Milangos Tango or Traditional Show

Who has done both and what would you recommend.

Not looking for a big glitzy show.

A milonga and a show are altogether different experiences. A milonga is primarily a place for locals to go and dance the tango. A show is primarily a place to watch the tango.

Understand that. Just wondering which one people prefer

A milonga and a show are altogether different experiences. A milonga is primarily a place for locals to go and dance the tango. A show is primarily a place to watch the tango.

I am interested in this experience as well. Have you been to either? For people who want to get an original taste of BA what can you or someone else recommend:).

Thanks

Michele

Before I retired 4 years ago I was a university professor in the USA. I took student groups to BA over the summer (ours, not theirs) for 8-12 week study abroad programs. Over the years I visited various Tango Shows and Milongas. Some shows and some milongas were better than others. I have only been to a couple of these but this seems to be a good overview of the variety of milongas in BA. La Viruta is where we went most often. We went earlier than the article suggest and ate dinner so we could get a table for our group. There was a group Tango lesson followed by opportunities to practice your new skilz on the floor. Most often, somewhere along the way they would provide a break from Tango and provide a basic group dance class for another form of dance--swing, the Shag or jitterbug, for example, followed by 30 minutes or so of that style of music so you could try out your new steps. All in all, a very relaxed and welcoming atmosphere with a good blend of locals and tourists Note: Not all Milongas welcome tourists, particularly those who don't dance at a fairly high level. http://therealargentina.com/en/tango-in-buenos-aires-the-top-10-milongas/

Tango shows vary enormously. Senor Tango is the most cheesy, featuring Tango and folk dancing as well as a singer, a good sized Tango orchestra and horses, tango dancers suspended in the air via wires, and lots of smoke for effect. Student loved it. Me, not so much. At the other end of the spectrum, is a show like Taconeando, which features only about 6 couples dancing and a small orchestra in an historic venue in San Telmo. Not as expensive or showy as some of the others but I enjoyed it more than most. Piazolla Tango is another show I enjoyed a lot Although it is larger and more elaborate than Taconeando, it is not as theatrical (ie, no dancing horses or mid air dances). Here is a pretty good summary of the major shows.....

https://www.bsas4u.com/en/choosing-your-tango-show-in-buenos-aires

Hope this helps.

Before I retired 4 years ago I was a university professor in the USA. I took student groups to BA over the summer (ours, not theirs) for 8-12 week study abroad programs. Over the years I visited various Tango Shows and Milongas. Some shows and some milongas were better than others. I have only been to a couple of these but this seems to be a good overview of the variety of milongas in BA. La Viruta is where we went most often. We went earlier than the article suggest and ate dinner so we could get a table for our group. There was a group Tango lesson followed by opportunities to practice your new skilz on the floor. Most often, somewhere along the way they would provide a break from Tango and provide a basic group dance class for another form of dance--swing, the Shag or jitterbug, for example, followed by 30 minutes or so of that style of music so you could try out your new steps. All in all, a very relaxed and welcoming atmosphere with a good blend of locals and tourists Note: Not all Milongas welcome tourists, particularly those who don't dance at a fairly high level. http://therealargentina.com/en/tango-in-buenos-aires-the-top-10-milongas/

Tango shows vary enormously. Senor Tango is the most cheesy, featuring Tango and folk dancing as well as a singer, a good sized Tango orchestra and horses, tango dancers suspended in the air via wires, and lots of smoke for effect. Student loved it. Me, not so much. At the other end of the spectrum, is a show like Taconeando, which features only about 6 couples dancing and a small orchestra in an historic venue in San Telmo. Not as expensive or showy as some of the others but I enjoyed it more than most. Piazolla Tango is another show I enjoyed a lot Although it is larger and more elaborate than Taconeando, it is not as theatrical (ie, no dancing horses or mid air dances). Here is a pretty good summary of the major shows.....

 

https://www.bsas4u.com/en/choosing-your-tango-show-in-buenos-aires

 

Hope this helps.

Thank so very much to taking time to post all this information!! It really helps me and I am sure a lot of other people.

I wrote a review of tango supper clubs for the BA Herald about 15 years ago. Things change, but I have revisited many venues over the past few years. I suggest Madero Tango (in P Madero) or Tango Porteno (on Av Libertad) for the bigger productions, the former if you want to have a decent meal with the show (which I don't recommend - go to a nearby restaurant).

The Borges Cultural Center In Galleria Pacifico has various programs with tango related material throughout the week. I think "Bien de Tango" is the show with the best dancing and singing (double check with venue on line for days of performance). Also, check out the shows at Café Tortoni and and the music/dinner venue in the 1600 block of Av Defensa (name now escapes me). The latter 3 are geared more toward a local audience. less grandiose production values, but good entertainment and much less expensive.

The tango venue on Av Defense is Cultural Center Torquato Tasso. This is an especially local flavor place.

We went to a Milonga place with a local tour guide and tango dancer. She does this kind of tour only with a minimun of 10 people to go out late night. (liz andrea: liz2arg@yahoo.com) http://www.lizflor2.blogspot.com