Which UK/European festivals/marathons/encuentros would you recommend?

daisy_r said:
Tango Intermezzo in Copenhagen, which is in May, and they don't role balance either. If anyone has been before and has any advice to impart upon me, do share :)

One of the main reasons I booked it is because they have 3 orchestras playing live over the course of the weekend. I think there are still tickets left if anyone fancies it
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Oh someone I know is going and recommended it. I’ve seen all 3 groups and like them. Enjoy!
 
Miradamiranda said:
Just back from a major combined marathon and festival: Ostertango in Basel and here’s my report.

It’s huge.
You can definitely disappear in the masses. I briefly came across people I knew from elsewhere, promised a dance, and then never crossed paths with them again, and other faces I saw over and over. Dancing is non-stop from 3pm till about 5am in mostly 2 large rooms, and day passes are available, so that might explain it.

No pre-registration required!
A big plus. Day passes available or whole event passes for 5 days. You just show up and pay 50 franks or euros in cash and you are in. Well, expensive.

No role balance.
A HUUUUGE plus for both followers and leaders in MY opinion. I showed up alone and not once did I see the situation of a bunch of ladies ironing seats because there weren’t enough guys to dance with. If seated for a while it was from sore feet from too much dancing. I spoke to a few solo guys about this and they told me that they like to not have the pressure from follower friends to have to register together. Another admitted reluctantly that part of the appeal is that more unattached ladies are present. Hm. He also said it doesn’t feel as ingrown and insular as encuentros.

The dancing is top notch.
People come from far, and it’s a very international crowd. It’s the second year I’m there and both times the best dancing of my life took place.

DJ’s are top notch.

The fact that workshops are available with the biggest names you can imagine is an afterthought. For those who don’t care about the masters’ performances, the other hall is still open simultaneously.

Live music of a mix of genres.

Nice city for a bit of wandering around. Free public transport included in hotel costs.

Expensive city for meals and hotels, but bargains can be found.

Central location for both rail connections and a discount airline hub.

If I can manage to be in Europe next year in April, I’ll definitely be back. It was their 25th anniversary this year, and the organizers know what they are doing.
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This reads like what I consider an ideal festival worth attending. Hopefully it was not a 25th anniversary effect. I don’t care much for the workshops. All the points you made had me nodding my head!
 
I attended the Copenhagen Tango Intermezzo a few years ago when the Orquesta Romantica Milonguera performed there, but that was in a much larger venue than now, so I should not try a prediction.

And I will - between two encuentros - be at the Abrazo Tango Festival in Metz from the 8th to the 12th of May, for me the first time.
 
Miradamiranda said:
No role balance.
A HUUUUGE plus for both followers and leaders in MY opinion. I showed up alone and not once did I see the situation of a bunch of ladies ironing seats because there weren’t enough guys to dance with. If seated for a while it was from sore feet from too much dancing.
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I'm confused. I wouldn't expect role balance from a festival and so that's not a criterion for me. And why should organizers bother with this if a balance gets achieved anyhow? I don't even know how role balance could be ensured, these days when it feels like the majority of women can lead in some way.

And “in some way”, two courses and a few milongas is in my eyes completely sufficient at a festival. I was at my first festival after six months in tango.

Miradamiranda said:
I spoke to a few solo guys about this and they told me that they like to not have the pressure from follower friends to have to register together. Another admitted reluctantly that part of the appeal is that more unattached ladies are present. Hm. He also said it doesn’t feel as ingrown and insular as encuentros.
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It is also not directly pleasant to organize workshop partners or car passengers or overnight stays. In general, a lot of things in life involve things that are not directly pleasant. Well, honestly, as with all invitations, it depends on who is executing “pressure”.
 
itwillhappen said:
I'm confused. I wouldn't expect role balance from a festival and so that's not a criterion for me. And why should organizers bother with this if a balance gets achieved anyhow? I don't even know how role balance could be ensured, these days when it feels like the majority of women can lead in some way.
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I've seen festivals and marathons in Europe try to role-balance or gender-balance. Maybe it's more prevalent when the venue capacity is more limited, I think things might not even themselves out so perfectly when you have smaller numbers, or rather, you'll have much less leeway one way or the other so the risk of a detrimental imbalance is much higher.

