What Do Tango Dancers Really Want? Insights from the Milonga Preferences Survey
Blog Post
Milonga Preferences Survey
Milonga preferences Survey results are in
1. Introduction
Every milonga is a unique experience, with elements that come together to create the perfect night of tango dancing. But what are the most important factors that make or break a milonga for the dancers themselves?
To find out, we conducted a survey to gather insights from tango dancers of various experience levels and attendance frequencies. From the quality of the DJ’s music to the atmosphere of the venue, we asked respondents to rank what matters most to them when choosing a milonga. The results reveal valuable patterns that can help organizers create events that cater to the needs and desires of the tango community.
In this post, we’ll dive into the results, comparing the preferences of different groups of dancers based on their experience and how often they attend milongas. Whether you’re a dancer looking for the best event or an organizer hoping to improve your next milonga, this survey provides key insights into what dancers truly want.
2. Survey Overview
The Milonga Preferences Survey was designed to uncover the most important elements that make a milonga enjoyable for dancers. We asked respondents to rank nine key factors:
- DJ quality
- Cost of the event
- Who is attending
- Quality of the floor
- Ambiance of the venue
- Length of the event
- Snacks provided
- Who organizes the milonga
- Maestro performances
Respondents were grouped based on two main criteria:
- Experience Level: Less than 1 year, 1-3 years, 3-5 years, and more than 5 years of tango experience.
- Attendance Frequency: Attending weekly or more frequently, attending 2-3 times a month, once a month and less than once a month.
By comparing the preferences of dancers across these groups, we aimed to discover not only which factors are most important overall, but also how priorities shift depending on a dancer’s experience and how often they attend milongas.
This chart visualizes the individual preferences of each respondent in the survey. Each bar represents a specific milonga factor (e.g., DJ, Ambiance, Cost), and the length of the bar indicates how a respondent ranked that factor, with shorter bars indicating higher importance and longer bars indicating lower importance.
Respondents were asked to rank various factors that contribute to their decision-making when attending milongas, such as:
- DJ: The quality of the music.
- Ambiance of Venue: The atmosphere and environment of the event.
- Cost: The price of attending the milonga.
- Who is Attending: The importance of the people attending the event.
In the chart, you’ll notice that factors like the DJ or Ambiance often have shorter bars for many respondents, indicating that these aspects are considered highly important by the majority. On the other hand, factors like Snacks or Length of Event may have longer bars, showing that they are ranked lower in importance by respondents.
This visual helps us understand the diversity of preferences among tango dancers and the factors that play a key role in their decision to attend a milonga. As you watch the chart progress, you can see which factors emerge as consistently important or unimportant across the surveyed group, offering valuable insights into event planning and prioritizing resources to enhance dancer satisfaction.
Who were the respondents?
3. Respondent Breakdown
The survey received responses from 365 tango dancers across various experience levels and attendance frequencies.
Here’s a breakdown of the respondents:
By Experience Level:
Most respondents have more than 5 years of tango experience, with smaller groups in the 3-5 years, 1-3 years, and less than 1 year categories.
More than 5 years: 308 respondents (84.4%)
3-5 years: 30 respondents (8.7%)
1-3 years: 20 respondents (5.5%)
Less than a year: 5 respondents (1.4%)
By Attendance Frequency:
The majority of respondents attend milongas frequently (weekly or more), followed by those who attend regularly (2-3 times a month), occasionally (once a month), and rarely (less than once a month).
Frequently (Weekly or more): 191 respondents (52.3%)
Regularly (2-3 times a month): 106 respondents (29%)
Occasionally (Once a month): 47 respondents (12.9%)
Rarely (Less than once a month): 21 respondents (5.8%)
3.1 Key Findings
DJ Quality is King
Across all respondent groups, the DJ was ranked as one of the most important factors. Experienced dancers in particular placed a high priority on the DJ’s ability to curate a musical journey that keeps the energy of the night flowing. Even less experienced and rare attendees acknowledged that the quality of the DJ can make or break a milonga. One respondent mentioned, “A great DJ can keep you dancing all night, while poor music makes it hard to stay engaged.”
Cost Matters for New Dancers
For less experienced dancers (those with 1-3 years of experience) and those who attend milongas less frequently, cost was a key factor. Many respondents indicated that ticket prices influence their decision to attend a milonga, particularly if they are newer to tango and are not yet committed to attending regularly. In contrast, experienced dancers who attend more frequently placed less importance on the cost of entry, focusing more on other elements like the quality of the dance floor or the ambiance.
