(By Mitch Kahn • Photos by Anthony Almeida)

One of the lesser known but equally artistic endeavors at Salmagundi are the monthly Milongas. These are Argentine styled social tango evenings with amenities ranging from beginner lessons and DJ’s to live music and occasional dance performances.

SCNY member Annie Shaver-Crandell has been a tango aficionado and student for many years and was instrumental bringing these evenings to Salmagundi. This has resulted in a whole new audience for our gallery, including teachers, performers and participants from Argentina, Italy, Finland, Greece, France, Israel and a multitude of other countries.

To break the ice for newcomers, each evening kicks off with a basic lesson in tango technique and etiquette. The sets are, by design, danced with different partners so that everyone gets a chance to meet all the attendees throughout the event with music alternating between a DJ and live ensemble.

Salmagundi’s milongas have featured music by DJ Lorenzo Miercoles with live music most frequently performed by the J.P. Jofre Trio. Instrumentation can include bandoneon (the buttonless cousin of the accordian that gives Argentinian tango its characteristic sound), piano, violin, cello, and guitar.

While admission is $15, Annie and her co-host and partner Daniel Dillion have continued a policy unique to the New York tango community of offering free admission to past and present military personnel as well as NYPD and FDNY.

April’s Milonga is scheduled for April 12th.

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