Monday 9 November 2015

Festivalitos & Encuentros Milongueros 2016

It is this time of the year again - dancers are waiting for me to post my recommendations for next year. But those who follow my blog know, that I find it harder and harder to compile this list.

This is why:
- There are many new events using the labels "Milonguero" and "Encuentro". I really cannot tell, which can hold what they promise.
- There are numerous new smaller events, that can surely be lovely, but seem to have a very local appeal. I hesitate to recommend them to international travellers.
- Most organisers don't keep me up-to-date. 
- Some established events events are disappearing and there are only very few Festivalitos left. Most events are now pure Encuentros.
- Some are changing their character by attracting another crowd. This can be good, but means that they actually should not be called Encuentros Milongueros anymore.
- I don't have the time and financial means to visit many events. So I cannot guarantee, that the "established" events are still up to a certain standard. I have to rely on third party informations.
- My personal taste has consolidated to a certain style of Encuentro: the ones without separate seating for men and women. I cannot really vouch for the other ones.
- In general, the meaning of the terms "Encuentro" and "Milonguero" are changing and being discussed a lot.
- The term "Festivalito" is often used more loosely to signify a small festival, without the features below. Nevertheless a "Festivalito Milonguero" should at least include features 3-7 in the list. 

You see that compiling a list of recommendations is becoming quite a challenge. 

I have nevertheless decided to post another listing of events that:
1. ask participants to pre-register for the whole event,
2. use role or gender-balance to ensure that everyone gets to dance,
3. will take at least 3 days and have separate Milongas,
4. present traditional music in tandas & cortinas,
5. encourage cabeceo & mirada,
6 encourage people to leave the dance-floor after one tanda to find a new partner,
7. are meant to attract people who want to dance in a close embrace in a civilised ronda.
Events, that have these features are in general called Encuentros or Festivalitos Milongueros. Festivalitos will usually also include a short demo of social tango as well as some classes that focus on social tango. There nevertheless will be no live-music or extended shows at these events. The Milongas are therefore reserved for dancing.

I am going to stick to events that are well-established, recommended to me by friends and and that attract an international crowd. For a more complete listing, please visit Gato Milongueiro's site.

This year, I am going to present my recommendations in three columns. 
- The Events that I will visit + the ones that I organise
- Established events without separate seating 
- Established events with separate seating 

EVENTS THAT I PLAN ON VISITING + EVENTS THAT I ORGANISE
Pasionara Milonguera, Côte D'Azur, France, January 22-24
Viento Norte (Tangokombinat Sección Norte), Eckernförde, Germany, March, 10-13
Abrazos (Tangokombinat UK), Devon, United Kingdom, May 6-8
Le Rendez-vous Milonguero de l'Essaim de Julie, France, May 14-16 (fully booked)
Pequeña (Tangokombinat), Saarbrücken, Germany, June 17-19 (fully booked)
Embrace Norway, Lillehammer, Norway, July 1-3 (fully booked)
Una Mirada, Bristol, UK, September 23-25
FCA (Tangokombinat), October (private event)

EVENTS WITHOUT SEPARATE SEATING AREAS FOR MEN & WOMEN
(In some cases, you might nevertheless be assigned to a seat/table)
Paquita, France, December 29/15 - January 3/16
Noches de invierno, Reichenau an der Rax, Austria, January 1-3
Ver-O-Mar, Porto, Portugal, January 15-17
Yo soy Milonguero, Crema, Italy, March 25-28 (very big, seating by country of origin)
Saarburg Festivalito, Saarburg, Germany, April 1-3 
La Colmena, Helsingborg, Sweden, April 22-2
Noches de Verano, Reichenau an der Rax, Austria, August 12-14
Encuentro Milonguero, Kehl, Germany, September 7-10
Encuentro Bavaria, Schliersee, Germany, 18-20 November
Abrazame, Barcelona, Spain, December (Encuentro-Marathon), 1st weekend December
Encuentro de Navidad, Kehl, Germany, December 7-10

EVENTS WITH SEPARATE SEATING AREAS FOR MEN & WOMEN
(In some cases with an additional area for couples or mixed groups)
Encontro Milongueiro A Promotora, Lisbon, Portugal, February 5-8
Juntos, France, January 15-17
MiLYONguero, Lyon, France, March 18-20
Les Cigales, France, May 5-8
1st Encuentro Porteño, Amsterdam, Netherlands, May 19-22 
Mirame, Montpellier, France, June 10-12
Festiv'à La Milonguita, Sisteron, France, June 23-26 
Stockholm in a close embrace, Stockholm, Sweden, Juli 29-31
La Franteña, France, August 11-15
Ensueños, Porto, Portugal, September 29 - October 2)
Yupie, France, October 14-16
Te Quiero Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal, 18-20 November 
Roma Milonguera, Roma, 18-20 November
Raduno Milonguero, Noci, Italia (Date not yet confirmed)
Roma Milonguera, Rom. Italy, November (Date not yet confirmed)





4 comments:

Carole et Bernard said...

Bonjour Melina !
Mais à Paquita, les hommes et les femmes ne sont pas séparés ! Ce sont des tables d'amis !!!
Bises

Melina Sedo said...

ok! J'ai changée ça! Merci!

Unknown said...

Hola Melina, Excellent and very valuable list.
Do you have an update for this list with future dates?
Thank you for all your hard work to improve the tango experiences around the world!
Abrazos, ilona milonguera von Toronto

Melina Sedo said...

Dear Ilona,
thanks for your message.
I will update my list towards the end of of this year. Please check again in November.
Sending Abrazos to the other end of the world,
m.