Floor Quality and Ambiance Are Essential for Regulars
Frequent attendees and experienced dancers rated floor quality and ambiance highly. For those who attend milongas regularly, a smooth, well-maintained dance floor is essential for an enjoyable experience. The ambiance of the venue, including the lighting, layout, and overall atmosphere, was also ranked as critical for creating a memorable night of dancing. One respondent noted, “A good floor is vital for smooth dancing, and the ambiance sets the mood. These are the things that keep me coming back.”
What does the chart show? The chart shows how people ranked different aspects of a milonga (like “DJ,” “Cost,” “Snacks,” etc.) in terms of importance, where 1 = Most Important and 10 = Least Important.
How to read the chart:
- Middle line (Median): This line inside the box shows the middle ranking. If the middle line is closer to 1, it means people generally found this factor important. If it’s closer to 10, people didn’t think it was important.
- The size of the box: A narrow box means most people had similar opinions about that factor. A wider box means opinions were more spread out (some people thought it was important, while others didn’t).
- Dots (Outliers): If you see dots far outside the box, it means a few people rated the factor much differently than most people.
What does the chart say about each factor?
- DJ: The DJ is ranked very highly by most people. The middle of the box is near the lower numbers (closer to 1), meaning it’s one of the most important aspects for the attendees.
- Cost: People also care about the cost, but there’s a wider range of opinions. Some found it very important, while others ranked it less important.
- Snacks: The middle of the box for snacks is higher (closer to 10), showing that most people didn’t think snacks were very important. There might also be some outliers, meaning a few people thought snacks were much more important than others.
- Who is attending: Similar to the DJ, this factor has a low median, meaning it’s very important to people.
3.2 Key Insights:
- DJ and “Who is attending” are consistently seen as the most important factors.
- Snacks and Maestro performance tend to be seen as less important, though some people feel strongly about them (indicated by possible outliers).
- The cost is important, but there are mixed feelings about how crucial it is compared to other factors.
4. Detailed Analysis
4.1 Experience Level Differences
When we compared responses based on experience level, the data revealed interesting trends. Dancers with more than 5 years of experience consistently ranked DJ quality and floor quality as their top priorities, whereas those with 1-3 years of experience placed greater emphasis on cost and who is attending. This suggests that newer dancers may prioritize social connections and affordability when deciding to attend a milonga, while more experienced dancers focus on the technical aspects of the dance.
Comparison of Preferences by Experience Level:
Let’s compare how the preferences vary between people with different tango experience levels (e.g., new dancers vs. experienced ones).
The chart compares how less experienced dancers (1-3 years) and experienced dancers (5+ years) rank various factors at milongas. You can see how preferences for elements like the DJ, maestro performance, and floor quality differ between the two groups. Error bars represent the 95% confidence intervals, indicating the variability in responses.
Key Insights:
- DJ is ranked less important by less experienced dancers (average rank: 4.77) compared to experienced dancers (average rank: 3.31).
- Snacks are ranked lower in importance by both groups, but especially by experienced dancers (7.19 vs. 6.28 for less experienced).
- Maestro performance is considered more important by less experienced dancers (6.50) compared to experienced dancers (7.51).
Both groups seem to value Who is attending fairly similarly (3.72 for less experienced and 3.71 for experienced).
Data Insights (t-test):
DJ Importance: Experienced dancers place greater importance on the DJ than less experienced dancers. This may be due to a deeper appreciation of how a good DJ enhances the dancing experience.
- Significant difference (p<0.05) — experienced dancers rank the DJ higher in importance.
Cost: Cost is more important to less experienced dancers, which may reflect their sensitivity to the price of events as they are still becoming accustomed to attending milongas.
- Significant difference (p<0.05) — less experienced dancers rank cost as more important.
Who is Attending: Both groups show similar preferences for who is attending, though less experienced dancers seem to place slightly more importance on this factor.
- No significant difference — both groups rank this factor similarly.
Quality of Floor: Experienced dancers care more about floor quality, likely due to their better understanding of how it affects their dancing.
- Significant difference (p<0.05) — experienced dancers rank the floor quality higher.
Ambiance of Venue: Experienced dancers rank ambiance as more important, suggesting they seek a more holistic tango experience that includes the environment.
- No significant difference — both groups value ambiance similarly.
