What could be more perfect than walking over cobbledstoned streets in the warm sunshine, warm sweet coffee in one hand, empanada in the other and being surrounded by the sounds of a market complete with live tango music? Everything about this atmosphere is addictive – the colours, the sights and the smells. Small antique coffee cups nestle amidst coloured glass bottles, rusting old tins mix with old brass door knobs and antique jewellery hang like beaded curtains from every nook and cranny.

This is the San Telmo market – a pure treasure trove of delightful pieces of the past and handmade artesanal products. San Telmo is the oldest barrio of Buenos Aires and its cobblestoned streets are ladened with antique stores and cafes, and every corner is haunted by the soul of tango. Its buildings have the spirit of Parisian memories attached to their street fronts which forms a nice juxtaposition against the recent and vibrant graffiti that has been left by its resident artists.  This barrio oozes bohemian charm, packed full of cafes, museums, tango history and book stores, all of which have the old world appeal.

Held in Plaza Dorrego every weekend (with Sunday the largest day), this huge street market is guaranteed to have something for everyone and tango is at the heart of it. Laid spread out in the middle of the plaza is a portable floor which is home to several tango street performers which are there every Sunday. Tango music blares from a set of small speakers, doing its best to compete with the noisy buzz of the crowd that gathers at the edge of the floor. Exhibitions are given throughout the afternoon so you can feel free to take a break by wandering around the stalls. If you show any interest at all, chances are that you might be picked up by another tanguero in the crowd and given the chance to dance in front of everyone.

The tango is not just limited to the main plaza. Hidden down calle Humberto Primo, opposite the large church, the band El Afronte gathers every Sunday afternoon to entertain the market goers with dark and dramatic interpretations of many famous tangos. Not content to electrify any part of the music, this band drags a piano out onto the street to join the cello, three violins and four bandoneons. The band plays at a local San Telmo milonga on Monday and Wednesday nights and are well worth checking out as they are fresh off the back of a tour of Europe. The players are dramatic and serious to match the melodrama that tango encompasses.

Music keeps the market breathing all the way down Defensa. There are the traditional music performers, occasional stilt walkers, buskers with guitars and accordians, colourful brazilian drummers, plus acting characters including ´Caught in the Wind´guy and the Argentine Captain Jack Sparrow. Located just near the plaza is a living memory of Carlos Gardel. Complete with a fedora, this guy stands in a doorway singing out the passionate tangos of a bygone era, attracting many a tourist for a photo with him.

Lining the streets around Plaza Dorrego are small bars and coffee houses, some of which offer their patrons small and intimate tango exhibitions as well. My favourite haunts are on the second floor of the buildings, as their balconies offer a view over the plaza and it is easy to pass an afternoon in the sun with a wine and friends, watching both the market goers and the tango dancers. The many bars and cafes usually have a front of house person on the street who is more than willing to explain any tango exhibitions and music that they offer, so do not be afraid to ask.

As late afternoon falls and the stalls begin to pack up, the drumming starts. There are several groups that occasionally join together and create an atmostphere that has almost the entire crowd dancing. It´s a great way to warm up the muscles before the milonga in Plaza Dorrego starts. Surrounded by old buildings and dancing outside in the warmth of a summer Buenos Aires night is the perfect way to end an afternoon of vibrant colours, people, music and treasure hunting.

Things to Know

San Telmo Market is held every Sunday from 10am until 5pm. The main plaza houses the antiques stores and the other stalls run all the way up Calle Defensa until Plaza de Mayo. The street is closed to traffic and the stalls are numerous. You will need at least a couple of hours to enjoy the entire market.  Note, the antique stalls usually pack up first so head to that part of the market before walking down Defensa.

San Telmo can be reached by buses (4 – 9 – 10 – 17 – 20 – 22 – 24 – 29 – 33 – 54- 64 – 74 – 82 – 86 – 93 – 111 – 130 – 143 – 152) but the easiest route is to take the Subte on Linea C and get off at the station Independencia. Walk down Independencia (against the traffic) until you hit the Defensa, easily identified by the market stalls on the corner.

