A good friend, who has danced all over Europe and Buenos Aires, and London too, and whose judgment I'd trust, has assured me that the best milonga is El Corte in Nijmegen. I checked out the El Corte website a while back, but didn't find it entirely clear, so I went back and studied it more closely. The following paragraphs, I hope, are an accurate summary of what's going on there over the next few months. I hope it will be corrected if I've got something wrong.
On the 1st Saturday of the month people from all over the world come for a lot of dancing and social contacts. The 1st Saturday salon runs from 15.00 till midnight. Than, after a 30 minute break we will continue in the big hall until 3am! Then on Sunday there's a brunch salon in the big hall from 12 till 15.00. (Brunch is served only for people staying overnight in El Corte). Afterwards you can still go to one of the TANtango salons in the region of Arnhem/Nijmegen. Every bead of the 'chain' has its own atmosphere.
This is held monthly until April 2010, and will resume in the autumn.
It is possible to sleep in El Corte if you reserve in advance. If you bring your own bedding, it costs €12.50. Dormitory beds and a room can also be reserved.
April 30 and May 1st
The Orange Salon will be held on Friday April 30, 2010, with a milonga from 20.00 until 02.00. Come dressed in 50% orange and earn 1, 2 or 3 drinks by doing so. This way you can earn back part of your entrance fee. Reservations ONLY through direct sale from El Corte. Availability only for couples or single men at present.
Saturday May 1st 2010: 12:00-19:00 workshops, afternoon snack. 19:30-21:00 dinner, 21:00-01:30 salon with DJ Andreas. €80 (cash presale: €75) includes 1 practica, 2 workshops, snack, dinner, all drinks & salon included. If you want to come to the salon ONLY (limited to 50 persons) it is €15 (all drinks included). Reservations through direct presale in El Corte. Availability for couples or single men only at present.
Nijmegen is in the Netherlands, towards the German border. It could be approached through Amsterdam, but via Brussels is probably more direct. The El Corte website is here, and there is a TANtango page for other milongas in the area. Once again, any corrections, updates, additional information will be welcome.
3 comments:
Sounds about right, except for one tiny detail: you are missing the Chained Salons, which are happening on the first weekend almost each month: three milongas from fri to saturday in El Corte, and another in Arnheim.
In El Corte on Friday 22-2, Saturday 3-3, Sunday 12-3. All else applies: there's people from the US, Portugal or Sweden coming, just for the weekend!
Many thanks, onesteptango. I didn't miss the Chained Salons; I mentioned the 1st Saturdays but I forgot to call them Chained Salons. & I didn't mention the Friday salon (which is weekly, I think)! Thanks for the corrections.
There's a great description of the Nejmigen experience on the onesteptango blog page. If that doesn't convince you, nothing will!
It is true the website is not very clear to use.
While there are salons every Fridays, mostly frequented by the local dancers, there is a special Friday milonga which marks the beginning of the chained salons. Starts at 11pm, ends at 2pm. Not everybody who goes to the Saturday and Sunday bits of the chained salon can make it on Friday, which gives one a wonderful chance to actually have SPACE for dancing! :-) It is a lovely warm-up, and, together with the Sunday afternoon milonga, it often turns out to be my favourite bit.
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