What makes a successful milonga?

From my point of view, there are several aspects that are important for a pleasant milonga. Here is how I imagine it…

The dance floor always offers enough space for a movement forward. The dancers are considerate and do not enter the dance floor when it starts to get crowded. There is a continuous movement of the dance couples.

Dancing is characterized by the attention to the dance direction, the “ronda” and “flow” of the dance floor. The assumed dance level of each dancer is secondary on a milonga. How many steps are mastered in the dance class is not as important as the ability to navigate and self-control, for both roles.

Friendliness and openness of the service are very important. The host is there for all visitors, welcomes friendly and greets everyone, experienced milongueros and beginners alike. A successful milonga is characterized by the personal character of the organizers, which is reflected, for example, in the choice of music, location, lighting, etc.

Refreshments and especially water, and maybe typical drinks such as a whiskey and a Baileys are not missing. Something more than just the “minimum” should already be there to get through the tandas cheerfully.

The music is varied and atmospherically different. There are at least two highlights during the evening. Personally, I find milongas that are characterized by pieces from the 40s and 50s the most beautiful. Later and contemporary interpretations of traditional themes, such as by the orchestras Colortango or Misteriosa, can also contribute greatly to the listening pleasure.

And last but not least: in a good milonga there is not only enough space to dance but also to socialize, to have conversations, to meet new people. This is also favored by the room itself. A bar, an adjacent room and/or sufficient seating promote the conversation, so that the evening is not only dance-focused. The dancers can relax and refresh themselves in peace and always show themselves well-groomed.

When I think about it, I do not see a universal recipe for a successful milonga. A strong soul, the love of dance and the personal hospitality of the organizers can conjure up a unique experience from the different venues, sizes, times, audiences, etc.

That is why we dancers go out again and again – in search of that special something.

What does it mean to be a good dancer?

A good dancer makes the best possible out of every situation.

There are many aspects that play a role in this. Firstly, it is the ability to adapt to different partners, secondly, the mastery of one’s own dancing desires. Finally, the ability to differentiate oneself from others. In the sense of authenticity, musicality, the diversity in the repertoire, charisma and transmission of security. All these factors are rarely present in the same intensity in a single person. That’s what makes the differences between the dancers. Being a good dancer means using your own possibilities in honesty and thereby creating the best possible version of yourself.

There are hardly any differences between the desirable qualities of a good leader and those of a good follower. Therefore, this conversation applies to both roles and genders. It is more about how the qualities come in the game. Both roles must seek the encounter, an honest search for the partner, without claiming to “find” someone. The process of searching is what makes the beauty of dance. After the music, the partner and yourself.
A good dancer no longer compares himself to the outside world, he is not in competition. When you have found your way of dancing, you are able to recognize the search and development of others.

Good dancers manage to develop over the years and remain consistent through the personality they find. Quality is more likely to be found in endurance than in sometimes short-lived fads.

A good dancer must have self-confidence, love him- oder herself, at the same time perceive the other people and still be emotionally touched while dancing. A good dancer is someone who gets along well on his or her own. He or she has no right to be “liked” by as many as possible or to have his or her taste shared by the general public. The goal is to find our own best possible dance. We prepare for it continuously, throughout our life. We invests in body, soul and spirit.