It had been on my To Do List for awhile and I had no particular desire to join the crush of commuters that were bound to be filling the subte from the city centre at that time.  To make matters worse, the heavens had opened up and was trying its hardest to wash away the colours of the cityscape. Did I need any more excuses to grant myself permission to take advantage of one of the many cafes in Argentina? Certainly not and it was with delight I skipped through the raindrops to Cafe Tortoni.

I pushed open the curtained wooden doors to step into a cavernous ballroom filled with marble tables. Not the only one with ideas of escaping the rain, these tables housed a variety of people enjoying coffee and medialunas. The first time visitors were easy to spot – they were the ones with their SLR cameras out. But you can not blame them. This is one of the most beautiful cafes in the world (according to UCityGuides) rating it amongst other cafes in Paris, Rome and Prague. But it is by no means pretentious, retaining the warmth and accepting nature that I have come to love about Buenos Aires, so feel free to get out your camera as you won´t be alone in oohhing and aahhing over the decor.

Located at 825 Avenida de Mayo, Cafe Tortoni was founded in 1858, making it the oldest and perhaps most famous cafe in the country.  Its founder was a French immigrant (Touan) who named the cafe after an establishment on the Boulevard des Italiens in Paris.  Within its wood panelled walls, have sat some notable artists including tango singer Carlos Gardel and literary great, Jorge Luis Borges.  Apparently, Gardel used to drop by the cafe regularly, and on one occasion brought in his guitarists and gave a performance of Piradello´s plays. Tango still remains an important part of Tortoni and there are regular tango shows here (see http://tangotix.com/en/cafe-tortoni-en/). In 1979, Hector Negro penned the tango ´Viejo Tortoni´ which was dedicated to the cafe and sung by Eladia Blázquez.  Its beautiful lyrics describe the cafe as a living entity with its history alive and breathing.

Back in my era, the only table left was squeezed in the corner, from which I could survey almost the entire cafe. Waiters swarmed around the bar that runs down the side of the cafe, collecting many plates of medialunas to distribute to the hungry customers. The cups proudly display the Cafe Tortoni logo which notes the 2008 date when celebrations for its age began.  The walls are littered with paraphernalia linking its history to the present and one need only sit back and breath to feel a sense of nostalgia. The other great thing about cafes here in Buenos Aires is that you never feel rushed so I was able to sit back and savour the taste of the coffee and warm medialunas that had been served to me.

There are a significant number of notable cafes in Buenos Aires (around sixty) which are recognised as official Cultural Heritage sites and are given the name ´Bares Notables´. Cafe Tortoni is one that you must, without a doubt, take time to visit.

Things to Know

Cafe Tortoni

825 Avenida De Mayo, Buenos Aires

www.cafetortoni.com.ar

Being in the centre of town, this cafe is very easy to get to. It is very close to the subte line C (Avenida De Mayo station) and several blocks from Plaza De Mayo where the Casa Rosada stands.

Tango shows are also a regular event. Please check out http://tangotix.com/en/cafe-tortoni-en/ for more information.

(Photo credit to Aram Kudurshian)

If you had walked into this particular Floreal Milonga at the wrong time, you would have been forgiven for thinking that the advertising had it all wrong. The lights were dim, cumbia was playing and the floor was filled with jiving people, a conga line and a single guy surrounded by many people clapping and whooping.  Comme Il Fauts were being kicked around in salsa style dancing and bodies moved in and out of embraces. This wasn´t any normal night at Milonga Floreal. This was a special day.

Organiser, Macelo Lavergata, was celebrating his birthday surrounded by the tango community and friends.  The night was extremely warm and both men and women were using fans in an attempt to dry off before the next tanda. But this didn´t stop a substantial amount of regular and friends from coming to this milonga, both to dance and celebrate his birthday.

I began attending Floreal soon after arriving in Buenos Aires. There was something about the continuity of regular attendees, the sense of family from those who came, the approachability of the dancers and the relaxed atmosphere that made me feel that this is tango at its most real.  It is a small milonga and usually attended by local dancers, remaining a steadfast Sunday night must-do for some milongueros. Its tables are covered in red checked tablecloths and the fideos are simply devine – home made by the organisers. This trio, Marcelo Lavergata, Lucila Bardach and Mariano Romero, work together to run the milonga, held weekly on Sunday nights.

