| During the
afternoon and early evening there are
small tables, mostly made from old manual
sewing machine stands, lining one side of
the room and, at the back, a small raised
area that could double as a stage or
platform for a (very) small band. In front of the
platform there is a small dance floor and
it is here after about 10pm that the
tables are cleared away, the hanging
lamps tied back and Tango takes over the
hearts and souls of those who hang around
in here. The floor is small and dancers
have to scale their moves within the
available space, especially when more
than six or seven couples dance at the
same time.
Most Tuesday
evenings, you can be lucky and catch a
dance class or two (beginners 20.00-21.30
and advanced from 21.30 to 23.00 witha
late-night milonga afterwards) given by
Marta and Manuel who started La Escuela
de Tango de Granada, the first permanent
Tango dance school in Granada. They have
taught many others since those times when
they danced Tango in the opening event of
the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.
In March, there is
a special time when, as the Festival
approaches, many Tangueros and Tangueras
who have left Granada return to mingle
with others who have come visiting from
Buenos Aires. At those times the Bar of
La Tertulia stays open all night as
chatter, drink, smoke and tango power the
organisers and performers through the
activities of the festival.
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