5626  La Viruta, Definition of Milonga

Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:46:07 -0300
From: Shahrukh Merchant <shahrukh@shahrukhmerchant.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] La Viruta, Definition of Milonga
To: tango-l@mit.edu

Jan <jb34528@att.net> says:

> Just a little correction. When you pick up at La Viruta their weekly schedule ( a little handbill ) you would see that there are no milongas at La Viruta. I noticed that first in 2006. Specifically, Friday (Sat in fact) midnight till 5AM is a PRACTICA

I think I remember seeing this on their flyer also. However, on their
"baile" page on their website
https://www.lavirutatango.com/baile_practica.html, notwithstanding the
use of only the words "baile" and "practica" in the page address, says
(emphasis THEIRS):

"Despues de las clases te pod?s quedar bailando y disfrutando de *una
aut?ntica milonga porte?a*.

La *Milonga La Viruta*, convoca a todos los que quieran compartir una
aut?ntica noche a puro tango."

Translation: "After the classes, you can stay to dance and enjoy *an
authentic Buenos Aires milonga*. *Milonga La Viruta" brings together all
those who wish to share an authentic night of pure tango."

I wouldn't read too much into either one though. The literal definition
of a milonga is not always as strict in the minds of the organizers of
these events as it is sometimes made out to be, though certainly people
differ as to their interpretation of what makes a *good* milonga, and
consequently attract different clientele.

For the record, I have nothing against La Viruta at all (just the
navigation there, or lack thereof :-)). I do go there, but it tends to
be only when I'm going with or joining a group of friends, as for me
it's more fun in a group mode, and there are other places I enjoy more
if I'm going alone or with one or two other friends.

Returning to the subject of the definition of "milonga,"

>> As I remember, when I was in BsAs 2 years ago the city council had just
>> > declared that the 2-1-2-1 pattern was part of what defined a Milonga.

> Tried Googling that law and could not find it. It would be good to see it
> in total as it may also then end arguments on what is or is not Argentine
> tango as defined by the home of tango. Anyone have an idea?

Hmm, I wouldn't dare to pretend to come up with the definitive answer,
but I certainly would not trust a bunch of bureaucrats to do so! It's
the same group that defined a milonga so narrowly that several milongas
briefly stopped playing the traditional occasional tanda of chacarera or
rock-and-roll or "tropical" and in some cases even CORTINAS because they
were afraid the Tango police (and we are talking about real police now)
would close down the milonga and/or cause them to lose their
preferential designation as a cultural event.

Shahrukh

Date: Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:10:58 +1000
From: "Vince Bagusauskas" <vytis@hotmail.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] Definition of Milonga
To: <tango-l@mit.edu>

From: "Shahrukh Merchant" <shahrukh@shahrukhmerchant.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 25, 2009 3:46 AM
To: <tango-l@mit.edu>
Subject: [Tango-L] La Viruta, Definition of Milonga

>
> Hmm, I wouldn't dare to pretend to come up with the definitive answer,
> but I certainly would not trust a bunch of bureaucrats to do so! It's
> the same group that defined a milonga so narrowly that several milongas
> briefly stopped playing the traditional occasional tanda of chacarera or
> rock-and-roll or "tropical" and in some cases even CORTINAS because they
> were afraid the Tango police (and we are talking about real police now)
> would close down the milonga and/or cause them to lose their
> preferential designation as a cultural event.
>

My thanks to the person who sent me this link

https://www.cedom.gov.ar/es/busca/

A search of which (I and a couple of others) did can find Ley N? 2323 that
says in part:

10.7.2 Caracter?sticas espec?ficas. Son parte fundamental de la estructura
de las milongas la tanda de tango, milonga o vals, la tanda de otros
ritmos, la cortina y la actuaci?n o n?mero vivo.

A efectos de esta ley se entiende por tanda el conjunto de cuatro o cinco
piezas bailables del mismo ritmo pertenecientes a una misma orquesta o a
varias de similar estilo.

La cortina es el intervalo entre tandas en una milonga. Indica pr?ximo
cambio de ritmo o de orquesta y descanso a los bailarines.
La actuaci?n o n?mero vivo puede estar a cargo de un grupo musical u
orquesta que ejecutan su repertorio para que el p?blico baile. Tambi?n
puede consistir en la exhibici?n de una o varias parejas, de ritmos afines
con el tango, para lo cual se deja la pista libre.
La oferta musical de cada jornada deber? ser al menos un 70% de ritmos de
tango, milonga y vals.

Nothing there about 2-1-2-1 tandas or in full Ley or in further searching.

But what does the 70% mean? Does that allow 30% "tropical" or "folk"? Does
that not also mean that Tango fusion practicas can reclassify themselves as
milongas, where they play Golden Age music in the majority?

Vince