Does anyone know the capacity of the Ostertango venue? I'd be interested to know
 
daisy_r said:
I've seen festivals and marathons in Europe try to role-balance or gender-balance
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Yes, it's common in the UK, and was also the case with the one (non-UK) European encuentro I went to.

The big problem with it in my view is that it relies on honesty, and rewards dishonesty.

For example, someone who is a follower with a tiny bit of leading experience – and mostly wants to follow – registers as a dual-role dancer and then almost exclusively follows. Or a follower registers with their life-partner as a matching leader, when the reality is that the 'leader' isn't much interested in dancing. I've even heard of followers who book as a couple with a completely non-existent partner – costs them twice as much, but they get in.
 
TTanguero said:
For example, someone who is a follower with a tiny bit of leading experience – and mostly wants to follow – registers as a dual-role dancer and then almost exclusively follows. Or a follower registers with their life-partner as a matching leader, when the reality is that the 'leader' isn't much interested in dancing. I've even heard of followers who book as a couple with a completely non-existent partner – costs them twice as much, but they get in.
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I mean, they're just idiots sabotaging themselves.

They lack the pitiful amount of self-awareness and rational thought required to realise that this dishonest behaviour tips the role/gender balance against themselves.

Or maybe they think getting less dances is still better than not going at all.

They're probably going to be the ones ironing their seats all night with ugly looks on their faces, anyway.
 
pianistamediano said:
I mean, they're just idiots sabotaging themselves.

They lack the pitiful amount of self-awareness and rational thought required to realise that this dishonest behaviour tips the role/gender balance against themselves.

Or maybe they think getting less dances is still better than not going at all.

They're probably going to be the ones ironing their seats all night with ugly looks on their faces, anyway.
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It is not at all sure they are sabotaging themselves!

These persons are dishonest, very active all the way and are maybe dancing all the time but someone else is doing the ironing thing. That can be very unfair.
 
LadyLeader said:
It is not at all sure they are sabotaging themselves!

These persons are dishonest, very active all the way and are maybe dancing all the time but someone else is doing the ironing thing. That can be very unfair.
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At the bottom line, everyone thinks they are acting right or at least have good reasons for acting the way they do. And everyone chooses or invents appropriate rules, which is just a difference in the position of power.

And so someone who is rejected will argue that the criteria are "unfair", for example based not on skills but on personal contacts and assessments. An argument that isn't wrong, but it's just felt "unfair", it's exactly the way it is.
 
I have a Finish upbringing which trained us to follow the agreed rules. (even in EU :) )
If the rules are wrong, misleading us they are to be changed.

No I am not always doing the right thing but that is my goal.
I try to stop digging in my own navel and rise my eyes to see others.
 
I understand your point regarding the Finnish society. But in relation to tango?
Who agreed to which rules, who can change which rules?
Using the example of gender balance at a Russian marathon. ;)
 
Why should tango have specific rules?
Why shouldn´t the same rules as for other activities hobbies be followed?

Why not this nordic setting?
The laws in the country must be followed.

Members' meetings should discuss and decide the rules for an association.
The owners of a tango school can decide the rules, features for their offerings, activities to the dancers.
The organizer can decide what kind of event they want to create and offer to the customers, dancers.
 
So that I don't get misunderstood, I think the "Nordic Setting" is good. However, I have never voted democratically on the rules at any tango event or even community, and opinions about which rules are appropriate vary widely, as we all know.

I stick to my rules anyway, which are quite encuentro compatible. However, I also have not personally noticed cheating from women regarding the registration.
 
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