Located in Barrio Flores, upstairs in Club Ciencia y Labor on Cesar Diaz (2453), Floreal is accessible for dancers of all levels.  The tiled floor space is large and inviting with plenty of space to dance. Exhibitions by professional dancers are made every week and there are music performances ranging from solos to orchestras.  It is not unusual to see the waiteresses taking to the floor during a lull in the fideo and drink orders, successfully dancing in sandals or sneakers.

The history of the name of Floreal is somewhat interesting. From the information available, Club Ciencia y Labor was formed in the early 1900s for immigrants and socialists with links to anarchists. A popular name amongst anarchists at the time, was Floreal. One of the most famous sons of Barrio Flores is Floreal Ruiz, son of an anarchist and tango singer known for his delicate voice and love for singing. Lavergata wanted a name for his milonga that respected the history of the club where it was held and during a conversation with the first musicians who played at the first milonga, decided on the name Floreal – a name relating to both the club and tango.

With such consistency of attendees, it is easy to feel the warmth of the Argentine spirit within the room as you enter. One of the things I was searching for when coming to Buenos Aires, was to experience the love that porteños have for dancing tango in their own vivid city. At Floreal, there is a real sense of community and this was evident during the birthday celebrations.

Things to Know

Floreal Milonga

Sunday evenings at Club Ciencia y Labor on César Díaz 2453.

Head along early at 8pm for a tango class with Marcelo and Lucila.  The class can cater to a range of levels and Marcelo and Lucila are great attentive teachers that can offer personal attention if you need it.  The milonga begins at 9.30pm and finishes at 2pm.  DJ Mariano Romero provides an extraordinary arrange of fantastically arranged tandas for the evening.

Floreal Milonga is sponsored by 1951 Buenos Aires which have a great range of shoes. Check them out at http://1951buenosaires.com.ar

(Photo credit and copyright Rebecca Travaglia)

About seventeen ladies were shuffling for positions where their elegant heels would not come into contact with another´s calf. Blood on a dance floor is the last thing that anyone wants and with 9 cm heels, there is some potential for connection if you are not aware of your space around you.  The men were gliding up and down the lines on the floor like swimmers doing lane training at their local olympic pool, continuous laps while hugging invisible women.  The concentration was tangible within the room, almost drowning out the music. I risked a look to spy on my partner and see how he was doing on the men´s side of the floor, only to find him smirking at me, having been laughing at my intense look of concentration I required to successfully adorn my ochos.

This was learning traditional tango at its best. It had been awhile since I have set foot in a tango class thanks to the festive holiday season and travel, and returning to Buenos Aires jumpstarted my desire to re enter the scene. With that in mind, I set off to my first class at Club Sunderland on a balmy Wednesday evening.  Club Sunderland was founded in 1921 making it one of the oldest clubs in the city and celebrating its 90th birthday this year. It hosts a variety of other physical activities but is famous in the tango world for its traditional milongas and classes. The Wednesday night class is taken by  Carlos and Rosa Perez, well respected teachers of traditional tango and world famous for their classes which are, put simply, all about walking.

I remember when I first started tango classes, I heard that even if you practiced walking everyday for 50 years, you still would not have mastered the tanguero´s walk, casting somewhat of a shadow on my dream of being considered a capable tanguera. But if you don´t practice, you can´t improve and I have passed evenings pacing back and forth in my various living arrangements over the years. Back in class, the large studio was threatening to turn into a sauna as the men and women began their walking and I noted that the return journey to the far end of the hall near the air conditioner, was always completed faster, allowing more time for standing in the cool air.

Rosa took us through simple walking, both forwards and backwards, before adding adornos. Everything was going well until we moved onto ochos, which are difficult to do independently at the best of times, but adding adornos to independent ochos is a sure way to induce the wobbles. I noted some women holding out their arms for stability as if to gently meditating as they made their way across the floor. I opted for the intense fixation on a far away spot that doesn´t move, which was fine until I found myself at the back of the group and kept losing my point as the backs infront of me swayed from side to side.

Often beginners are understandably eager to learn tango steps, aching to get onto the floor to see if they can remember the sequence they were given in their class. But some of the best dances I have had is while simply walking. The strength of connection and space for musicality seems limitless and the joy of doing something so simple but so connected, never fails to induce one of those tango moments for me. This class gave me an opportunity to spend time focusing exactly on what my feet and entire body are doing, encouraging internalisation before practicing this with another person, walking around the studio with no thoughts other than connection, simple adornos and the music.

