Boston Tango Marathon

Except in a few large cities, most tango communities in the US are still quite small. Tango enthusiasts often travel to major tango festivals around the country to dance, but that can be quite expensive. A festival pass ranges from $250 to $1000 per person, a private lesson with a renowned teacher is $100 to $300 per hour, round-trip airfare is $250 to $500 per ticket, and a hotel room for four nights is $400 to $600. A rental car and gas add another $250. Plus, with other expenses like parking, tolls, and food, a couple could easily spend two to three thousand dollars on a single weekend trip - enough to travel to Buenos Aires for a few weeks.

In recent years, tango marathons have become my favorite events, as they allow me to focus solely on dancing. Unlike tango festivals, tango marathons don’t offer lessons, saving the organizers the cost of hiring instructors. Consequently, the cost of attending a tango marathon is much lower. With fewer beginners, the dance floor is less crowded, the skill level of the dancers is higher, and milonga codes are better observed. It has everything I enjoy more than a tango festival.

Two weeks ago, I attended the Boston Tango Marathon. Although it was only in its second year, it went very well, thanks to the efforts of organizers Alla Lakov, Peter Simoneau, and fifty volunteers from the Boston tango community. The pass was just $100, covering 40 hours of dancing over three days, along with meals, refreshments, drinks, and ice cream. It was clear that this marathon aimed at providing a great experience for dancers rather than making a profit. Best of all, the event had a theme - friendship - which was emphasized throughout. Each time Alla and Peter asked the participants about the theme of the marathon, the audience responded in unison: "Friendship!" It truly resonated.

I appreciate the organizers' efforts to make this event a warm and friendly experience for the dancers, especially now in the US, where attention is often focused solely on dance technique and not on the cultural aspects of tango. In Buenos Aires, however, the opposite is true. Organizers of BA milongas regard it as their duty to create a welcoming environment. Guests are warmly greeted at the door, seats are meticulously arranged to facilitate cabeceo, tables are covered with fresh, clean linens, food and drinks are served at the table, and milonga codes are strictly observed. While in the US, break time is usually filled with announcements, in Buenos Aires, it is often used for tango education, during which milonga codes are explained and issues are addressed. On one occasion at Club Gricel, for example, two children were brought onto the dance floor by tourists, causing some disturbance. A group of milongueros quickly discussed the matter, and the parents were politely asked to take the children outside. Many visitors have surely witnessed similar scenes. Richard Miller, for example, mentioned in his blog a notice he saw at the Milonga Cachirulo, which read:

“Welcome to the best milonga in Buenos Aires. Tanguero friends, please pay attention:
• Here we dance milonguero-style tango and respect the codes of the milonga.
• We dance with a warm, respectful, close embrace.
• We follow the line of dance in a counterclockwise direction.
• We avoid stepping backward into the line of dance, always moving forward, as it should be.
• We keep our feet close to the floor to avoid hitting other dancers.
• We invite women to dance through the classic 'Cabeceo del caballero.'
• Most importantly, respect is the foundation of the milonga.
Much to our regret, not respecting these codes will make it impossible to dance at Cachirulo.”

It is efforts like these that make BA milongas exceptional. I am glad to see that, in this country, some tango organizers are beginning to move in a similar direction. Tango is a dance that should be of the dancers, by the dancers, and for the dancers. It shouldn’t require an excessive amount of money to enjoy. A friendly culture, governed by the milonga codes, must be introduced into our tango community through education and good leadership. Thanks to the Boston Tango Marathon, we now have a wonderful example.