Who Organizes: Both groups rank the importance of the organizer similarly, although less experienced dancers seem to prioritize this factor slightly more, possibly relying on the reputation of organizers.
- No significant difference — the groups rank this factor similarly.
Maestro Performance: Significant difference (p<0.05) — less experienced dancers value maestro performances more.
4.2 Attendance Frequency Differences
A similar pattern emerged when we looked at attendance frequency. Those who attend milongas weekly or more frequently were more concerned with the ambiance and DJ, while rare attendees (those who attend less than once a month) showed more interest in cost and maestro performances. Rare attendees are likely drawn to milongas for special occasions or performances, whereas frequent attendees expect a high-quality experience with great music and atmosphere.
This chart compares the preferences of frequent attendees (weekly or more) and rare attendees (less than once a month) across factors like DJ importance, cost, who is attending, floor quality, ambiance, and who organizes the event. The error bars represent the 95% confidence intervals.
Key Insights:
- Cost is ranked slightly less important by rare attendees (6.44) compared to frequent attendees (5.66).
- Maestro performance is significantly less important to frequent attendees (7.63) compared to rare attendees (6.56).
- Snacks are ranked similarly by both groups but slightly lower in importance for frequent attendees (7.08) than for rare attendees (6.88).
- Who is attending and DJ are important to both groups, though they rank slightly higher importance for frequent attendees.
Data Insights (t-test):
DJ Importance: Frequent attendees value the DJ slightly more than rare attendees, reflecting their desire for consistent, high-quality music.
- Significant difference (p<0.05) — frequent attendees rank DJ importance higher.
Cost: Rare attendees are more concerned with the cost of events than frequent attendees, who may view milongas as a regular part of their social routine.
- Significant difference (p<0.05) — rare attendees place more importance on cost.
Who is Attending: Frequent attendees place more importance on who is attending, suggesting they enjoy dancing with familiar partners or being part of a specific tango community.
- Significant difference (p<0.05) — frequent attendees care more about who is attending.
Quality of Floor: Frequent attendees care more about the quality of the floor, as they likely experience the venue more regularly and notice differences in floor conditions.
- Significant difference (p<0.05) — frequent attendees rank the floor quality higher.
Ambiance of Venue: Frequent attendees rank ambiance as highly important, while rare attendees show more variability in their responses.
- Significant difference (p<0.05) — frequent attendees place more importance on ambiance.
Who Organizes: Frequent attendees care more about who organizes the event, likely due to their higher expectations for well-run events that cater to regular dancers.
- No significant difference — both groups rank the importance of the organizer similarly.
Maestro Performance: Significant difference (p<0.05) — rare attendees give more importance to maestro performances.
5. Insights for Event Organizers
Based on the results of the survey, milonga organizers can take several steps to improve the experience for attendees. For example, investing in established and good DJs and maintaining a smooth, comfortable dance floor should be top priorities, particularly for regular, experienced dancers who attend milongas frequently. Additionally, creating a unique ambiance with appropriate lighting and decor can enhance the overall mood of the event.
To attract less experienced and budget-conscious attendees, organizers might consider offering discounts or package deals that lower the barrier to entry. Special events, such as maestro performances, could also draw in attendees who don’t frequent milongas regularly but are enticed by high-profile performances. Additionally, ensuring a friendly, inclusive atmosphere can help make newer dancers feel comfortable, as many respondents indicated that who is attending is an important factor for them.
By understanding and catering to the specific needs of different dancer segments, organizers can create more successful and well-attended milongas that meet the diverse preferences of the tango community.
Limitations of the Survey
While the survey provides valuable insights into milonga preferences, there are a few limitations that may impact the generalizability and depth of the findings such as Sample Size and Representation, Self-Reporting Bias, Limited Scope of Factors, Ranking Scale Limitations etc.
Organizers should consider these limitations when interpreting the results. A more comprehensive approach, including larger, more diverse samples, qualitative questions, and demographic information, would lead to a deeper understanding of dancers’ preferences and help inform more targeted event planning.
6. Conclusion
In conclusion, the Milonga Preferences Survey has shed light on what matters most to tango dancers when they choose which events to attend. From the critical importance of the DJ and floor quality to the social connections that newer dancers seek, these insights offer valuable guidance for both organizers and attendees. Whether you’re looking for the perfect milonga or planning your next event, understanding these preferences can help create an unforgettable tango experience. We’d love to hear your thoughts—what do you prioritize when attending a milonga? Let us know in the comments, and see you on the dance floor!
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