Bailonga (Mariano Mores) duet for cello & contrabass

Milonga has two meanings: a fast-paced dance style related to tango, derived from African rhythms, or a place where tango is danced. This milonga is intended for personal use and can be danced. It requires two highly skilled instrumentalists.

The word milonga comes from a Bantu language that originated in Angola and comes from "mi-longa," which translates as "to say" or "to speak." In Argentina, this term refers to a popular, intertwined couple dance related to the tango.

It emerged in 1870 and began to be danced in the poorest urban areas of Argentina and Uruguay. It was initially imported by European and African immigrants who settled in South America.

Milonga music has a simple duple rhythm contrasted with a four-beat guitar beat and is sometimes accompanied by choruses. In a classic milonga, women and men gather around the dance floor, and when the tanda begins, the men invite the women to dance.