Things you need to know

Club Sunderland

Lugones 3161, Villa Urquiza, Buenos Aires.

http://www.sunderlandclub.com.ar/

Club Sunderland has a well run website which seems to be kept up to date and is well worth checking out to see what classes and milongas are run each week. It also has information about other events at the club should you feel like a change of sport.

The Wednesday night class is long and includes an instructed part and a free part for you to practice what you have learnt. The class runs from 8pm until 10.30pm. Some people (including names like Fabian Peralta) only arrive for the second part of the class.

The class is welcoming to new people and very easy to follow even if you only speak a basic level of Spanish. Some dancers arrive only for the practica afterwards. The cost (at the time of writing) of the class and the practica was 25 pesos.  It was my experience that the men received more personal attention than the women did, but that said, if you are struggling with the adornos, Rosa will offer advice to you. This class is great to go to if you have a partner, as you spend an hour or so practicing with the sexes divided and afterwards you have the opportunity to work together on what you have learned about your walk. Be prepared to only walk. There are no steps given in this class.

 (photo credit and copyright Rebecca Travaglia)

If you are travelling in Buenos Aires in January, chances are that you will need a break from the 35 degree heat that stifles the city on long summer days. Mar Del Plata is 400km south of the capital and a popular summer holiday spot for porteños. For tangueros, there are several milongas a week and tango music to be enjoyed in a relaxed environment.

Having made my way to the beach for a two week holiday, I had (of course) brought my tango shoes with me. But I am still learning that tango turns up at the most unexpected of times in this country and I continue  to be caught out without my shoes. During one particularly balmy evening,  while enjoying a walk in the leafy suburb of Los Troncos and eating a particularly large portion of world famous Argentine helado (icecream), my ears tuned in to the strains of the bandoneon filtering through the night air. As the Pied Piper did with the rats of Hamelin, so did the sound of the bandoneon with my heart, and I followed its melodious delight to Plaza Del Agua, a large plaza located on Calle Güemes M, between Calle San Lorenzo and Calle Roca.

Beneath the full moon, there were at least seven couples dancing together on the smooth surfaced plaza. Watching on provided chairs  were both spectators,     dancers and families with children.  Passerbys stopped to enjoy the evening, take photos and clap their appreciation for the dancers after each song.  While there were  people clearly dressed for the occasion (with tango shoes in tow), the relaxed atmosphere meant my partner and I were welcomed into the mix, beach styled hair, jean shorts, sandals and all.  While sacrificing the sides of my sandals to perform perfect ochos  on the catching surface, I vowed to buy a pair of tango shoes that will forever and always, remain in the car. Take note ladies!

From the information that was provided to us, this outdoor milonga, held in Plaza Del Agua at Calle Güemes and Calle Roca, was provided by the local council. This well organised event includes lights, a sound system, seating and plenty of dance space. The organisers, Bernarda Lucarelli and Guadalupe Santiago, are friendly and approachable, asking for a donation to assist with the hiring of gear but otherwise offering the evening to the dancers to enjoy for free.  Plaza Del Agua hosts a myriad of activities and often includes tango shows and music. For more information, check http://www.loslobos.com.ar/guia_cultural.htm

This was not my only tango experience of the coast. I joined my friends at a local milonga in Club Asturiano, on a Wednesday night. Whilst not crowded, the house was full, with each of the tables full of smiling faces who were welcoming to our party of four. The unique aspect of this milonga was that there was an outside area that you could sit and watch the dancing through the large glass windows, while enjoying the music was played outside through a speaker. A table set up in the middle of the courtyard meant we could not dance outside but with so much room available inside, this did not matter.  The atmosphere was relaxed and had much brighter lighting than those late night milongas in Buenos Aires.  The dance floor was smooth and the size of the room meant there was no risk of knocking heels together. Judging by the amount of empty dishes on the tables, the pasta casera (home made pasta) was quite a hit as well.

Club Asturiano is located at Jujuy 2285 and hosts a dinner and milonga option every Wednesday night. For those who come just for the milonga, the entrance fee is $10 pesos.

