Where to dance Argentine Tango in San Francisco

aMuse

El Valenciano

The Cellspace

Verdi Club

Monte Cristo Club

Studio Gracia

Cafe Cocomo

The Beat Club

Rhythm & Motion

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I have removed the rating of average dancer's level.  I am not able to judge it any more. Each place has its own specific mix of levels and styles. I am changing, they are changing, new people are coming. Discover it yourself. Floor size reflects crowdness somewhat too. Classical music means tango music mostly before 1952 or similar in style. Tango Nuevo: Pugliese and Piazzolla after 1952 and their numerous face-less followers. Neo Tango or non-tango - music which is not tango or Modern electronic tangos. Many of them lack the correct tango rhythm and feel, but never the less danceable. By the way for those who think otherwise: I love dancing to good non-tangos. So, ..

There are several milongas on Saturday ( as well as on other days ).
Check them out on Tango Mango

Metronome ( now "Cheryl Burke" )

Main Ballroom at 1830 17th Street (at DeHaro). The Late Shift Milonga.
Every Saturday, 10pm-2:30am. Large space and high ceilings. Too high. Music does not sound well at the first impression, but you can get used to it. The place lucks romantic feeling - a typical ballroom. It gains popularity.

The Beat Club.

2560 9th St., BERKELEY (510) 548-5348. The Beat
4th Saturday. The Beat Club is located in Berkeley. It is actually a small dancing studio. It holds Bay Area's only All Night Milonga on forth Saturday of the month. Dance till sunrise. Good music, great experience. Floor is old but great. It is small and sometimes very crowded, but not like at El Valenciano. There is also a Monday practica. To dance Argentine Tango for the whole night one has to have some guts, but it is a gateway to understanding what Tango is.

Floor size - good enough, Music - classical, Overall rating - excellent.

Milonga at aMuse.

614 Alabama ( btwn 18 & 19st. ). Milonga @ aMuse.
Saturday. Golden Gate Club milonga of Glenn Corteza has moved here. Lot of people, quite nice floor, but not very large. Plenty of parking.

Recently this place is often closed, so check out the schedule!

Floor size - good enough, Music - classical, Overall rating - excellent.

Studio Gracia.

19 Haron Street ( off 8th left, between Harrison and Folsom) 415-436-9300. Tango Soma
Sunday. Large excellent new floor. May be the best one in San Francisco. Mirror walls. Music by visiting DJs, so it varies from classical to good modern mix. Very comfortable and friendly atmosphere. Pretty crowded, but there is always enough space on the floor. Some good food. Parking is OK. The location in an old industrial building is very romantic. Come and see this place. It may very well become your place of choice to dance tango in San Francisco. Visiting DJ! They are Roberto, Emilio, Glenn, and sometimes Ken himself. Even our local musicians play here sometimes.

Floor size - large, Music - classical, Nuevo, live musicians, Overall rating - excellent.

Cafe Cocomo

650 INDIANA STREET, SAN FRANCISCO. Cafe Cocomo
Sunday. This is a vibrant dancing club known country-wide for its Salsa events. Great settings. Parking is pretty easy. Bar.
They have Tango parties 2 times a month. Dancing experience is not always even. Look for the great hosts of the event.

Floor size - large, Music - classical. Overall rating - excellent.

The Beat Club again.

2560 9th St., BERKELEY (510) 548-5348. The Beat
Monday. The Beat Club monday party attracts a lot of dancers of the same crowd like to Cell Space - tango Neo and Nuevo, plus other local dancers. Music is mostly classical. I love the floor here. It is pure old wood. Never sticky, never slippery, keeps a leg very well during powerful movements to push from and sliding smoothly during rotations. Want to have a good time? For the best results bring a partner. If you are interested, you can meet Felipe and Homer here - they are running the place.

Floor size - good enough, Music - I do not know now, but Neo guys go there, Overall rating - excellent.

El Valenciano.

1153 Valencia St. 415-826-9561, SaborDeTango.
Tuesday. El Valenciano is a restaurant in the night-life part of Mission District. There are a lots of good restaurants around. Parking is ok. Milonga is held by Miller. This is a special place. Very nice and romantic setting, excellent music. This is the only place in San Francisco where it is worth to invite non-tango friends. They can have good dinner and sit at a table watching dancers. Great Buenos Aires feel. Floor is very small - this club is for restrained close embrace tango, unfortunately there is always few couples practicing Nuevo there. This is a special place, so you'd better come with a partner to have good time. Here is how El Valenciano milonga looks like.

