SOUTH AMERICA: NOTES FROM MY TRAVELS.

I still remember the first time I visited a milonga in Buenos Aires. Everyone’s familiar with the Argentine tango — it’s one of the first things people associate with Argentina — and there are plenty of places where you can spend an evening watching a polished tango show over dinner.

A milonga, though, is a completely different experience, and a much better way to understand what tango really means to people here. It’s simply a club where ordinary porteños go to dance - sometimes with the people they arrive with, sometimes with complete strangers. There’s no glitz or ceremony. You go there to dance.

I had a couple of nervous moments when I was invited onto the floor by strangers - and had to decline, knowing I’d make a complete hash of it. It did, however, prompt me to take tango classes back in the UK, so that I could properly enjoy my next visit.

If you’re interested in experiencing South America in a way that goes beyond the obvious, I’m always happy to talk things through. Get in touch.