This is simply a taste of my short experience dancing tango in Mar Del Plata. I suggest to readers to do some information gathering before heading to the coast. Experience shows that online information can be outdated and I found myself stranded on the street staring at a locked door at the location that had been listed as a currently running milonga.  Arming yourself with several locations to try in a night or emailing (or calling) ahead can save yourself a lot of walking.

Here are some webpages that may be useful:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mar-del-Plata-Tango-

http://www.milmilongas.com/ciudad.php?ciudad=269Club/117854591574963

http://www.todotango.com/spanish/seccultura/milongas.asp#BuenosAires

Photo credit:  Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division   Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

No trip to Buenos Aires is complete without a night out at one of the traditional and oldest milongas in Buenos Aires.  A place where everyone dresses to impress and a cabaceo must be used to ask someone to dance. A place where the lights are bright and the embrace is traditional. A place which exudes the sentiments of times gone by and the true spirit of tango is tangible in every corner.

A few Fridays ago, my partner and I found ourselves unexpectedly heading out to the infamous local milonga Sin Rumbo to support the performers exhibiting that night.  One of the oldest milongas in Buenos Aires,  Sin Rumbo (which means aimless) is nestled in the heart of the residential Villa Urquiza. It is one of the milongas in Buenos Aires that proudly maintains the traditions of tango.  Its owner, Julio Dupláa, is well known within the tango community both as a tanguero, teacher and as the organiser of Sin Rumbo.

Having a strong sense of tradition and respect for the codes for tango for around fifty years, means Sin Rumbo is popular with some of the stars of the tango world.  On the night that we attended, we were in the company of some great milongueros. Alberto Podestá was enjoying a soda while observing the dancing couples from his table. Osvaldo and Coca Cartery, famous milongueros and teachers to the teachers of tango, took to the floor often and provided  beautiful interpretations of the music. Natchaya Poberaj was enjoying her evening of dancing tango, smiling and approachable. She won the Salon Tango final of the Mundo Tango in 2006 with Fabián Peralta, whilst 7 months pregnant.

These dancers use a traditional style of tango.  There are several names used for traditional styles including tango salon and urquiza style.  They use an embrace that is closed but loose. The woman usually turns her head more towards the hands, and creates a slight v  between the two bodies of the couple. Her left shoulder is closer to his left shoulder than her right shoulder to his right shoulder. Coupled with a detachment between the upper torso and her hips, this figure allows the woman to complete movements such as ochos without needing to loosen the embrace. It is an embrace that embodies the sentiment of connection.

All these people have been names and youtube videos for me for so long, it was an experience to see them all in one room in such an environment.  The best part was the sense of family and community that saturated the milonga. Verbal acknowledgements and welcomes were extended to these celebrities, not because they are famous, but because for their role as a leaders in this community and the respect they have earnt for their dance.

The evening ended with the usual flurry of kisses and hugs farewelling our fellow dancers, leaving me with a sense of nostalgia and kinship.  All in my local neighbourhood. This is grassroots tango as its best.

Things to Know

Address

Sin Rumbo

José P. Tamborini 6157, Villa Urquiza

10pm until 4am – table reservations are recommended but are only held until 11pm.

How to get there

Villa Urquiza is a barrio (or neighbourhood) of Buenos Aires that is located to the northwest of the city. It is largely residential and streets are lined with large graceful old trees that provide much needed shade during the summer months.  It has a distinctly relaxed feel to it compared with the rush of the inner city, and this is reflected in its milongas as well. It is the home to several traditional tango salons including Club Sunderland and Sin Rumbo.

Located on the edge of the barrio at José P. Tamborini 6157, Villa Urquiza, Sin Rumbo can be difficult to get to with public transport but it is definitely worth the effort. Villa Urquiza is located at the end of the subte Linea B (Rojo). Linea B runs from the central city and intersects with other subte lines at Diagonal Norte (Obelisco).  From the final station, Los Incas, you can take several buses including 110, 111, 112, 127, 140 and 176, that will take you to near Sin Rumbo. You will need to walk several blocks depending on which line you take. Check www.comoviajo.com for details.

