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No visit to Buenos Aires can be complete without seeing the locals dance the Tango.  There are many formal Tango shows that the hawkers and hotels sell to all tourists as part of the bucket list of things to do.  More of that later, as by far the most impressive is the whole street theatre where you can witness the local Porteños performing in the streets.

Tango Dancers, San Telmo, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaThe San Telmo district just to the South of the Plaza Mayo gives way every Sunday to a massive street market.  The Main thoroughfare Calle Defensa is full of stalls selling all sorts of antiques and other craft items – not your usual tourist tat, indeed the wise locals have probably snapped up all the bargains, but nevertheless there are lots of nice things for sale, a bit like Portobello Market.

The main square, Plaza Dorrego, is an elegant square surrounded by balconied mansions, many of which have been turned into bars and restaurants.  However the real attraction of the square is that it taken over by Tango performers.  The women in their high heels and elegant asymmetrical flared dresses, and the men in their suave black jackets.  Both with their dramatic sultry looks.  These professionals put on a show and will also perform with some of the visitors for a small fee.  In addition most of the music is live, with local guitarists strumming away.

Not only are there the young dancers, particularly impressive was an old gentlemen probably in his early 80s performing with one of the female dancers.  He still had all the moves, tango consisting of measured slow moves to emphasize the drama of the dance, so can be enjoyed across the generations.

In the evening the square is given over to a mass public dancing venue, with the professional dancers being joined by many Porteños of all ages performing the Tango and also bits of Samba too.  Furthermore throughout there was a young lady in a wheelchair being partnered by members of the professional team and the public dancing too.  Argentina like Uruguay before has a very inclusive and positive approach to disability.

The Tango Show at Puerto Madero was a much more formal event, with a classic Argentinian meal of steak and red wine, which you enjoyed while the show was being performed.  On our table was an Argentinian couple celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary, they had good English, but what was really great to see was them humming along to the music and generally being totally absorbed in the whole show.  The show itself had two pairs of principal dancers, two singers and a chorus that supported the dancers and a live band performing in the balcony.  While the show was much more formal than the street theatre, it developed a dramatic storey line of relationships evolving between young working class Porteños.

The leg movements when you are close up are dramatic to watch and the sultry looks between the dancers, with the man looking away to the distance and the woman at the man, together with the holds, make an impressive spectacle.

Tango is the national dance of Argentina and it is clearly a big part of the nations culture that appeals across the generations.

Date: 27/02/2018 to 05/03/2018