Tango is not only a fascinating dance but also a fascinating philosophy, culture and lifestyle. The search of tango is the search of connection, love, fellowship, unity, harmony and beauty, i.e., an idealism that is not consistent with the dehumanizing reality of the modern world. The world divides us into individuals, but tango unites us into a team, community and species. In tango we are not individualists, feminists, nationalists, Democrats, Republicans, etc., but interconnected and interdependent members of the human family. Tango calls us to tear down the walls, to build bridges, and to regain humanity through affinity, altruism, cooperation, and accommodation. It is a dance that teaches the world to love.



January 7, 2022

Tango in Small Cities


There are numerous teahouses in the streets and alleys of Chengdu, China, and every one of them is booming with business. Chengdu people like to spend time with friends in teahouses, drinking tea while chatting, reading, playing chess, listening to local operas, etc. This leisurely pleasure has become an indispensable part of Chengdu people’s daily lives.


What the teahouse is to Chengdu is like what the milonga is to Buenos Aires. There are numerous milongas in the streets of Buenos Aires. The Portenos like to pass time there, meeting friends, drinking coffee, listening to music, and dancing tango. Over time, they became skilled dancers, and tango became an integral part of their daily lives. For many Portenos, a day without tango is like a day without food.




Tango dancers in small cities where their number is small and milongas are rare don't have that luxury. That’s why I used to drive to nearby big cities to dance tango. For a three-hour milonga, the round trip took me five to six hours. In addition to fatigue and sleepless nights, the cost adds up to a considerable amount annually. In the end I couldn't take it any more and had to accept the reality to dance locally.

Dancing locally may not be as gratifying as dancing in big cities, but it is convenient, time-saving, and affordable. It's okay to go out to dance occasionally, but to enjoy tango on a regular and sustainable base, you have to do it locally. Tango aficionados in small cities must face this reality. In big cities there are established tango groups and milongas readily available. But in small cities we have no choice but to make our own. Creating a tango community isn't easy, but if we don't do that and choose to travel long distances, then we'll have to say goodbye to tango when we are tired of travel. Would it not be better if we put that energy in building our own tango community, so that we can enjoy tango just like people in big cities?

Tango dancers in small cities have to have a strategic vision. We can't expect other people to plant trees for us to enjoy the shade. We have to plant our own trees and enjoy our own fruit. Building a tango community requires dedication and a lot of work. Despite the difficulties, we should not exchange that vision for immediate pleasure. We must invest for the future, so that when we cannot travel around, we will still have a place to dance tango. Don't be intimidated by starting small and slow. So long as we stick to the cause, the community will grow. Right now we are still in the start-up stage, but that stage will pass. What we ought to think is how to make our community bigger, stronger and better, not to leave the community and dance elsewhere.

The importance of building a local tango group cannot be overstated. It is where we improve our dance skills and enjoy tango on a daily base. Tango is teamwork. Without a team there cannot be tango. You go out to dance tango because there is a better team out there. So why not spend time on improving our own team? As tango dancers we can't only think about the present but not the long-term, focus only on personal improvement but ignore team building, enjoy without contributing, and take without giving back. I have provided you with a place to dance tango, and I do it willingly as my contribution to the group. I expect every one of you to make your own contributions, not as a way to return the favor, but as a way to strengthen the group and make it better and more united. Do not come just to have a good time. Ask yourself at least once a month, "Have I done anything for the group this month?" If everyone can do their part, then our group will grow faster, so that tango can become an indispensable part of our daily lives, too. (See Never Forget Why We Started.)