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BALKAN EVENT DESCRIPTION:

Jebi ga | Jebeš ga | Јеби га | Майната му | Qifsha nonën | Futu-i | Γάμα το | Siktir et

NON BALKAN DESCRIPTION

I’m thrilled to invite you to Balkanolonga, our annual neotango gathering open to all tango dancers.

This event serves as an experimental playground to dance Argentine tango to music deeply rooted in the rich tapestry of Balkan musical heritage . The complex rhythms, haunting melodies, and diverse styles of Balkan folk—from the melancholic sevdalinka to the satirical intensity of balkan rock —provide a fresh canvas for tango improvisation .

Balkan culture, forged through centuries of conflict, incursions, and social upheaval, carries a unique blend of resilience, sarcasm, and pride that resonates in its music . For example, Sevdalinka, often called the “Balkan blues,” embodies the region’s melancholic beauty and was recently inscribed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage for its profound historical significance .

Even the etymology of the word “slave”—borrowed into Medieval Latin sclāvus from Byzantine Greek sklábos, itself derived from the Slavic self-name Slověninъ—reminds us of the hardships faced by Balkan peoples throughout history. These experiences of loss and resilience parallel the origins of Argentine tango in the late 19th-century port barrios of Buenos Aires, where immigrant laborers and Afro-Argentines transformed sorrow and longing into an expressive dance form.

From the asymmetric meters typical of Balkan tunes—such as 7/8 or 9/8—that challenge conventional dance patterns, to the sorrowful laments and playful jests embedded in bakan music, these motifs invite daring adaptations of movement and embrace. Balkanolonga leverages the transformative power of music to connect us across histories and borders.

Whether you’re a strict milonguero who denounces experimental approach to tango or newly stepped onto the neotango scene, join me at this dance experiment and experience event to expand your tango flow vocabulary.

Let’s honor the past, innovate in the present, and dance towards a future where Balkan rhythms and Argentine tango intertwine in perfect harmony. I can’t wait to share this unique journey with you at Balkanolonga!

Blaž aka DJ Baires

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