Where to see tango in Buenos Aires

Tango in Buenos Aires is one of the things you must do while visiting Argentina, but it can be harder to find than expected. Where can a traveler immerse oneself in tango or just get a quick peek at what this renowned dance is all about?

Tango Shows

The cream of the crop tango dancers are featured in either the professional stage shows or touring international productions. Many of the directors and producers are intertwined so if you are hoping to see the best tango dancers in the world you’ll want to see one of the many tango shows in Buenos Aires. The shows tend to follow a similar formula which showcase the old and new school tango styles. Live musicians will set the tempo with their bandoneon, piano and violins as the dancers gracefully slide, twirl and impress. Coming soon: Which tango show to see in Buenos Aires?

Street tango

Plaza Dorrego in the crumbling mansion district of San Telmo almost always has live performers in the afternoons. If you are looking for just a taste of tango swing by this square for a cortado (espresso and milk) or beer. The surrounding area is great for browsing the many antique shops and hidden boutiques.

El Camanito in La Boca is a touristy area sprinkled with colorful buildings left over from the active port days. Do be careful not to stray from the populated active blocks as the neighborhood is infamous for tourism targeted crime. Several classic cafes and restaurants have regular performances to help draw in curious onlookers. It’s a great area to pick up some keepsakes too.

Milongas

The real deal tango for dancing beginners to old school aficionados, milongas (pronounced “me-long-ahs”) are the dance halls and clubs where tango enthusiasts come to hone their skills. The milonga scene is a world in itself often times where reputations and tradition rule. Some tango clubs are more modern with live bands, odd instruments sewing new twists on the conventional stage. Others are strict and old school where men and women sit on opposite sides of the ballroom subtly signaling, accepting and declining invitations to dance the next tanda or set of 3 tango songs.

If you are not a polished tango dancer plan on sitting a few tables back from the dance floor to avoid faux pas. Most all milongas in Buenos Aires will take their dancing seriously and fumbling about on the dance floor will not be looked upon kindly. There are milongas that are open to beginners or travelers interested in dipping their toes onto the dance floor though…

Lessons

Several milongas in Buenos Aires offer regular group classes for beginning to advanced dancers. La Catedral, a creaky, hardwood lined floor converted cathedral is both spacious and frequented by many Argentinians and travelers alike. Hang around afterwards to see the more advanced students and tango lovers show you how it’s done.

DNI Tango offer more polished classes for beginners and English speakers. As a bonus, the area where DNI Tango is located (sort of a border of Almagro, Palermo and Villa Crespo) has become a great area to bar hop and explore the night life scene.

For private lessons Alejandro Puerta is a patient and skilled multilingual instructor (English, Spanish, Japanese). Be sure to contact him in advance as he tends to book up weeks beforehand especially during tourism high season.