Welcome to the MMM - Michael's Meyerland Milonga!
Date: Saturday May 10th
Time: from 7:30 pm - guided practica
8:00 pm - 10:45 pm - MAIN milonga
10:45 pm - 11:00 pm - guest performance
11:00 pm - 12:00 am - post-milonga (alt music)
Venue: a private studio in the Meyerland Area, near Susana's
(behind) 9629 Hillcroft St. Houston 77096
- intersection of Hillcroft and South Braeswood
- excellent laminate floor
- plentiful free parking
- parking and building directions - see the bottom of this page
Entry fee:
- $15 - for dancers
- FREE - for first-time guests who have never danced tango in Houston
- Invite your tango-curious friends - no cost to them!
Drinks: BYOB
SPECIAL MAY GUEST from Buenos Aires, Mong-Lan
Visiting from Buenos Aires, Mong-Lan brings the tango via guitar, song, poetry and artwork. A multi-instrumentalist with various albums to her name, “Arrabal de Tango” & “Perfumas de Amor: Tango por Siempre,” she specializes in the tango porteño, guitar and vocals. Her artwork has been exhibited in galleries, museums and public exhibitions, in the U.S. such as the Dallas Museum of Art, San Francisco galleries, and in Buenos Aires. Author of numerous books of poetry, Mong-Lan has won national awards such as the Pushcart Prize, and has been included in prestigious anthologies nationally and internationally. As a tango dancer, performing, dancing and teaching for nearly 30 years, she was a Finalist in the Metropolitano, Buenos Aires City Tango Competition, “Milongueros del Mundo,” and other Buenos Aires city competitions. On May 10th, she will perform tangos with guitar and vocals, and have on exhibition some of her tango artwork and books. Visit her website: www.monglan.com
MMM difference #1: ALTERNATIVE POST-MILONGA
Our regular milonga finishes at 11:00 pm. However, if you like dancing to alternative music - or are simply curious about it - stay for another hour afterwards!
From 11:00 to 12:00, we play some of the most danceable alt tango music. We keep the milonga format of tandas and cortinas, we just switch to music that is not exactly traditional Argentine tango, yet it is just as exciting to interpret, and - for some dancers - even more so!
MMM difference #2: EARLIER TIME
Some of us prefer to start earlier. So we start guided practica at 7:30 pm - thank you to Kai Cao for volunteering! Formal milonga starts at 8:00.
Special bonus for early arrivals: this building also hosts an awesome Eastern-European specialty grocery called "General Store." You can shop for, among other unique items:
- cheeses and cured meats from Ukraine and Lithuania
- amazing wines from Georgia and Armenia
- canned produce from Bulgaria and Romania
- homemade and imported sweets
- one-of-a-kind Eastern-European souvenirs
- and a lot more.
The store closes at 7:45, so only the early arrivals will be able to shop.
MMM difference #3: BEGINNER- and GUEST-friendly
We will again have TWO rooms for dancing!
Main room: traditional milonga DJ-ed by Michael
Practica and break room: informal practica room with good tango music from a player and assistance from our more experienced dancers
No formal classes and no designated teachers. However, please use the practice room
if you want to work on something with your friend
if you're a beginner not yet comfortable in the main milonga
if you're a teacher willing to introduce our guests to tango
if you're an experienced dancer willing to help beginners
Everybody is welcome to make their first tango steps at MMM!
Just ask for help, and our tango people will be happy to.
MMM difference #4: CLOTHES & SHOES EXCHANGE/RESALE
Bring your tango clothes, shoes and accessories that you want to get rid off - donate, sell or exchange. No rules, no fees.
MMM difference #5: EMPHASIS on SAFETY and RESPECT
What do we all want? A friendly , welcoming, inclusive and safe vibe.
Safety should be obvious, I hope. You are not just dancing with your partner. You are dancing with the entire room and are responsible for other dancers' safety, too.
Some of my common-sense rules when it comes to respect:
Nobody owes you a dance or an explanation
- A no is a no
- Drink and be merry, as long as it does not turn you into you know what
- Nobody enjoys smelling your W**d, your dinner or your BO
- Shower and change before coming and bring a spare shirt to change if needed
- No Walmart attire, please
And a quick refresher on basic tango etiquette:
- Mirada and cabeceo is how we invite everyone other than close friends (if you do not what it is, please ask)
- Wait for another leader's acknowledgement before stepping on the floor
- Move forward only, not backwards or sideways
- Stay in your lane of dancing
- No teaching or practicing on the main milonga floor, we have practice room for that
- Please avoid high kicks, high boleos or other "stage" moves endangering fellow dancers
Hope it never comes to that, but I have ZERO TOLERANCE for any form of harassment, bullying, aggressive behavior and so on. I will immediately ask you to leave. Yes, even if we are friends.
PARKING and ENTRANCE
The building is a typical strip mall at the SouthEast corner of Hillcroft and Braeswood. If you have ever been to Susana's house, this building is on the other side of the bayou, one major intersection to the West from Susana's.
You will see a flooring store in the corner and multiple businesses on both sides of it. Park towards the far end of the long side of the building, away from the bayou. Then walk around the building, as if following the line of dance, past the Animal Clinic.
The entrance is on the side of the building, under the second of the two black awnings. There is a sign in Russian under the awning and various posters on the door, also in Russian.
The area is fairly safe and patrolled by constables, but it is still Houston, so lock your cars and hide valuables, just in case.
Also check out other Music events in Bellaire, Arts events in Bellaire, Entertainment events in Bellaire.
