Encuentro. A Tango Encuentro is a series of Milongas with breaks in between each of them over the course of a weekend. Starting on a Friday night and going to Sunday early evening. The Milongas or “Salons” usually last about 6 hours each with small breaks between each one for refreshments, food, showers and to refresh one’s clothing.
The style of dance at these events could loosely be construed as ‘Milonguero’, or Close Embrace dancing where there are no Boleos, Ganchos, Volcadas, or Colgadas that take up space in the line and lane of dance. Lane and Line of dance are respected, and the Lead Cabeceo is respected and encouraged. See article link below for details on that.
If this entry sounds very similar to a Tango Marathon, then you’d be slightly mistaken. The difference is that in the Encuentro, tje Milonga structure is kept, whereas at a Tango Marathon, the Milonga structure is NOT kept. Where the Marathon just keeps going and going and going. The Encuentro has a series of definitive stopping points, and then starting up. While the Marathon has days and DJ’s that are playing on those days. The music doesn’t stop. That’s why it’s a Tango Marathon. The Encuentro does stop and a singular DJ plays for an afternoon milonga, then an evening milonga. And typically there is no “late night” milonga. Things stop at sane hours at an Encuetro. Whereas the Tango Marathon will go to 3 or 4 am each night, and while there will be a change of DJs and there is a formal change, the music doesn’t really stop. That’s the primary difference.
There’s one more difference and this used to be true as the Encuentro environment and concept was really kept on the quiet side of things, this is not so true any longer: The Encuentro was smaller in scale. Further they were generally, invite only events. You weren’t getting in the door unless you knew the organizer and had your collective tango shit together. This used to be the hallmark of the Marathon. But then they started popping up everywhere, without that requirement. And the same thing is happening to the Encuentro environment. Because organizers see that cash can be made and people really do want smaller, more friendlier events. And truthfully an Encuentro is easier to put on than a Tango Marathon.