Argentina - You Know When You’ve Been Tangoed

October 28-30

Hello everyone!

If you were asked about Argentinian culture and identity, you’d probably be able to generate quite a long list: meat, wine, football, medialunes, politics just to name a few. One key element may spring to mind even before this, however: tango.

Tango show at Café de lose Angelitos

Having a tango lesson in Buenos Aires

To simplify, you could say dancing. People like me were introduced to the tango through hit TV shows such as Strictly Come Dancing. But in Argentina, and Buenos Aires in particular, there’s a lot more to it. 

Singing and live music are also key components 

Artwork around the city often focuses on tango

Tango is said to have been the soul of Buenos Aires since its inception in the late 19th century. It merged a wide range of ethnicities and musical influences. Historians have suggested that it started in brothels, though no one is sure. What is sure is that it became - and is - a dance enjoyed by all stratas of the city’s society.

Many of the theatres where tango is performed are also quite old

The wide variety of ethnicities included European immigrants, 'criollos', Africans and natives

Tango is seen as quite a sultry and romantic dance. That made it quite interesting to learn that it was originally performed between two men. They would practise steps whilst waiting for a lesser-spotted woman to emerge and be swooned. Argentine Tango had some golden eras - the 1920s and 1940s in particular - when politics was more stable and less militarised. 

It’s estimated that in 1914 there were more than 100,000 more men in Buenos Aires than women

The tango show we watched played on fashion from the time

It’s not just the moves that make the tango, however. Music is a huge part of it, with instruments such as the bandoneón, a special type of accordion, used for the purpose of making people move. The music has apparently changed over time, with the introduction of elements of rock and jazz music.

Cellos and violins are also important

Music can be found around the city, such as this small band

Tango can be found across the city, but its real heart is probably the district of San Telmo. Walking through its bustling market on a Sunday morning, you get clues about the importance of the dance. Apparently in the evening the streets come alive with spontaneous dances and milongas.

The San Telmo market was declared a national
historic monument by the city in 2000

Purses and bags made in part from small vinyl records 

Many theatres will put on tango shows: an all-singing, all-dancing performance in a beautiful building. We visited a place called Café de los Angelitos to watch the professionals get to work.

This place first opened in 1890

It is known as one of the city's 'Historic Bars'

From up on a gilded balcony, we had the perfect view of the dancers on stage and the band in an alcove above them. The show, over an hour in length, went on a journey of colour, noise and brilliant dancing.

Our view of the stage

Here you can see the band above the dancers

Being all in Spanish, and without much context, I couldn’t possibly guess at the ‘plot’ of the tango story. So I’ll let the pictures and videos do the talking for me.

The movement was incredible. We watched and applauded mostly with impressed astonishment. The positive emotions, however, had a tiny bit of trepidation every-so-slightly swirled in. The reason? Well, it was our turn the next day…

Our turn to dance, not sing. Wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Our studio!

I’d organised a tango lesson for the four of us. Ankles and knees had recovered sufficiently for us all to head to a dance studio someone’s apartment to take our first steps towards Strictly stardom.

One of many examples of me not looking up

Any more than four and it would have been a bit tight for space!

Our teacher, Viktor, led us through a sequence of 8 steps for a leader and follower. Once these had been perfected, or at least completed successfully, a couple of slightly more challenging moves were added in. This was the point at which I realised my ankle can’t yet do a 360° spin.

Mum and Dad smashing their steps

Look at that knee bend!

We may not be gracing the beautiful stage of Cafe de los Angelitos anytime soon, but we had a great time learning to tango. An important part of the city’s identity, we can proudly say that we tried to do as the porteños do: twirling away their day to the tango.

High kicks by the pros...

...and smiles from the amateurs with Viktor

Those who can tango: immense respect

Love you all,

Matt