Floor size - small, Music - classical, Overall rating - excellent.

The Cell Space alternative Milonga.

2050 Bryant Street (btw 18th and 19th), Alternative
Wednesday. Very nice "modern-feel" place. Homer is running it with the help of volunteers. A lot of people. Parking is easy. Floor is ok. Tango Nuevo dancers come here. This is Neo Tango den. Music is an eclectic mix of modern Tango Nuevo and non-Tango. They play tangos sometimes too. Many people find it challenging and interesting to dance.

Can not hold myself from a notice to beginners: This is not actually tango. Argentine Tango as I know it is different. Well, that is a different style. What drives tango? What dictates the dance? Music. One can dance salsa with waltz rhythm, but this is rather torture. Tango music has certain rhythm. It makes you dance right. Non tango music does not have this rhythm. It forces you to dance differently: Neo Tango. You will never learn tango dancing with non tango music. Nobody argues that this is a lot of fun. It is. It is just not tango.

Floor size - large, Music - non-tango, tango nuevo, sometimes classical, a lot of experiments, Overall rating - excellent.
I can not rate it on the same scale with other places, somebody loves it, somebody hates it, somebody complains about the music but keeps coming. Overall I can not recommend this place for a good tango dance. Most tango dancers in SF do not like dancing with non-tango music. But if you come to the city, you should visit that place. It is one of a kind.

I allow myself a little more elaboration about music. What tango music is better. "Any music is good.." Well, if you think so, I'd like you to read it. I hope I would be able to introduce a spark of doubt in your firm opinion.

Verdi Club.

2424 Mariposa Street. Victor: 415-239-7002, Christy: 415-824-7006,
Thursday. Run by Victor Meneses from Argentina. Large floor. Some free food. Parking is quite easy. Emilio is DJ-ing there.

Floor size - large, Music - mostly classical, sometimes with splashes of 50-60s.

Monte Cristo Club.

136 Missouri (near 17th), Gary: 415-641-0703, Gary and Nirmala
Friday. This club is located actually in a small house rebuild to be a social club. Very nice not large floor. Some good food. Very friendly atmosphere. Good music. You should try lessons of Gary who is the host here. He has unforgettable sense of humor. Performances of visiting teachers. Parking is OK.

Floor size - good enough, Music - mostly classical, Overall rating - excellent.

Rhythm and Motion.

ODC Dance Commons, 351 Shotwell St. @ 17th St. SF , Miller's calendar. Dance Center Website
(It is not on Mission street any more!!!)
Friday. Very nice brand new place, floor is ok, pretty large. A lot of young people.

Floor size - large, Music - classical, Overall rating - excellent.

Milongas of the past
Milonga at the Broadway Studios. Magnificent place ! Old historic building, great sitting, bar, elaborate decorations of the 20s, romantic lighting, great large dance floor, plenty of space to walk and to talk. Great music. But most importantly all San Francisco dancers were there, on the same floor: Nora, Gary, Victor, Christy, Felipe, Mayumi, Miller, Becky, Christopher, Marcelo, Roberto, Homer was practicing his open moves, Chelsea, David, everyone ! What a spirit ! This place has been closed. Several attempts was made to revive the place by they failed for the luck of support. When I just started dancing - a baby beginner of about 2 weeks old, I came there. I could not dance, but I sit with my mouth wide open for the whole evening - it was unbelievable, it was like a movie got alive around me. That place shaped my desire to dance Argentine Tango.
Milonga at the Golden Gate Yacht Club.
Golden Gate Milonga is CLOSED starting with Saturday Dec 30, 2006. Temporary location is Il Pirata. Please, contact Glenn to find more about it: End of Yacht Road (on the Marina), tangoldengate@yahoo.com, Glenn Corteza Saturday. This club is located actually on a pier. Fantastic views of the City, Bay, and Golden Gate Bridge. Easy parking, very safe, but far from freeways. Floor is not big, but big enough. Some food. Bar. Great classical music by Glenn Corteza, and by Julian and Dale&Cathy. Dancing here is a sort of meditation. The place is great, but sometimes tense for beginners or newcomers. So if you are new here, or/and you are not the best dancer in the world, come with a partner to have great evening. Well, come anyway. It deserves to be visited. Floor size - good enough, Music - classical, Overall rating - excellent. •This was my favorite place!

Check the schedule before you go, there are special events sometime, or on the contrary, Milongas are cancelled!

There are many more Milongas and Tango places in San Francisco and Bay Area.

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