In the late 19th century, people in the poorest circumstances in Buenos Aires found joy in the simplest pleasures. And one of those pleasures was found through dance. Called the "Happy Face of Tango," the Milonga is a light hearted and quick tempo-ed dance that was originally disreputable but became socially acceptable by the early 20th century.
The Milonga has become so closely tied with dance that it is also analogous to a party. People can go to a Milonga to dance the Milonga or go to a Milonga to dance the Tango or the Waltz. The songs during a Milonga are played in "tandas", or "medley" in English, of three or four songs. And because of this be sure that you plan to stay on the floor with your partner until the cortina signals the end of the dance since you're generally obligated to stay.
The Milonga began as travelling minstrels known as "The Payadores" created folk songs about life and the news of the day in the countryside of Buenos Aires. Since the words were the focus of such songs, the rhythm and chords were secondary and meant to enhance the storytelling.
Although such music might not seem a likely inspiration for dance, this was one of the most popular forms of music in Buenos Aires at the time. People would travel to a Milonga to hear the Payadores sing and play music. It was more this festive setting that gave rise to the Milonga as a dance, and explains why both the dance and the gathering have such an intertwined meaning. Of course, such a gathering was a great place to meet a member of the opposite sex, and with no Superbowl or World Series to watch on television and no Internet chat rooms to find dates, those who could not afford higher forms of entertainment were not about to let such an opportunity go to waste. The Milonga was the joyful celebration of life.
The Milonga music we now know today arose when two men, composer Sebastian Piana and lyricist Homero Manzi, decided to experiment with the Milonga. After Manzi agreed to let Piana improvise with an already established music form, they both created a evolved Milonga that became a big hit with the Argentines. By the 1930s, Piana's music was so popular that it superceded the words eventually making Milonga music purely instrumental. As it crept from the lower class to the upper classes, the dance became popular around the world.
The Milonga has become so closely tied with dance that it is also analogous to a party. People can go to a Milonga to dance the Milonga or go to a Milonga to dance the Tango or the Waltz. The songs during a Milonga are played in "tandas", or "medley" in English, of three or four songs. And because of this be sure that you plan to stay on the floor with your partner until the cortina signals the end of the dance since you're generally obligated to stay.
The Milonga began as travelling minstrels known as "The Payadores" created folk songs about life and the news of the day in the countryside of Buenos Aires. Since the words were the focus of such songs, the rhythm and chords were secondary and meant to enhance the storytelling.
Although such music might not seem a likely inspiration for dance, this was one of the most popular forms of music in Buenos Aires at the time. People would travel to a Milonga to hear the Payadores sing and play music. It was more this festive setting that gave rise to the Milonga as a dance, and explains why both the dance and the gathering have such an intertwined meaning. Of course, such a gathering was a great place to meet a member of the opposite sex, and with no Superbowl or World Series to watch on television and no Internet chat rooms to find dates, those who could not afford higher forms of entertainment were not about to let such an opportunity go to waste. The Milonga was the joyful celebration of life.
The Milonga music we now know today arose when two men, composer Sebastian Piana and lyricist Homero Manzi, decided to experiment with the Milonga. After Manzi agreed to let Piana improvise with an already established music form, they both created a evolved Milonga that became a big hit with the Argentines. By the 1930s, Piana's music was so popular that it superceded the words eventually making Milonga music purely instrumental. As it crept from the lower class to the upper classes, the dance became popular around the world.
About the Author:
Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin have been dancing, teaching, performing and creating fantastic choreography for over 30 years. The operate NYC's premier dance center If you interested in learning more history of any dances make sure you check out their site. They are currently teachingdance lessons in NYC
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