I host 4 practicas and 1 milonga a month, why?...mostly because there is not enough tango in the area I live, but also because I am tired of paying someone else to dance. I would encourage anyone to do the same Especially the Practicas because the best and only way to improve is to practice.
I am also tired of being overcharged so that I can enjoy some chopped up veggies and ranch dip or a piece of grocery store ham on a cracker...Damn it, I came her to dance Tango, not to add to my waistline.
My Practica price is based on half of what it would cost to rent a small studio for one hour in the area where I live (and the practica lasts for two hours). My Milonga price is twice the cost of the Practica because it lasts twice as long. I am thinking of the person who brings a date and pays both entradas.
Occasionally I will host a free Milonga or Practica for invited guests, the Milongas and Practicas that I charge for are open to the public.
If you are hosting an event and want to exclude people based on their ability to pay, go ahead and charge as much as you like, but remember anyone who has a computer and a dance floor can, and will, start their own events. "let the one percent dance with their own kind".
As for paying for Dj's, I say, let people know that the Dj is working for tips only and stick to it (of course they also get to attend the event without charge). This way the crappy Dj's will be weeded out by starvation, vote for your kind of music with healthy tips.
If you think that Tango is a money maker, think again.
