Useful info
Milonga or practica - what is the difference?
Places where people gather to dance tango are called a milonga. At a milonga the music is played in sets of 3 - 4 songs, such a set is called tanda. The songs within each tanda have a similar character. While one tanda may have a rather fast tangorythm the next one may consist of slower songs. Then there are some tandas with songs of tango vals or milonga. After each tanda there is a short interlude of different music, a cortina. During the cortina the dancers leave the dance floor and find new dance partners for the next tanda. At a milonga the music is played by a tango DJ or a live orchestra.
At a practica people come together with the purpose of practicing their tango skills. The music is played without cortinas and people may stop to repeat and discuss the steps or technique they are practicing. A practica may include a short lesson. At a guided practica a teacher or experienced dancer is present to answer questions that arise and assist the dancers in their struggle to become better dancers.
Tango shoes
In order to enjoy the dance, good shoes are important. Tango shoes usually have a sole of leather or suede. The leather sole is more slippery than a suede sole. Which sole is more suitable depends on the dance floor and can also be a matter of personal taste.
Shoes for men are generally laced up and have a 2 - 4 cm heel. Some prefer smooth training shoes.
Shoes for women must not be too loose and therefore usually have some sort of ankleband. The heel can be 4 - 10 cm, but the most common is 7 - 8 cm heel. Some prefer flat shoes for dancing and many women have a pair of dance sneakers to use when they need a rest from the high heels.
Tango shoes are not for sale in any shop in Iceland, but shoes for ballroom dancing are available at Ástund, Háaleitisbraut 68 and at Dansskóli Jóns Péturs og Köru at Valsheimilið at Hlíðarendi. Rut Ríkey Tryggvadóttir sometimes has tango shoes from Helen La Vikinga for sale. One can make an appointment for shoe shopping by calling Rut on 8216929.
On-line shops:
Comme il faut
Lisadore
Neotango
Tango republic
El Zapatito
Robin Tara shoes
Tangazos
Tango clothes
Some designers have specialized in clothes for dancing tango. Laura Valentino designs comfortable dance clothes that are made from high quality ecological materials. Her label is called Knús: knusdesign.com
Ute Prause is a designer in Barcelona: http://www.uteprause.com
Tango music
When looking for music, it might be helpful to know a few names to begin with:
Traditional tango: Carlos Di Sarli, Rodolfo Biagi, Edgardo Donato, Enrique Rodriguez, Juan D'Arienzo, Alfredo D’Angelis, Miguel Caló, Francisco Canaro, Julio De Caro, Pedro Laurenz, Angel D'Agostino, Angel Vargas, Florindo Sassone, Anibal Troilo, Osvaldo Pugliese.
Contemporary orchestras: El Arranque, Color tango, Los Reyes de Tango, Silencio.
Electronic tango: Narcotango, Ultratango, Bajofondo, Gotan project.
Astor Piazzolla was a bandoneon player and composer. Great music to listen to, but not easy for dancing.
Online music stores:
www.tangostore.com
www.tangoberlin.de/CD.html
www.dym.de
Orchestras:
Silencio
Los Reyes del Tango
Color tango
El Arranque
Gotan project
Bajofondo
Tango Extremo
Tangarte
Tango magazins
Tango in Iceland
Tango Club Reykjavik: www.tango.is
Tango Adventure: www.tangoadventure.com
Tango in Buenos Aires
www.todotango.com
www.tangodata.com.ar
www.saboratango.com.ar
Tango around the world
Denmark: www.tango.dk and www.gotan.dk
Lund and Malmö in Sweden: www.tangokompaniet.com
Göteborg area in Sweden: http://tangogbg.se
Oslo in Norway: http://tangoskolen.no/
Bergen in Norway: http://bergentango.no/
France: tango-argentin.fr
Berlin: www.tangoberlin.de
Australia: www.patiodetango.com.au/0.htm
International site from Germany: www.cyber-tango.com
International site from The Netherlands: www.torito.nl
