.
But I do agree, that with all those wild performances, we have a hard time explaining to people how are interested in tango what it is about.
I do welcome some maestro’s that started to incorporate the tango they themselves dance in the milongas as one of their performance dances. Often it is the additional 5th ones if everybody clapped real hard.
Of course Carlitos, but also the likes of Fausto y Stephanie do it more and more as one the planned ones.
I think we should encourage any performing couple to also show that what we could really use and therefor want to learn. I still like the wild performances, that show skills I will never have, but I crave to see them do real connection, playful improvisation, with musicality, where as a dancer you feel the vibe that can go on between two people, like nobody is watching. I guess that vibe is where most tango addicts aim for in each dance. So that is what I also want to see in their performances. Let’s ask them to show us.
Gr. Martin
Hi. I watched Kathleen’s recommend vid, and I do not actually see milonguero style, but very poor salon style with both of them having poor embrace and therefore no connection.
Hi Julio, I’ve seen her video, and I agree with you…
But in the same time I think that might also be milonguero… it all depends on the perspective and definition.
If one thinks of milonguero as the way people danced in the center of Buenos Aires where the styles of different barrios melted together – than yes, Kathleen’s video is not milonguero.
But for a past couple of years I was analyzing and thinking about what makes milonguero dancing what it is – and I concluded that the main thing is the musicality: how dancers listen and interpret the music. Although I 100% agree with you that this guy (Los Alonso) and his partner have poor technique and bad (no) embrace – the way they listen to the music can be considered as milonguero.
I’ve heard the story that in the Golden Age in different barrios (not the center) there were a family friendly restaurants where during weekends dinners were organized where different generations gathered. After the dinner family member danced tango, but not to connect, just simply out of joy of movement. Since there was no changing of partners (or rarely) and intimate embrace was forbidden, I imagine couples danced like Los Alonso and his partner – dry, without connection, with poor technique and seemingly with some predictable choreographed parts.
yes, thank you. While I am not dogmatic and flexible about the dancing style, I personally prefer the milonguero style (even for Tango nuevo and non-Tango Tandas, yes) and I really miss an opportunity to show my students videos of dancers that actually show that the milonguero style offers an unmatched intensity and great dancing experince. Most show dancing (while artistcally interesting) feels cold and unpersonal.
I like very much the idea but I think it can be done even better.
Why take the social element out of the milonguero style? Why not film them while dancing in a milonga?Why not film them among other people to show how they respect the other dancers as well. This way you promote milongueros and their attitude in their natural context.
Now that I think of it… maybe that is why milonguero performances seem boring. Because there is no reason to dance like this when you have all the space and eyes on you. But when you are restricted in space and nobody watches you… Then dancing like this makes perfect sense.
Of course you need to do it in a non-invasive way (better if they don’t notice it altogether)… and then ask their permission to post it online.
I got the same idea, and we have those videos around YouTube, but I think it’s too much going on for the attention span of an average person 🙂
I think people should watch those videos later on, but first they need a couple dancing alone, not in the ronda.
I see… I had in mind something like this (in terms of filming set up)… maybe the portrait orientation helps in taking out the noise that can get your attention.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kuf7ghfddTY
Ivica, Check out the dancers/teachers known as Los Alonso. Here is a link to a performance they did last year at Parakultural in the club Marabu in Buenos Aires. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aF9eEnfYbE&t=47s
I have to say that in my 6 trips to BA since 2018, I have seen a definite change in the performances at milongas. In 2018 all the performances were full of acrobatics, very ensenario. In 2023 and 2024, almost every performance I saw at a milonga was milonguero or very close. Maybe one couple performed with lifts, etc.
I have studied with Los Alonso on four trips. They are incredible teachers. Alfredo has wonderful musicality which he stresses in his students. I am enjoying your articles very much.