Milongas start late. Many offer a class early in the evening, around eight or nine; the dancing proper starts later, and the floor is fullest after midnight. Have dinner first.
How it works
Music comes in sets of three or four songs, called tandas, separated by a short break of non-tango music, the cortina, when the floor clears. You dance a whole tanda with one partner.
Invitations are made with the eyes, a custom called the cabeceo: a look across the room and a small nod. If you do not want to dance, simply look away. Nobody is offended.
The dance moves anticlockwise round the room. Do not cut across the floor between songs.
If you only want to watch
That is completely fine. Take a table, order a drink and watch. A bohemian club like La Catedral in Almagro, or the open-air bandstand at La Glorieta in Belgrano, are good places to start. See our Buenos Aires neighbourhood guide.
