The KALEIDOSCOPE tango marathon was announced by the organizers (Ekaterina, Iri and Mary, from the left to the right below) as a friendly event, for old friends and for new one. My first impression was a colourful event where they tried to create the best conditions to share a good moment, dancing and chatting. My last impression – they succeeded.

For the 2016 edition, the KALEIDOSCOPE tango marathon was organised in the Center of Moscow (city edition) in an easy place to reach. It is really enjoyable when you don’t have to travel hours to reach a place out of the city. The marathon took also place in “The dome”, some kind of lounge bar complex. It is composed of several rooms prepared for the marathon: changing room, bar/resting room, dancefloor… The marathon was principally divided in 2 clear zones, a social zone – with the bar and a bid space to relax on sofas and chairs – and the dancefloor – with just few sitting places. I like this kind of dancefloor as you have nobody wandering around and disturbing the dance. It let you also more intimacy while you are dancing. It gave me an impression of El Corte with this placement.

The floor was quite good to dance. I didn’t complain at all. The long room allows 2 lines of dancers. The craft floor was good even if there is only 2 doors to let the dancers enter on the dance floor. A little of traffic on Friday but nothing compared to most of the events. After this first night, dancers took the reflex to enter deeper and this little issue disappeared. The sound was also great in all the room, near the DJ or in the back of the room. At night, few decorations create a soft light. The room stay as a quite place dedicated to the dance.

I can also say material conditions were pretty good for the event. However, what surprised me the most was all the work of the organizers to create even better conditions with attention, these “immaterial” conditions. I will just give you here a small glimpse of it as I am myself still discovering details in this marathon. From the beginning, each participant received a bracelet to play with words (if you want to understand this one, come to the next edition ) and a personalized programme full of kaleidoscope colours. You could also have a personalized glass, one more nice memory. I saw various time organizers checking if everything was all right “let’s see if everybody is enjoying, is everything all right ?”, “this girl don’t have chair, I will bring one to her”, “I will take care of my DJ with fruits”… With all these kind thoughts and the sharp attentions, you were just in the perfect situation to have a good moment.

The number of participants was not so high. At first, I was expecting a bigger event but this size is the one I like. Not too many people as you can’t recognize nobody and the good number to find easily the dancers with who you want to dance. From my few different experiences in Russia, I think it was the most Russian event. There was however almost 10 courageous foreigner girls but less men from abroad as I used to see. Political events and the multiple event in South of Europe in Summer are the main reasons for this situation.

A problem was surely the balance (more a problem for girls). During the afternoon, I didn’t see the difference leader/follower but at night is was clear that there were more women. However, it seems some women were here to spend a time with their friends and not really to hunt for dances all the time. No pressure so… I could not hold back a smile when a girl from Moscow told me with innocence “but it is a good balance for Russia”.

Russia is really a nice place to do to dance, eastern embrace… I had a lot of nice tandas during the week end with old and new friends, exactly as I announced it should be at the beginning :). Cabeceu/mirada were really easy in the social part. Too bad there was not more time. With this relaxed atmosphere, I really took my time and the week-end ended without I saw it.

The pre-party and the after-party took place in local milongas. The pre party was too crowded and too hot for me. I just danced with 3 friends I didn’t dance with since a long time. The afterparty in planetango was more calm. After midnight, a lot of dancers left as they had to work the day after. I stayed until 3 am and enjoyed the last tandas.

I also spent time visiting the city (centre of the city, museums, parcs) as the sun was really a good mate during this week end. Moscow is completely different when it is sunny that with snow (of course… but you should see it). I am seriously thinking to take a full week next time I will travel there.

And now, some feelings about the DJ (so if you don’t like to read comments about your favourites DJ, you can skip this part) – There was clearly different styles between the DJ and tastes for everybody. I liked this mix.

Catherine Neacat (Friday evening) – I really enjoyed the first part of the set with a lot of tangos I like. I danced a lot during this first part. But I didn’t really appreciate the second part. The energy was going down slowly  (tango singer / pugliesse / vals singer / more singers…) as for the end of a milonga. It was well controlled but I didn’t find it appropriate to finish the first set of a marathon.

Santiago Castro (Friday night) – Santiago put back the energy, just what was missing. I stayed two hours. The music was interested and dynamic. I left after a really nice milonga / chacareca. Time for bed after a first night of marathon…

Gabriela Ioana Manea (Saturday afternoon) – I missed the set of this DJ as I was wandering around in the city. I arrived for her last tanda… I heard only comments from satisfied dancers.

Semeon Kukormin (Saturday evening) – So I began to dance on Saturday with Semeon. For the first time, I heard him at a different moment as the big night moment. His musics were a little different as I have heard before. It was more dynamic but with still with the softness touch. He also adapted to the dinner break with a break of chacarera and zamba when dancers were leaving to rest.

Goran Niksic (Saturday night) – I liked the first part of his set but after some time, I didn’t feel any more the music, too drama maybe. Goran was still dancing behind his laptop and I was really surprised looking at him and thinking how different feelings can give a music to different people.

Peppe Sagliapign Di Gennaro (Sunday afternoon) – I liked only half of his selection of music. There was huge differences between each tanda with dynamic/slow, periods. I didn’t see the set as one entity. I was curious about his selection and I asked around to know if he was playing usually like that (at first I was thinking it was to give rest to the dancers because of the heat). And it seems it is his style. However, I really liked the choice of different/modern milongas, a good chance to avoid to hear on Sunday the same as during the whole week end and there was also interesting song. But I keep this impression of a roller coaster. I still have a mixed impression about it.

Prices:

marathon pass – 95 €

Free water

A bar in the event to have different beverages and additional sandwiches for example.

Food:

Snacks and fruits during all the week end. Fruits to hydrate and refresh during the afternoon, pancacke all Friday night, cakes and various more all along the marathon.

Two dinners, Friday and Saturday nights. Food was really nice for marathon food, with vegetarian food.

Accomodation:

Two hotels recommended need the event venue and also nice hosts.

Thank you to Anya Semeniouk for the pictures. You can find the full album here : https://www.facebook.com/anya.semeniouk/media_set?set=a.10210039764094686.1073741904.1353987174&type=3&pnref=story