What happened at the Sevilla Tango Marathon
I danced at the Sevilla Tango Marathon. This is what I saw and experienced.
Photos by Alejandra Rúa Álvarez Photography.
Before I start, let me share this:
It wasn’t till the end of the event that I realised how wonderful people felt. After the last tanda, a couple of guys immediately started undoing the dance floor. On the spot, almost all the remaining participants decided to help. We undid the floor in minutes, collected the material and arranged everything.
If that doesn’t tell you what you need to know about the energy of the event, below you will find a detailed description.
Before the event
The communication with the organisers was fast, receiving responses the same day. As I booked my trip at the last moment, the remaining accommodation options were a bit expensive for me, but the organisers suggested a few additional options.
The city
Seville is a city of happy people. People smiling, polite, helpful, enjoying a coffee or beer at almost any time of the day. Uber drivers were always 5 minutes away, although I mostly chose to walk. The city is full of parks, trees, and wide pedestrian streets.
The venue
The event took place inside the elegant Novotel Sevilla Hotel. Before entering the dance floor there was a big comfortable lobby with comfortable chairs and couches.
The dance floor
The dance floor was perfect. It wasn’t sticky nor slippery. Comfortable chairs were distributed around the dance floor. The light was enough to notice a cabeceo from the other end of the room.
Snacks and drinks
Water, both simple and flavoured, juices, tea and coffee were available for free at all times. A few times a day they also brought food. Muffins, potato omelette (aka tortilla), tiny pizzas, toasted bread with cured ham, potato salad with tuna, some pastries and fruits.
The music
It was my first time at an all-vinyl DJ set, and I realized something: I think it’s very hard to find a vinyl DJ who doesn’t know their craft. It’s easy to buy (or download) a few thousand MP3s, but a vinyl DJ has to actively search for specific vinyl records, order them online, or hunt for them in stores. They must make the most out of every record, and that can only be accomplished with an enormous level of skill, dedication, and investment. I can confidently say that the music at this event was one of the best I’ve experienced in my 15 years of dancing. With that said, Gaston Godoy, the organizer, is a vinyl DJ himself, traveling all around the world to perform at festivals and marathons, so it’s possible that he knows how to select the right DJs. I’m planning to attend the Workshop Milonga Sevilla on February 29, 2024, to find out.
The people
At every event I attend, I invariably observe some women who appear to dance very little, if at all. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was not the case at this particular event, with the exception of just a lady or two. It was clear to me why they weren’t dancing, and it had nothing to do with their age or skill level; rather, it was due to certain mistakes in their social behavior and body language. Everyone else was actively dancing, laughing, and embracing each other. With drinks and snacks readily available, people had ample opportunities to mingle and engage in conversation. Food connects people. There were no VIPs or a designated table for ‘special’ individuals.
Organisation
The organizers knew their stuff, and you could tell that everything had been planned out. There was no line or waiting at the registration table. Most things started right on time, except for one afternoon milonga. I guess the reason it kicked off late was because only a handful of folks had shown up early. The rest were probably still catching up on sleep or having a leisurely meal, so the DJ spun some awesome tunes to keep us entertained until the real milonga got underway.
My final thoughts
I loved it. I am looking forward to going back to Sevilla for the Workshop Milonga Sevilla. I was there a couple of years ago, and the level of organisation was just as good. I really enjoy it when I can stay at the same hotel where the event takes place. This time, I plan to stay a few days more, so that I have time to visit more of this wonderful city, watch a flamenco show, and visit some local milongas with my new friends from Seville.
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