Organizing a Milonga

[lucia_l]

With anything anywhere, you need to consider whether there is any demand.

Do you know at least 10 people who also want to see a new Milonga start up? Just saying, "Yea, great idea" is not enough. Do these 10 people want it enough to pool money to create a fund that will pay you to rent space for the first year worth of parties?

Yes, you might think you are willing to do all the work and fund a few dances hoping to make earn back what you spent. But if you don't know others who want this enough to pay a bit in advance, you will likely find you do not break even. You'll also have a hard time getting any "word of mouth" advertising. On the other hand, if you identify a group of people who are willing to pay in advance to get it to start, it has a chance of taking off. Most of these people will come to the first few milongas, they might bring a few friends and so on. Their presence will make it a somewhat active miloga that can attract other dancers.

In contrast, a Milonga with only two or three couples at the first few events is probably going to have trouble taking off. (Not to mention you will bleed money.)

In the US, if you were to do this, you might eventually want to file papers for some sort of actual club that can have it's own bank account, insurance and so on. You could have club dues which gives some amount of stable revenue.

(Yes. Some other organizers might resent you popping up. But to some extent, that's a hazard of business.)

Other people have brought up useful milonga specific suggestions. But some advice is for startin anything, anywhere.

 

[JournalInTime]

Outside of scheduling, how did you went about starting with the practica?

I worked – very part time – at a dedicated tango school/studio for some years. I started as a volunteer accompanier for followers without partners; I was quickly recruited as a barman for the weekly milonga; and from there I drifted into various roles, assisting the organizer with event setup and teardown, and at times even teaching the very, very beginner class. There was a festival associated with that, and I worked in the same roles for that.

That school had hosted a weekly práctica since it's opening. When the organizer felt the práctica had become a money-losing proposition, my ex and I took it over, retaining the timeslot and the location. We paid the organizer rent and assumed 100% responsibility for the publicity, setup, hosting, DJs, and cleanup, and of course for the finances.

So . . . I cheated. I took over an existing time slot in an existing location, with the blessing of the previous organizer, who just wanted out. I got in before word got out that said organizer was letting the event drop, and thus before someone else could step in. "All I had to do" was maintain the illusion of continuity, though the former organizer made it clear that the event had to be renamed and in no way linked to her.

I said "all I had to do" because of this last bit: An informal 2.5-hour práctica called for two people being on-site for 3.5 to 4 hours, doing some shopping beforehand (for snacks, etc.), and putting in an hour or two apiece online each week handling publicity and questions.

All of which said, it succeeded and made money. Not a lot of money, but after the rent and snacks were paid, we both pocketed enough to cover attending milongas and taking lessons. I'd still be doing it were my ex not my ex . . . now she's running it with a friend, and it continues to do well.

 

[JournalInTime]

looking for a gap in the market is important

Yep.

To the OP: All the cautions and wordy advice might be less of a big deal if you have a ready-made market in the form of an ill-served or disenfranchised constituency. Around here, a good example would be the "queer tango" community . . . the práctica I ran was the de facto home práctica for them, because they had nothing friendly prior to that. Examples may differ in other places: rank beginners (regardless of age), the elderly (regardless of level of dance), linguistic minorities, those who are free only during the afternoon, women who lead, men who follow, people who can't afford typical admission fees, people who want to dance in neighborhoods where there are currently no milongas, etc. Some groups are deliberately marginalized in some areas, so aligning with them comes at a social cost, unjust though that might be.

(You need a team anyway.)

For our práctica, we needed three in the end: someone at the door, a DJ, and a third person to play host and refresh snacks. For the milonga where I used to work, we were five on most nights: someone at the door, a DJ, two people to look after the bar and cleanup, and the organizer playing hostess. On busy nights, we were sometimes six or seven.

 

[TTanguero]

Around here, a good example would be the "queer tango" community . . . the práctica I ran was the de facto home práctica for them, because they had nothing friendly prior to that. Examples may differ in other places: rank beginners (regardless of age), the elderly (regardless of level of dance), linguistic minorities, those who are free only during the afternoon, women who lead, men who follow, people who can't afford typical admission fees, people who want to dance in neighborhoods where there are currently no milongas, etc.

Yeah, there aren't gaps in London in many of those areas. Queer Tango London serves that market well (and also attracts quite a few straight dancers who like the vibe and the workshops they run); there are several beginner-friendly milongas; the elderly go to many milongas; linguistic minorities isn't an issue at all in London, milongas here are hugely multicultural; women who lead and men who follow are welcome pretty much anywhere. Those who can't afford typical admission fees, and weekday afternoons, are possible gaps.

 

[JournalInTime]

Those who can't afford typical admission fees, and weekday afternoons, are possible gaps.

Here, "elderly retirees living on fixed incomes who have neither the money for typical milongas nor the energy to go out late and fight for space on crowded floors" are a market I'd look at, if I could find a studio available during a weekday afternoon and if the rent were low enough that I could charge $5-7 instead of the usual $10-15.

