We have already told you about the festivities in Piazza Navona, where every year at Christmas the market comes to life with entertainment for children and adults.
Milonga for Peace
Roma Capitale celebrates the Christmas season with an extraordinary event: the Milonga for Peace will be held in Piazza Navona on Saturday, December 20, transforming the square into an atmospheric open-air dance floor. From 9 p.m. until well into the night, the atmosphere of illuminations and Christmas markets will frame an evening entirely dedicated to the charm and excitement of Argentine tango.
The initiative, organized by the Department of Productive Activities of Roma Capitale in collaboration with internationally renowned artist and teacher Daiana Guspero, aims to send a powerful message of serenity and harmony. The choice of tango as a vehicle for peace reflects a desire for an invitation to closeness and the beauty of being together during a festive season.
What is the Milonga. The Pulsating Heart of Tango and beyond
The term Milonga defines not only a musical genre akin to tango, but more importantly the social event where tango itself is danced. It is the dance hall, the date night, the place where music and dance come to life.
The milonga is more than just a nightclub: it is a social institution governed by unwritten rules (the códigos of the milonga) that define its etiquette, courtesy, and fluidity on the dance floor. Key elements that make it unique include:
- the Cabeceo: the invitation to dance is made discreetly, through eye contact and a nod of the head, preserving elegance and reducing the risk of embarrassing rejections
- the Tanda: the music is organized in blocks (or tandas) of 3-4 songs of the same genre and orchestra that one usually dances to with one person and then changes partners to the next
- the Cortina: a short, non-danceable musical interlude between tandas that allows couples to leave the dance floor and dancers to invite new partners
Turning Piazza Navona into a Milonga thus means transforming it into a place for intimate encounters and universal cultural exchange, accessible to all and free of charge.
Councillor Monica Lucarelli and teacher Daiana Guspero both expressed the desire for the event to become an invitation to find each other human and present in the beating heart of Rome.