Casa Galicia, San Jose 224 (corner of Alsina), Congreso

[Note from Alan: Sorry for the long gap in posting here at the Buenos Aires Argentina Guide. But let's not dwell on that for too long, as here's a brand new post from Tango Cherie - author of our excellent Guide to Tango Salons in Buenos Aires - reviewing Chique, one of her favorite milongas in the city. And if you are interested in booking Tango Shows in Buenos Aires, let us know!]

Chiqué – Useful Information

Thursday afternoons 4pm-10pm (tango lessons from 2pm – 4pm); Entrance fee of 10 pesos; Reservations on 4201-7199 or 15-6140-7830

Organizer: Julio Auliel / DJ: Dany Borelli – “el mejor DJ de Buenos Aires” (and that’s the truth!)

Tango dancing in an authentic Spanish club

Chiqué is held every Thursday afternoon on the first floor of Casa Galicia, a Spanish club in Congreso (near the city center), and there is an elevator. A Spanish restaurant is on the second floor. The hall consists of a very old wooden dance floor in excellent condition, which is surrounded by tables with tablecloths, women sitting on one side, men on the other, and couples at the end in the traditional manner.

There is a small stage at one end where the DJ does his thing. The other end of the salon has big windows with a balcony. There is no physical bar, but waitresses (Pato and Vivi) take all orders to the kitchen where they are filled by bartender Armando just the same. There is a coat check, and a bathroom attendant. Julio, the organizer, and his wife, Mirta, are always there to welcome their guests. Patrons are expected to order drinks, from bottled water to champagne. Snacks are also available.

A friendly, welcoming milonga

This milonga has a family feel – very comfortable and friendly. There are good dancers but people don’t go there to strut their stuff; they go to mix and mingle and have fun dancing. The Cabeceo (the inviting to dance with nods of the head) is strictly observed, but still the milonga feels informal and relaxed. There is no pressure or elitism.

A few foreigners attend, but the milonga is not dripping with them and those who prey on them. The dancers are well-groomed and well-dressed and generally between the ages of 50-80, but with younger exceptions. If a lady isn’t dancing much, Julio himself will invite her. Or Ruben Aybar might (my partner), who is an excellent milonguero and teacher.

Strictly Tango

Unlike some other milongas, there are no tandas of other types of music. It’s strictly tango (tango, vals and milonga) in Chiqué.

Chiqué used to be held at Club Español where it drew many more attendees due to the elaborate architecture. Many tourist groups would pay to go into the milonga just to gape at it’s beautiful gilt salon. This isn’t so in Casa Galicia, which is still very nice, but nothing extraordinary in terms of architecture. There is an image of Santiago el Major in a glass case on the wall, and several huge oil paintings of the homeland (which I suppose could use a wash). There are chandeliers and gewgaws on the ceiling, and Julio is planning on installing air conditioning soon.

DANY BORELLI – “THE BEST TANGO DJ IN BUENOS AIRES”

Help support Chiqué

What concerns me about this milonga, which is one of my favorites and one I never miss, is that with the move from Club Español, some people have gone elsewhere. And if more people don’t begin to frequent this new location, perhaps Julio will be in trouble.

However, as of now, Chiqué is a great place to spend a charming Thursday afternoon sampling the Buenos Aires milonga scene, before running off to dinner or to dance at a late-night milonga.

Cherie’s Tango Services

If you are interested in trying out Chiqué, or indeed another milonga in Buenos Aires, you will be fine going along by yourself, even as a novice, and you will likely be warmly welcomed. However, we understand that some people are a little apprehensive about their first visit to a milonga, which is why Cherie and her partner Ruben offer to accompany you there and make your tango experience in Buenos Aires a fun and authentic one.

If you are interested in this, or want to find out more about their other tango services and tours, you can contact Ruben & Cherie on the following details:

• Email: BsAsMilonga@aol.com
• Telephone: 4932-5027 (from within Buenos Aires)
• Blog: Tango Cherie