[Tango-L] Request for Information: Definition of 'Alternative Milonga'

[Tango Society of Central Illinois]

I've received several good responses on my suggestion for the use of
the term 'bailonga' for a tango dance event that mixes neotango/tango
fusion and non-tango music with traditional tango. I heard from
someone is Buenos Aires who said that the terms 'baile' and 'bailonga'
are used more or less interchangeably for dance gatherings where a
significant proportion of music played is not tango, although
typically this is cumbia, jazz/rock & roll, and chacarera, to which
people do not dance tango. The ads I've seen in BA Tango and El
Tangauta generally list the percentage of tango music at these events
as 50%.

One responder to my previous post had used the term 'neolonga' for a
dance event consisting entirely of neotango and non-tango music
intended for dancing tango. I like this term because the name readily
describes the environment in a way that 'bailonga' does not, so one
knows what to expect for a 'neolonga'.

The term 'alternative milonga' has been used repeatedly to describe
tango dance events where neotango/non-tango music is played. I have
little experience with such events, because I do not dance tango to
neotango or non-tango music and I will not go to them. However, I have
been at festivals in Denver, San Diego, and St Louis where the term
'alternative milonga' has been used and I briefly visited them and
talked to the DJs at some of them. My understanding is that at these
specific events only neotango and non-tango music intended for dancing
tango were played (in one case only non-tango music), so no classic
tango. This sounds identical to the previous respondent's use of the
term 'neolonga'. However, I believe the term 'alternative milonga' has
also been used for events where there is a mix of classic tango and
neotango/non-tango music.

So, what I am interested in knowing is what the general practice is in
using the term 'alternative milonga'?

Ron