ExploreDance

Where: New York, New York

Place: La Belle Epoque Restaurant and Bistro

Address: 827 Broadway (12 St)

Doors open at 8:00 PM. The event runs until late - this is a genuine Milonga after all.

Optional Dinner - Call 212-254-6436 for reservations.

Web: www.dancetango.com/be.html

For more information on the history of Tango at La Belle Epoque and its organizers, please check out the following press release.

On Fridays at La Belle Epoque, an elegant French styled bistro and restaurant in New York City, you can find an equally refined Milonga. They almost always have a live band playing Argentine Tango, and play CDs with Tango and Salsa during breaks. Some nights they have performances too. Admission is $10 per person.

Tango at La Belle Epoque is full of passion - some requited and some not. The band on a recent Friday, Tanguardia, played with great passion. The passion of the band was most defintely requited. At the end of every song, the crowd burst into rather loud applause. I don't claim to be an expert in Argentine music, but I thought the music was powerful and the applause well deserved. The musicians were Mauricio Najt (Uruguayan, piano), Héctor "Tito" Castro (Argentine, bandoneón) and Thomas La Croze (American, bass). They all played well, and played well together - hence the consistent applause.

Speaking of crowds, I counted about 20 couples on the floor at most times. This was enough to give the dance floor good energy, but not so many that the people had to restrain their dancing. There were beginners and professionals and others who just love dancing Tango and have been dancing Tango practically all their lives. Rodolfo Windhausen was one such Tanguero. It was his birthday, by the way, so I and everyone else at ExploreDance.com wish him Happy Birthday and a Great Year! And if you haven't done so already, check out his ExploreDance.com column. I can now state, as an eye witness, that Rodolfo can dance as well as he can write. Which is to say he looked very smooth and elegant.

Rodolfo has written advice on flirting and how to interpret a dance partner's intentions. Whether you are dancing Tango or not, this is never easy. Over the years I have been at La Belle Epoque with people who I am still friends with, and people who said to stay in touch, but then disappeared with one of those "I just don't think there is any chemistry" brush-offs. The point is that you have to get your heart broken a few times before you find someone to mend it, and in the meantime, keep dancing. After all, it is better to have danced with a broken heart than to never have danced at all.

And one more thought. Don't ever make rash decisions, about love or anything else, on an empty stomach. Hunger has an uncanny resemblance to anxiety. Fortunately, La Belle Epoque serves some very tasty food. The prices are reasonable for a New York City restaurant too.

Photos by Roberta Zlokower