[Tango-L] Milonga Codes

[Tom Stermitz]

You can set up the milonga to discourage good behavior, or to enable a  
better chance of success:

(1) Enough tables and chairs for everyone to have a seat
(2) Tables around the dance floor, with aisles BEHIND the seating
(3) Rectangular dance floor, small enough to focus the energy.
(4) Good sight-lines between the tables.
(5) Aisles to the floor so you don't have traffic jams.
(6) DJs that know how to build excitement and social interaction

The  whole point is to create a good flow and navigation on the dance  
floor, keep walkers OFF the floor, and make it easy to reclaim your  
seat in between tandas.

Good navigation and floorcraft require a certain density of dancers.  
If you have too much space, the leaders don't get used to dealing with  
traffic. More than two or three steps of clearance between the  
couples, and navigation gets very random.

A practice would be set up differently. For example, you may need  
large open expanses of floor so people can try their moves without  
endangering the navigation and social feel.



On Apr 22, 2008, at 12:28 PM, Stephen.P.Brown at dal.frb.org wrote:

> Those teaching tango have an obligation to teach the codes as way to  
> help
> their students participate successfully in milongas.  Community FAQs  
> and
> etiquette lists also may be helpful.  What I don't think will work  
> very
> well is a milonga organizer distributing *and* enforcing a formal  
> set of
> rules.
>
> With best regards,
> Steve