Astor Piazzolla used to say that
Buenos Aires was a city dressed in tango until 1955. A time in which tango was
walked and there was also a tango perfume in the air. Then, he added with
resignation: "Tango no longer exists."
However, the Argentine capital is
full of places recreating the existence of that sad thought that can be dance.
Every night, the notes flavoring the deepest sorrows resuscitate and the bodies
come together to merge in a whirlwind of skills and passion.
Tango is a way to know Buenos Aires,
and it is not only a musical journey, it is also a journey in time because it
supposes a return to compadritos and cuchilleros. This is a look at the
elegance of the past, and it is also a form to return the courage to our
cowering breasts exhausted by offices and figures.
Nowadays, it is impossible to know if
is there little or much of the tango that we used to listen. The fact is that
we need to return to what we were and that we still are.
Here, you will find some places that
are trying to preserve tango in Buenos Aires, and that fill the hearts of
Argentines and foreigners with sensuality and enthusiasm for life.
La Ventana Tango Show
The cradle, par excellence, of the
tango is in San Telmo. There is a historic conventillo that has been restored
for shows and enjoyment.
This place offers tango classes,
first-class Argentinean wines, traditional gastronomy, and an unforgettable
show that surprises even the most apathetic since it has 32 artists on stage
including two orchestras, four couples of dancers and two singers.
Milonga Tour at Night
A night like the authentic tangueros
is possible here. It is one of the most important milonga places in the history
of San Telmo. People can practice their movements and enjoy group classes, and
also discovering a live orchestra that mixes the most traditional sounds with
the new ones.
Querandí Tango Show
Here, it is a journey in time at its
best expression. It is also located in San Telmo. El Querandí has the
distinction of being a tanguería decorated with the same style used at the
beginning of the 20th century.
Although the place has a capacity of
120 people, the intimate character is not lost.
The best is the show, which consists
of a review of the history of tango. Different couples are in charge of
performing the spectacle with the purpose of showing the evolution of rhythm
and dance. This performance includes singers and musicians of high level.
Carlos Gardel Corner
Carlos Gardel Corner is located in
the same neighborhood where the Argentine idol grew up. It is an alternative
that can hardly be matched by other thematic spaces of tango.
The show also shows the history of
tango from its beginnings to the present day and combines the stage tango with
the ballroom dance.
El Aljibe Tanguería
El Aljibe Tanguería stands out among
the new proposals for tango in Argentina. Visitors can find there, the most
recent musical proposals of tango and a cutting-edge menu without losing the
traditional flavors.
Tango in Puerto Madero
Present and past are in the same
place. Madero Tango allows enjoying the beautiful views through a huge window
that works as an overlook to see the river and the gigantic towers.
This is a way to fall deeply in love
with everything related to tango, and it could be possible without moving away
from the comfort of the present. The show is unforgettable.
Gala Tango
Continuing with exclusive
environments we have to talk about Gala Tango. This place with its French
architecture is mixed with the best wines and the highest gastronomy, while 19
artists show their passion and skills.
It is an amazing show that allows
taking tango classes at no additional charge.
Señor Tango
Some experts say that here there is
the most impressive show in the city related to tango. In this place, it will
be possible to find the best dancers in the world, and singers with prominent
names.
Visitors can also enjoy the best food
and the ever-present wine in a beautiful transformed theater.
Tango Porteño Show
Tango Porteño is close to the obelisk,
a luxurious place in the style of the 40s, where 32 artists on stage and 12
live musicians make to forget real life for a while.
Those who visit the place also come
out talking about dinner. It is a three-step gastronomic proposal that comes
after a fun tango class.
El Viejo Almacén
People say that this is the most
historical tanguería of San Telmo. It was declared a site of cultural interest
in 1982.
The most famous artists of the
history of tango were in El Viejo Almacén. Nowadays, the food is still a sensation.
Los Angelitos Cafe
This cafe is in Balvanera. Los
Angelitos cafe is the place that Carlos Gardel used to visit when he began his
artistic career.
It was founded in 1890 by an Italian.
It reopened with an elegant decoration that recalls its first stage in 2007.
Every night, there are 21 artists on
stage dazzling the audience.
Homero Manzi Corner
This is the place where Homero Manzi
wrote his famous tango "Sur" in 1948. But the great ones of the genre
of the 20th century also passed through this cafe.
The “dinner show” of the place is a
symbol of urban culture in Buenos Aires, especially for those who remember with
nostalgia the 40s.
Carlos Gardel Museum
Jorge Luis Borges accuses Carlos
Gardel of having ruined the tango. According to the Argentinian storyteller and
poet, after Gardel, the tangos stopped being hilarious to become sad. But it is
this sadness that marks the pulse of a rhythm that causes envy and admiration
for Argentina throughout the world.
Carlos Gardel Museum teaches what the
tango of the most famous Argentine singer is about and what his life was like.
The museum is in the house where he lived with his mother.
Nowadays, their possessions, objects
that elaborate their imposing personality and photos of enormous historical value
are exhibited.
Taking Tango Classes
There is a scene from the film Scent
of a Woman in which Al Pacino invites a young girl, who was waiting for her
boyfriend in a restaurant, to dance the renowned song named "por una
cabeza" Every time, someone sees
that jewel in the history of cinema, they want to learn to dance tango.
In Buenos Aires, it is possible to
kill that fever. You can take private or group classes every day. The best
thing is that if a tourist decides to take classes, he can do it during the
time he desires, and return to the country of origin being able to dance like
Al Pacino.
Buenos Aires still smells tango,
especially when the sun goes down and the best half of life begins. The
opportunities to know the culture of the city through that rhythm are so many.
But choosing where to start can often be the most difficult part.