This is an update to the content of the first edition of Happy Tango: Sallycat’s Guide to Dancing in Buenos Aires, 7 Informal Place to Try First, Práctica X, page 144.
The Práctica X website practicax.net confirms the news that Práctica X (Tuesday nights from 11pm, classes from 9.30pm) has a new home. It’s now to be found at Diaz Velez 4820, Parque Centenario (map here); this is the venue called Viejo Correo (Old Post Office), normally known for its Traditional milongas. This historic tango venue sure has a cosy feel and is quite a bit smaller than La X’s former spacious and more contemporary home, so I imagine that dancers might be forced to tone down the bigger of their moves. The floor in the venue is of black-and-white hard tile - pretty, but not too easy on the feet.
My friend in Buenos Aires, tango-blogger Mark Brooker of walkjivefly.com, has visited the new X and you can read his full impressions of the first night of the new set up, here. I asked Mark to take a look at Happy Tango’s write-up of the old X and tip me off as to the additional stuff you now need to know.
Mark agrees with me that size may indeed matter to those who were accustomed to dancing large in the old venue, though says that that the general vibe of Práctica X still fits my Informal-place profile (see Happy Tango for full details of that). Seating is mainly at either end of the venue which has a long-ish, narrow-ish feel, and there are some seats down the sides of the dance floor. Mark advises caution if you sit around the dance floor, though, as flying heels might come too close for comfort on busy nights; both ends of the room have movement (might help with getting dances) as the loos and bar are at one end and the entrance at the other. Pizzas are available in addition to empanadas in case you’re hungry. When arriving by taxi: ask for Diaz Velez y Otamendi. When leaving you can hail a taxi right outside.
Before leaving for a night out at Práctica X you should check the website at practicax.net for the latest information and programme, and Práctica X also have a Facebook page at facebook.com/practicaX.
Thanks go to Mark Brooker for this update. Mark is a fellow Brit and long-time reader of my own blog Sallycat’s Adventures. He was one of Happy Tango’s man-on-the-dance-floors-of Buenos-Aires Beta-readers. He has given the book a thorough test drive and a very enthusiastic thumbs up. I am grateful to him for sharing his impressions of the new X with Happy Tango readers. If you haven’t already seen it, do check out Mark’s blog Yet Another Dance Addict: Observations on anything and everything but mostly on being in Buenos Aires to tango.
Many Happy Tangos in Buenos Aires to you all!
Sallycat.
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ISBN: 9780956530608
Author: Sally Blake
Published by: Pirotta Press Ltd
Publication date: 30 June 2010
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