Tango in Small Cities

In Chengdu, China, teahouses line the streets and alleys, each bustling with activity. These teahouses are more than just places to drink tea—they are social hubs where people gather to chat, read, play chess, listen to local operas, and more. This leisurely pastime has become an integral part of daily life in Chengdu.

Similarly, in Buenos Aires, the milonga holds a special place in the hearts of its people. Just as teahouses are to Chengdu, milongas are to Buenos Aires. Scattered throughout the city, these venues are where Porteños spend their time, meeting friends, enjoying coffee, listening to music, and dancing tango. Over time, many have become skilled dancers, and tango has become a fundamental part of their daily lives. For countless Porteños, a day without tango feels as incomplete as a day without food.

However, tango dancers in smaller cities aren’t as fortunate. With too few dancers to sustain regular, high-quality milongas, they face unique challenges. I know this struggle firsthand—I used to drive to nearby cities for milongas. A three-hour dance often involved a five-hour round trip. The sleepless nights, fatigue, and mounting costs eventually took their toll, forcing me to adjust to the reality of dancing locally.

Dancing locally may not match the excitement of big-city milongas, but it offers convenience, affordability, and sustainability. While occasional trips to larger cities can be rewarding, tango aficionados in smaller towns must embrace the importance of dancing close to home. In large cities, established tango communities provide structure and support, but in small towns, we have to create that structure ourselves. Building a tango community isn’t easy, but it’s essential. If we continue relying on long-distance travel, the day will come when exhaustion or life circumstances prevent us from traveling, and we’ll have no choice but to give up tango. Wouldn’t it be better to channel that energy into building our own community, so we can enjoy tango just as those in larger cities do?

Dancers in small towns must adopt a strategic mindset. We can’t rely on others to create opportunities for us—we need to take initiative, plant our own seeds, and nurture them until we can enjoy the fruits of our labor. Building a tango community requires dedication, patience, and hard work. It may not be quick or easy, but the investment is worth it. Starting small is fine; what matters is commitment. With time, our community will grow, and the start-up phase will pass. Instead of looking elsewhere to dance, we should focus on strengthening, expanding, and improving our local group.

The significance of building a local tango group cannot be overstated. It’s not only where we refine our dance skills but also where we cultivate the relationships that make tango truly special. Tango is a partnership, a collaboration—without a team, there is no tango. While it’s natural to seek out better-established communities, why not invest in improving our own? As dancers, we must think about the future, not just the present; prioritize team-building alongside personal enjoyment; contribute as much as we receive. I willingly provide a place for our group to dance as my contribution, but I hope others will also step up—not as a favor to me but as a way to strengthen and grow our community. Don’t come solely for enjoyment; think about how you can help the group thrive. Ask yourself regularly: “What have I done for the group lately?” If everyone plays their part, our local tango community will flourish, and tango can become an indispensable part of our daily lives as well (see Never Forget Why We Started.)