BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Born in the back streets of Buenos Aires during the late 19th century, tango, the sensual ballroom dance, is as much a part of Argentine culture as “bife de chorizo” (strip steak) at the local “parrilla” (barbecue restaurant).
And tango music is the soundtrack for the city.
I stroll down Avenida Corrientes past the Broadway-style theaters and hear tango music drifting from the record stores. The orchestral sounds of Carlos Di Sarli and Osvaldo Pugliese soar above the broken sidewalks. Recordings of Carlos Gardel, the country’s most famous tango singer (long deceased, but as popular as ever), serenade pedestrians as they navigate the pavement.
I jump into a taxi and am treated to a heartbreaking tango performance. This time the music comes from a car stereo. The singer’s voice — raw, feminine, a tad melancholy — is accompanied by an acoustic guitar.
The taxi driver eyes me in his rearview mirror. Perhaps he notices that I’ve tilted my head, intrigued by the soulful guitar solo. He hands me a copy of the featured CD: “Argentina … Flor de Mina,” by Lulu, a local favorite.
The guitarist’s name is Orlando Gomez. As it turns out, Orlando Gomez is also the taxi driver. At night, he plays guitar in the bars, restaurants and recording studios of Argentina’s largest city. During the day he drives a taxi. From this rolling record store he sells me a copy of “Flor de Mina” for 30 pesos ($9.50).
At Velma Cafe, a small concert venue in barrio Palermo, I am sitting with tango violinist Jacinta McPhillamy. Drawn by her love for tango music, Jacinta relocated from Sydney, Australia. She is one of the rare foreign musicians accepted by a local tango orchestra.
Drinking of the music
On this particular night at the Velma Cafe, Jacinta will play a few songs with Alfredo Piro, a popular tango singer. Alfredo introduces Jacinta while she’s still seated at my table, and she nearly chokes on her chardonnay. She leaps to her feet and runs past rubbernecking spectators to the stage, where she should have been minutes earlier. This adds even more drama to Jacinta’s dramatic violin solo. When she finishes the piece, the audience gives her a rousing ovation.
On a warm December day in Parque Tres de Febrero near Palermo, tango music drifts from a gazebo. Like many tango songs, this one sounds antiquated, vaudevillian. It seems to crackle through the horn of a gramophone. And yet, the music pours from a pair of brick-sized speakers hooked up to a notebook computer.
Compelled by the moment and the music, four friends tango in the gazebo. I sit on the floor, watching their fluid postures and fighting off a tidal wave of envy.
Within minutes, a third couple appears. They join the strangers on the gazebo floor “and just like that, an impromptu “melonga” (tango dance party) begins.
Every Sunday in barrio San Telmo, tango performers lay a makeshift dance floor on the concrete ground of Plaza Dorrego. A crowd gathers to watch their bodies clash. The music, the applause, the “ooohs” and “ahhhs” — all these sounds drift across the street and into my living room window.
Normally, I rush outside to watch the performers. But every once in a while on the sofa, I listen to the music and imagine myself as a competent tango dancer.
I need to dance.
El Tangauta magazine (the leading source for tango-related information in Buenos Aires) lists more than 500 group classes in any given week. Add to these an unlimited number of private lessons, and it’s easy to see why Buenos Aires is the world capital of tango.
On Mondays and Fridays, I take lessons at La Academia Tango Milonguero, a prominent school in the city center. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I train at Estudio de Esquina. I’ll never be a polished professional. But in a city where tango is as close as your next breath, blending in on the dance floor is enough.
Elliott Hester is the author of “Plane Insanity” and “Adventures of a Continental Drifter.” He lives in Buenos Aires. Contact him at elliotthester@gmail.com or visit .
The Details
For more information on tango in Buenos Aires, visit El Tanguata magazine at or Tango Data at (Spanish only).
Two of the best tango classes are La Academia Tango Milonguero (Riobamba 416; 4953-2794) and Estudio la Esquina (Sarmiento 722, 4th floor; 4394-9898). To call from the United States, dial the international access code (011), the country code for Argentina (54), the city code for Buenos Aires (11), and the local number.
Buenos Aires is home to more than 100 weekly melongas (tango dance parties) that last until 6 a.m. The most popular venues are Club Villa Malcolm (Cordoba 5064; 4383-7469); Salon Canning (Scalabrini Ortiz 1331; 4342-4794); El Nino Bien (Humberto Primo 1462; 4483-2588); La Viruta (Armenia 1366; 4774-6357); and El Beso (416 Riobamba; 4953-2794).
