In inflation-hit Buenos Aires, tango enthusiasts sway the blues away

In inflation-hit Buenos Aires, tango enthusiasts sway the blues away

The biting economic crisis is not enough to deter Buenos Aires's tango enthusiasts
The biting economic crisis is not enough to deter Buenos Aires's tango enthusiasts. Photo: LUIS ROBAYO / AFP
Source: AFP

PAY ATTENTION: Be the first to follow YEN.com.gh on Threads! Click here!

Argentina's biting economic crisis cannot keep tango enthusiasts from seeking out the haunting tunes of piano and concertina music at a dwindling number of dance halls in the capital.

For many, in fact, the deepening hardship is exactly what drives them to seek solace in the arms of a dance partner at places called "milongas" to the sway of a musical genre closely associated with working class struggle.

At a milonga, "you feel... a connection with yourself and with others. It's an investment for the heart and the spirit," explained 36-year-old tango dancer Andrea Censabella, a regular at the tiny dance club "La Tierra Invisible" in a middle class suburb of Buenos Aires.

"For me, this is a priority... So it (the economic crisis) doesn't stop me. For now," she told AFP.

The club is small -- only about 20 square meters (215 square feet) -- and fits around a dozen dancers. The tables are concocted of old doors resting on trestles.

Read also

From art squat to Berlin gentrification lightning rod

It hosts one or two sessions a week, charging an entry fee of about 400 pesos (just under one US dollar at the fast-changing official exchange rate).

PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app!

Fewer and fewer 'milongas' can afford live musicians
Fewer and fewer 'milongas' can afford live musicians. Photo: LUIS ROBAYO / AFP
Source: AFP

Many milongas in the capital have had to close amid spiraling inflation that reached 95 percent last year.

Fewer and fewer can afford to hire live musicians.

But dozens of increasingly lower-budget milongas continue to attract the tango faithful and the Argentine capital continues to host about 30 of them on average every night of the week -- from fancy to informal, traditional to queer, for all styles, all budgets.

"The milonga survives because it is a necessity. There has always been and will always be a crisis," tango pianist Nicolas di Lorenzo, a co-manager at "La Tierra Invisible," told AFP.

People pay what they can

Read also

Canada wildfires inflict brutal toll on tourism, other areas of economy

"In the lyrics, tango has always reflected the crises and suffering of the working class" in a country that is no stranger to economic crashes, added historian Felipe Pigna.

In Buenos Aires, there are about 30 milongas every night, seven days per week
In Buenos Aires, there are about 30 milongas every night, seven days per week. Photo: LUIS ROBAYO / AFP
Source: AFP

A case in point: One of the most popular tangos, "Yira Yira," was written by Enrique Santos Discepolo about the widespread suffering that followed the Wall Street crash of 1929.

It tells the story of someone running out of hope and "mate" -- a herbal infusion very popular in Argentina -- walking around in worn-out shoes and desperate for money for food.

"With each crisis, the social tangos of Discepolo are updated. We listen to tangos that are almost 100 years old, and unfortunately they are still relevant," Pigna told AFP.

At some Buenos Aires milongas, the entry fee of about $5 on average has been halved, even completely eliminated for those who cannot afford it.

Tango can also be danced for free, in public spaces in the Argentine capital
Tango can also be danced for free, in public spaces in the Argentine capital. Photo: LUIS ROBAYO / AFP
Source: AFP

There are also free, open-air events such as "La Otra" (The Other) hosted under trees on the square outside parliament -- where participants dance under the gaze of homeless people camped out nearby.

Read also

Rented electric scooters vanish from Paris streets

"We are here to offer a free, inclusive space where we can dance tango without major expense... because right now people are finding it difficult to spend money," said Valentin Rivetti, a 24-year-old tango dancer and instructor.

"We pass around a hat, people put in what they want, what they can."

New feature: Сheck out news that is picked for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.