Years ago, before tango became trendy, most milongas were places where tango was a social dance; not showing off. The people came to enjoy the music and dance; not to pick up dates. Now popular places are overcrowded; good dancers act like minor celebrities.
At the beginning, it was really fun to hangout at these hip places, mixing amongst these who's who of tango. But these days, I find myself drawn more and more to the calmer neighbourhood milongas, where a more elderly crowd hangout.
One of the long enduring milonga that has withstood the tide of popularization is Lo de Celia.
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Best Place to Go: Lo de Celia, located at Humberto Primo 1783, is just a few blocks away from Nino Bien. A neighbourhood hangout place that gives you a feeling that you have walked into the weekly dance gathering of the elderly folks that are living from the surrounding ten blocks.
The energy is amazingly calm at the same time respectful. There are no eager beavers walking around trying to cabeceo just about everyone. People sitting with contented air; looking like they might just dance, given the right song with the right partner.
The dancefloor, made of marble, while not the best, is quite danceable. The lighting is not too bright, nor too dim, it is just nice with a very healthy and community feel.
Dancers: Very good level of dancing. I went there with Norhayah and Melissa on my last friday night in Buenos Aires. We were the only non-locals that night. The girls were invited by the men every single tanda, and they enjoyed all of them. Some of the ladies I danced with, while they might not look technically perfect from the outside, were simply amazing to dance with, feeling so smooth and musical.
I had my best dance in Buenos Aires with a particular young milonguera. She is 17 and started dancing since she was 12, she told me her only teachers were her dad and the milonga dancefloor. She danced with so much feelings and communications, I felt the power of body conversation during a dance when I am dancing with her. We might be looking at the next Geraldine Rojas here!
No famous milongueros or teachers, except for the milonga organizer Celia herself, who is a warm lady, full of zest, and she looks like she is ready to kick the butt of any badly behanving dancer.
The other one I can recognize is the milonguero they call 'El Chino'... no not me.
Floorcraft: Whether is it the vigilance of Celia or the fact that they only dancers here are pure old milongueros, the dancefloor always feel well ordered and spacious. Down here not only you would not get bumped, you also feel that you have sufficient space to express the music with more complicated figures.
Music: Best music in all the milongas by the famous and well loved DJ Dany! He plays Mi Romance by Tanturi, my favourite vals!
He also plays an occassional Rock, Swing or Cumbia. It is a hoot to see the argentines boogie away! There is one particular old couple which I enjoy watching always; The lady, swinging pasionately, strutting her stuff, while her husband just calmly vibrates on the spot!
What I Like Least: Dancing in front of the old milongueros and have them looking at me, made me quite nervous. I was afraid to make a wrong step and get labelled by them as a bad dancer.
Memories: My very first milonga in Buenos Aires in August 2006. My very first dance with a lady called Maria; she cabeceo-ed me! And later on she asked me to look up more and not be so shy. Ahh... how time flies.
Other Nice Places: Afternoons at Viejo Correo, Av. Diaz Velez 4820 or Nino Bien. At night, the hip and trendy Salon Canning.