(NB: Linea B subte is to be extended to include to new stations past Los Incas sometime during 2012)

Since the subte closes around 11pm, you will need to take a taxi back to the city. As current taxi rates are increasing, this will cost you at least $70 pesos but this is subject to change.

(Photo credit and copyright to Rebecca Travaglia)

TANGO NUEVO – MARIANO ´Chicho´ FRUMBOLI

Tango Nuevo is a familiar term to those in the tango world, and for those outside, bands including the Gotan Project have brought, what is commonly referred to as tango electronica, to the world. If you want a lively debate within the tango world, mentioning tango nuevo is sure to get some words flying across the table as there are many who have a passion for and against tango nuevo. Debatably referred to as ´tango for export´ there are those who believe tango nuevo has lost something of the true essence of tango, and those who find a deep connection between dancing tango to more modern music.

While the terms Neotango and Tango Nuevo are often used to refer to a style of dancing, its founders emphasize that the term expresses the evolution of tango since the 1980s. They refer to the term as a way to describe a method of analysis and teaching that was developed during the 1990s by Gustavo Naveira and Fabian Salas which focused on applying the principles of dance kinesiology to tango. The style is sometimes described as a modern take on traditional tango, involving a fluid movement between the open and closed embrace style and occasional breaks of the embrace. A more flexible embrace allow figures such an overturn ochos, linear boleos and volcadas to be performed with greater ease.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga1dUZm6lbc&feature=youtu.be

This video has been circulating the tango world since it was first posted in 2008. It features Frumboli and Sepúlveda dancing to the music Bajofondo.  Bajofondo is a band from Rio De La Plata, with members from both sides of the rio (Argentina and Uruguay). While their early music is seen by some as part of the evolving music genre ´Electrotango´ (combining acoustic tango music with electronic beats), Gustavo Santaolla explains that the group do not consider what they do to be electronica or tango music, but music created from all the genres that are present on the musical history map that belongs to this part of the world. Inevitably this includes rock, pop, tango and electronic. This song, ´Borges y Paraguay´, is from their third album ´Mar Dulce´.

Mariano ´Chicho´ Frumboli is described as one of the founders of Neotango or Tango Nuevo. He is well known for his improvisation skills and interpretation of the music. With a strong musical background, he responds to the rhythms and melodies of the music, expressing it through variations in speed, movement and steps. While his footwork is intricate and involved, he also places importance on the intimacy of the embrace.  (source: Interview in El Tangauta 2009)
His partner, Juana Sepúlveda, has been touring and performing with Frumboli for several years. They often perform at European festivals.

The interview in El Tangauta that Chicho gave is an interesting read and I have included the link so that those of you interested can read it for yourselves (http://www.eltangauta.com/nota.asp?id=1412). This interview shows an open minded dancer and raised some thoughts of my own about the development of tango as we know it.

I admit I have been guilty of the sin of dancing ¨tango¨ to non-tango songs. I blame my youth and naviety. During my first year of taking tango classes, my dance partner and I would practice after class in the pub down the road, perfecting our giros to the sound of Bon Jovi. I cringe now at the thought of this blasphemous action.  As my love for tango music grew (and it did so rapidly), I questioned why I had felt more confident dancing to something modern. It turned out that I felt like I had no right to interpret traditional tango music. Yes I felt the loneliness of the bandoneon and the landscape of a city that the songs painted. But in the beginning, I felt like an imposter. Who was I, a New Zealand European, to really understand where this tango music came from? Who was I to try and interpret the beautiful spanish lyrics that I couldn´t understand except the words amor, corazon and Buenos Aires?  Tango Nuevo music had a beat that I could immediately interpret. It sounded like something that I myself had grown up with and I could see a place for myself within it.  All in all, it gave me a place to start, allowing me to build my self confidence and confidence in my dance. Now I prefer the dance to traditional music.

Discussions about tango nuevo will continue as a new generation of dancers comes to age.  I´m interested to participate in discussions and hear dancers´ opinions about this.  My favourite rumour so far is of ´tango nuevo police´ who have banned milongas from playing a large percent of tango nuevo music police this aggressively with random visits to milongas to check that the percentage isn´t ignored.  I´m yet to see these police and wonder if they have banned those new sneaker high heels as well?

Photographer credit: flickr account: www.flickr.com/photos/zabara_tango/