Central Park Tango is a free or pay-what-you-wish outdoor milonga at the Shakespeare Statue at the south end of The Mall. “Milonga” is Spanish for a Tango dance party.
The dance level is more beginner than most, but there are some good dancers. The floor is paving stones so don’t wear good shoes. The organizers put down chalk that you can step in to make your shoes more slippery.
You don’t need a partner. You don’t even really need to know how to dance Tango. There is a free beginner’s lesson at 7:15pm. Central Park Tango is a great beginner’s milonga.
The dress code is very casual. It’s Central Park.
Central Park Tango Dates and Time
The Milonga is on Saturdays from 6-9:15pm from June through September.
The Tango goes on rain or shine. When it rains, the milonga moves to the Dairy. It is nearby just to the southwest, across the 65th Street Transverse. On Google Maps, search “central park dairy”
Visiting Central Park Tango
The simplest entrance is from the walkway between 66th and 67th St on Fifth Avenue.
Keep walking west. Just before you reach East Dr (the Central Park ring road), listen for the Tango music. Follow that.
On Google Maps, search “shakespeare statue”
Do pay what you can. The organizers give a lot of their time and they do have some equipment costs. Most milongas in New York City charge $10-15 per person.
Watching the sun go down among the trees and walking home through Central Park is very romantic.
