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Departing to the north

rainy rooftops in buneos aires

My umbrella collapsed due to the wind’s force and the rain’s intensity. It was time to depart from Buenos Aires for a milder climate.

Leaving Argentina

Usually, in mid-April, starting in 2022, we leave Argentina. This is our pattern. The southern hemisphere begins its autumn season, filling the once-blue sky with clouds and rain, bringing the chill winds of the south.

This year, we are leaving at the end of the month, as I am hopeful the northern hemisphere will be a bit warmer by then.

rubber tree near recoleta cementary

I looked at the weather app on my phone and saw that temperatures were in the low 70s during the day but dropped to the high 50s at night. Sunshine, lots of sun.

I hate being cold. I remember when my dad said the same sentence, and I chuckled, thinking of that memory of him.

fall on montevideo
Memories

I remember the joy of downhill skiing on freshly groomed corduroy snow slopes on a twenty-five-degree morning on a sunny day. The crisp air made the day feel all sparkly. The run was relatively empty, and skiing down the hill made me feel a sense of joy inside as I named this feeling, the white out of my soul. No thinking, just doing and just being in the moment.

Now, that’s how I feel when I dance tango. The bliss from dancing tango, in my soul, is just happiness and connection.

Ironically, I still need specialized clothes and shoes, but I no longer get cold. Instead, I need to remember to bring a shawl, as social clubs are usually kept a bit chilly.

Ironically, I still need specialized clothes and shoes, but I no longer get cold. Instead, I need to remember to bring a shawl, as social clubs are usually kept a bit chilly.

friends over for dinner
Packing it up!

Luckily, these clothes are easy to roll into packing cubes, but the shoes are a bit trickier. I will travel with only four pairs of tango shoes; as a traveler, I’m trying to practice the art of ‘less is more’. [Doing with less; if anything is needed, we can shop.]

Less clothing, less weight. Less poundage for my partner to carry. My job is to pack the suitcases, and his is to carry them.

bathroom contents to be packed

Looking around this apartment, I reflect on the sweet times we have enjoyed here. We’ve cooked dinner for friends, practiced a few new tango steps, and I have listened to the strains of the bandoneon as my partner practiced. The five months of living here have passed by so quickly. It was wonderful.

As I looked out the window to check if it was raining, I thought. I’m ready to depart from Buenos Aires, knowing we’ll return in December. 

It’s time for new adventures.

me and maximo

Gallery of goodbyes

me and Julia
the cake at the goodbye
the girls
Maximo and Joanna Maddaox
tango shoes

What’s new? Milonga Elites

Milonga Elite
A Ride to the Elite

There hadn’t been an announcement of a manifestation, but traffic was snarled and moving at a snail’s pace. My taxi was crawling along Avenida San Juan. We were stopping at every red light. I watched as the meter changed and the price increased. 

While living in this city, I transformed myself from an impatient Americano into a porteño. Now, I can sit in the taxi and enjoy the ride while chatting with the driver. It’s a more fatalistic approach to living life in Argentina.  A friend often remarks, “You are a porteño, but you were born in the wrong city!”

After a costly taxi ride from Barrio Norte to Balavena,  I arrived at the location and paid 15,000 pesos for this ride. It’s about twice the normal rate! Ouch!

And The Music

Getting into the elevator, I listened to the music that wafted down from the second floor. The doors open into a familiar scene of tango couples moving around on the well-worn floor, close in each other’s arms.

After being greeted by the organizer, Hugo Gimigliano, with a big bear hug and another hug from his partner, Julia Doynel, I noted the Milonga Elite was in full swing.

With approximately 11 male taxi dancers, ranging from professional to tango maestros, these women paid 25,000 pesos to dance for two hours with these fantastic dancers. There were familiar faces, including dancers from Turkey, Mexico, and the United States, as well as several local women.

For Two Hours

For two hours, every woman danced as much as she wished. Dancing at this milonga differs significantly from others, as there is no social break for conversation. “I’m only dancing,” said my friend Olga. But then she admitted that she was a bit tired, too.

Dancing continuously for two hours is a lot of work. This experience is very different than dancing at a regular milonga, where you can take a break, have a glass of wine, sit out for a few dances, and then return to the dancing.


After an hour of dancing, I was exhausted and decided to sit out a few dances. Watching this group dance was beautiful, as most women wore smiles on their faces. They were enjoying themselves dancing instead of sitting a lot.

For Some Women

For some women, it’s a difficult transition to make from dancing continually for two hours versus a regular milinga where you only dance for fifteen minutes in two hours. Many of these women now only attend this milonga, and a few have started to shun the regular milongas.

Yes, the experience of the Milongas Elite is rewarding and worthwhile. 

It’s an excellent example of the creativity that can be achieved by changing a milonga’s dynamics.

A woman goes to a milonga to dance with a man.

In Milonga Elite

In this Milonga Elite, women choose the man they wish to dance with. These women dance with the best of the best for two hours rotating partners.

And yes, medialunas are served when dancing is finished.

Currently, this milonga takes place every Tuesday from 3 to 5 pm at Maza 457.

Reservations are required.

Organizer: Hugo Gimigliano

Tango Guapo on Facebook

If you wish to make a reservation, contact on WhatsApp +54 9 11 4197-0517

Traveling Tango

Contributor of Tango Experiences

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