1089  competition and legallities of milongas

Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 21:56:03 -0800
From: sarah La Rocca <danzisima@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: competition and legallities of milongas

In New York City, where I live and run 2 milongas, we have have to operate within what are called "cabaret laws". Cabaret laws restrict dancing and drinking in clubs and other spaces, including dance studios. Various milongas here have been visited by police looking for violations, sited for violations and in some cases shut down. My turn just came tonight. Who calls the police to report an "illegal" milonga? Well, no one knows and no one is telling.

Two things I just can't understand: why in city full of sin like NYC, with every possible deviant activity readily available, do the police waste time on looking for milongas? What could be more boring and tame than us? And second: Someone in the tango community is most likely behind it. In competition for the most successful milonga on any given night, someone in the community sets out to destroy the community and some of our best events. Let's hope Ithat maybe I am wrong about that.

We have so much to worry about today. The war, the terrorists, the ecomomy, the challenges of daily life. Is it too much to ask that for some sweet enchanted hours of the night we can all just dance in peace, here there and anywhere we choose? There is space for everyone. Why do we have to be so ugly to each other?

My milongas, the All Night Milonga and Tango Nocturne, will continue as before without distruption. But my heart is hurt by this situation.

Sarah La Rocca, NYC, USA

Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 00:34:54 -0600
From: Bibi Wong <bibibwong@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: competition and legallities of milongas

Sarah,

Sorry to hear about your event lately.

Pardon me for my ignorance, and apologize in advance if I trigger more
unpleasant thoughts, .... what exactly are the cabaret laws? Restricted to
locations only (you described as clubs and dance studios) or people, or
smoking/exhaustion ala restaurants NY city, or food prep/consumption,
noise,license tax?

Can people have dance party at home?

Bibi