Milonga
Milonga is a
South American form of
music, as
dance, as the term for the place where
tango is danced. The term
milonga comes from a similar
African expression that means "
lyrics."
Milonga is also the term given to a tango party, see:
Milonga (place).
The
Milonga originated in the
Río de la Plata area of
Argentina and
Uruguay, and was very popular in the
1870s. The Milonga was derived from an earlier style of singing known as the
payada de contrapunto.
The song was set to a lively 2/4
tempo, and often included musical improvisation. Over time, dance steps and other musical influences were added, eventually giving rise to the
tango. Despite 2/4 formula,
rhythm is irregular. It is
syncopated, consisting of 8 beats with accents on the 1st, 4th, 5th and 7th beats.
* Regular 2/4
[1] 2 3 4
[5] 6 7 8
* Milonga
[1] 2 3
[4] [5] 6
[7] 8
* 332
[1] 2 3
[4] 5 6
[7] 8
Although Milonga uses the same basic elements as Tango, it is much nearer to the African roots, especially in that it requires a greater relaxation of legs and body. Movement is normally faster, and pauses are not made. It is rather a kind of rhythmic walking without complicated figures, with a much more "rustic" style than Tango.
There are different styles of Milonga:
Milonga Lisa (Simple Milonga), in which the dancer steps on every beat of the music; and
Milonga con Traspié, in which the dancer uses Traspiés or contrapasos (changes of weight from one foot to the other and back again in double time or three steps in two beats) to interpret the music. Thus, dynamics may be danced without having to run fast or without the use of much space.
*
Milonga (place)*
Vals*
Tango music*
Tango (dance)*
Argentine Tango*
List of milongas (music)
