Milonga Tango Party

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Join us at the Milonga Sentimental located at the Motion Arts Center in downtown San Mateo. Come and enjoy dancing tango with the very best Golden Age Argentine tango music!

The venue has a state of the art sound equipment, an inviting colored mood lighting and a wonderful sprung dance floor for you to have a very nice experience. Feel free to bring your own spirits.

What is a Milonga? The word Milonga can refer in Spanish to two different things: one is the party where you go to dance tango (like our Milonga Sentimental) and the other is the name of one of the three rhythms of the tango family (Tango, Vals and Milonga). Someone that frequents the Milonga party is called a “milonguero or milonguera”.

At a milonga dance party, the DJ will play “tandas” which are sets of 3 or 4 songs of the same rhythm (Tango, Vals or Milonga). After each set, the DJ will play a ‘cortina” (in Spanish means curtain) which is non tango-music of 30-45 seconds long to clear the dance floor.

Who can attend? Dancers of all levels can attend the milonga. Milongas are the best places to watch people dancing tango. It is the place to see tango in its own environment and a great opportunity for you, specially during your first visits to the milongas, to learn a lot just from watching other dancers!

Also, you don’t need to know how to dance in order to attend this event, in fact you can invite your friends and family and enjoy a great time just listening to the live music!

SCHEDULE SATURDAY JANUARY 25th, 2025:

7pm – 8pm Tango Workshop: Best Tango steps to dance at the milonga by maestros Gustavo and Jesica Hornos from Argentina.

*Basic tango technique required to attend this workshop.

8pm – 11pm Milonga Sentimental with DJ Gustavo Hornos

PRICE:

$30 workshop + milonga tango party

$20 milonga party only

HOSTS & TEACHERS:

Gustavo and Jesica Hornos,

Professional Teachers and USA Tango Champions

LOCATION:

Motion Arts Center

217 S Claremont St,

San Mateo, CA 94401

Please Note: Time and price may vary for events with live music or guest teachers.

CREATE AN ACCOUNT

Create your Motion Arts Center account online to sign up for classes, dance parties and to stay up to date with MAC news and events.

MILONGA SIGN UP

Have an account already at MAC? Sign In to your account & purchase your milonga ticket (purchase it online at least 30 minutes prior to the milonga start time).

Register and Pay In Person or Get Started Online

Please click on Sign In/Register at the top right hand corner of this website. By creating an account you can book and pay online for the milonga before arriving to the studio. This will save you time and help avoid congestions at the front desk. After you register and book for the milonga, you will receive an email confirmation. If you already have an account at MAC, just log in using your email and password.

If you notice you may have any of the COVID-19 symptoms please stay home for everyone’s safety.

If you cancel a booked reservation, it must be done so with a minimum of 24 hours before the event start time. If late-cancel or no show within the 24 hour window, the reservation will still apply and be deducted from your account. Purchases are not refundable and are not transferrable to other programs or individuals.

Events will start on time and doors will open 15 minutes before each event starts.

Parking Options

There are 8 parking spaces available on site at the Big Mac Studio for our customers only. When the parking lot is full, there is metered on-street parking and many garages in downtown San Mateo. Parking is FREE on-street and in all city-owned parking facilities everyday after 6pm and all day on Sundays and on city-designated holidays. Motion Arts Center Studios are a 3 minute walk from the San Mateo CalTrain Station, close to 101 & 280 highways and 92 freeway.

Nearby Parking Options

FREE Public Parking Garage right across the MAC studio. It is open Monday-Friday from 6pm to 12am and Saturday and Sundays from 9am to 12am. You can enter/exit the parking from 406 E 3rd Avenue in San Mateo.

Kiku City Public Parking Garage with 526 spaces is located at 400 E. 5^th Avenue in San Mateo. Parking is Free Mon-Sat after 6pm and all day Sunday (just two blocks from the studio).

MILONGA ETIQUETTE & NAVIGATION

Remember these quick tips for a better milonga experience

Always move forward in line of dance (counter clockwise).
Stay in your lane until the end of the song.
Move up and fill empty space in front of you.
To invite someone to dance, use “cabeceo”, a little head nod from a distance.
Dance smaller figures when the dance floor is crowded.
Keep your eyes up to avoid collisions.
If you collide while dancing, apologize regardless of who’s at fault.
Seek permission from another leader to enter the dance floor and always do it from a corner.
Clear the dance floor during the “cortina”, the short non-tango music intermission between “tandas” which are sets of 3 or 4 tango songs.
Inside lanes are for beginners – most experienced dancers stay in outside lanes to maintain a better navigational flow.
Dress appropriately and have good hygiene.
No teaching, criticizing or loud talking while at the milonga.
Always be kind and respectful to your dance partners.