There are also a couple of densely populated neighborhoods that have nothing nearby, though I have no idea whether there are dancers living there. Tango skews wealthy here (as a poor writer, I'm definitely not typical), and all the nicer areas – plus downtown, with its expensive restaurants and parking – are already well served. There might be a market to be created by teaching tango and running milongas on the cheap for people of more modest means . . .

 

[TTanguero]

There are also a couple of densely populated neighborhoods that have nothing nearby

In London, location is less critical, I think, as pretty much anywhere in London is a 45-minute journey, and those 60+ get free travel.

 

[JournalInTime]

In London, location is less critical, I think, as pretty much anywhere in London is a 45-minute journey, and those 60+ get free travel.

Montréal has a good métro (underground), so travel times aren't too terrible here, either. Free travel is unknown, though . . . that's wonderful! The killer here is often the last few minutes between the parking lot/bus stop/métro station and the venue: In winter, we can have quantities of snow, ice, and slushy gunk that no reasonable road-clearing efforts can keep up with, as well as very cold temperatures made worse by wind whipping up the river valley. That actually has a profound effect on attendance for events that aren't right on top of parking or transit stops.

 

[TTanguero]

Free travel is unknown, though . . . that's wonderful!

Yeah, UK-wide there is free bus travel for those 65+. In London, it includes tube (metro), DLR (light rail) and train too, and the London councils do a separate scheme that covers age 60-65. It makes a huge difference, that pensioners can get around London free of charge. (It's only available after 9.30am on train services, to avoid adding to the morning commute crush.)

The killer here is often the last few minutes between the parking lot/bus stop/métro station and the venue

Yeah, I can see that. London has mostly very mild weather, and snow would make the news!

 

[ArbeeNYC]

• Other than eventbrite and accepting cash at the door, what is a good way of handling payments. I would like the option of releasing a set of cheaper tickets first and then go full price.
• Should I aim initially for a weekly thing (involves sleeping at a friends house every Saturday) or start with a every other week thing until I get it going and I get used to the whole organization aspect
• I have never been a DJ, how do I start? Initially it will be my laptop and the sound of the place. Software, reading material, what else do I need to think about?
• How should I promote without being impolite to the people doing business in my tango community?
• What should I consider regarding insurance, safety, etc? The place I might rent should cover most of these but anything else I should really check?
• Any other advice will be greatly appreciated

Well, first off, you will be in competition with all of the other milongas in the city; you will be a competitor for dancers and contributions. Depending on the number of milongas and size of the community, that may not win you any friends among other organizers.

Your points:

1. Cash at the door.
2. Have no idea. Why not do it on a night when there are no or few other events?
3. You need to hire a good DJ, someone who is known in the community preferably. You can't simply wing it.
4. Promotion: Facebook, your local weekly calendar of tango events. You can't help but be a competitor. Of course, you could make it a private event, but that is something a bit different.
5. No idea. Just don't pack the place beyond capacity (generally not an issue).

 

[Rabbit]

Well, first off, you will be in competition with all of the other milongas in the city; you will be a competitor for dancers and contributions. Depending on the number of milongas and size of the community, that may not win you any friends among other organizers.

However, if you're not targetting the same market segment on the same day as another organizer, it's unlikely anyone will have a problem, since your targets would then be "people who want to dance on day X but don't like any of the milongas or practicas that currently exist on day X." - which just expands the social scene while causing relatively little competition.

 

[TTanguero]

However, if you're not targetting the same market segment on the same day as another organizer, it's unlikely anyone will have a problem

Yes, that's why I think the OP needs to ask themselves why they want to do this, since the only reason given so far is to have a friendly milonga suitable for beginners. Tango Garden is certainly friendly and happy with beginners, and Tango Amistoso has that demographic as a specific target.

 

[newbie]

you're competing with Tango Amistoso,

I think he got your point as early as with your first reply. No need to shadow all of his new posts. Your own posts can be questioned as well. You say you don't want him to walk nor to ride a bicycle, because there are already people doing just that? Two milongas is always better than one.

 

[TTanguero]

Your own posts can be questioned as well

Questioned how? I have nothing to do with any existing milongas other than as a participant. As a participant, I'm all in favour of options, I'm only recommending clarifying one's objectives before embarking on something that is a huge amount of work and financially risky.

 

[opendoor]

..from London

Hi Malbec , you've already got good advice here on the forum. Only want to add:
-you will of course force concurrence, strife, and defamation, be prepared.
-get your former teacher on board, you do need backing now. Perhaps let them have a teaser course.
-you must not be prepared as a DJ, must not know the orchestras by heart: BUT you need a well developed music taste, you have to know which music YOU like to dance to. That is the basis.
-have a seminar with Michael Lavocah.
-in Germany you have to licence you music library.

All the best!

 

[WhiskeyPapa]

Montréal has a good métro (underground), so travel times aren't too terrible here, either. Free travel is unknown, though . . . that's wonderful! The killer here is often the last few minutes between the parking lot/bus stop/métro station and the venue: In winter, we can have quantities of snow, ice, and slushy gunk that no reasonable road-clearing efforts can keep up with, as well as very cold temperatures made worse by wind whipping up the river valley. That actually has a profound effect on attendance for events that aren't right on top of parking or transit stops.

You still have winters? That’s great news!