People like to share how they feel about tango and many are doing it publicly on their social media or blogs. Some are good at this, others not so much, but what one considers a good content can vary drastically. On the other hand, there are some things that go beyond personal taste: being knowledgeable, having deep experiences and knowing how to translate them into words is a talent that not many people have.
And, of course, internet is saturated with “junk” content and therefore being selective is very important.
This is why I decided to put this little list of tango bloggers I follow – and I recommend you to put them on your own watch-list. I’m really excited when I find tango bloggers that are putting effort to create something really useful and in the same have the knowledge and skills to share what really matters.
This is how I started reading tango blogs
Let me ask you a question: what would you do if you live in small country and there are not social tango schools or teachers in your town?
No teachers. No schools. Just random practicas and milongas. If you want to learn you have two choices: 1) to read everything you can find about tango and 2) watch videos and learn from them.
The problem with this approach is that you can find tons of online materials with, sometimes opposing approaches.
How to decide what is what? What is high quality material and what is not helpful?
My solution to this problem was that I tried to understand how milongueros think? Why they danced? Why they did what they did and why they did it in this way, and not in other ways?
I read their biographies and interviews. I read what they were writing themselves and what other people wrote about them.
I am happy to say that this gave me a perspective that not many tango dancers have: people usually take classes in their school without getting into much details about why? They are only focused on what and how.
But to know “why” means to understand the real power of tango; it means to elevate your dancing to a whole new level. To know why you do something in tango means to radiate competence and confidence… and, of course, it means to dance better.
I had to spend hours and hours reading tons of bad material, so I could find what’s good. You don’t have to do it: I’m giving you here my handpicked tango bloggers list.
Those are not tango websites. There are people behind these blogs who are competent and passionate… and they talk in their own voice, expressing their own personality and their own understanding of the dance.
To be honest, I don’t personally know any of the bloggers, nor I had a chance to communicate with them, but that doesn’t matter – I passionately follow their work and wholeheartedly recommend them to every tango dancer.
The quality of their work and the deep insights of the dance, tango culture and how it relates to the human soul and well being is exceptional. I strongly believe that they should be on your must-read list.
1. Tango Chamuyo – The milongas and milongueros of Buenos Aires
https://jantango.wordpress.com
Janis describes herself as a life-long dancer who followed her heart by moving to Buenos Aires in 1999 where she meet Miguel Angel Balbi, a milonguero who introduced her to the wonderful world of traditional tango.
“(He) …introduced me to his friends and taught me about the music, lyrics, orchestras and los codigos de los milongueros. I listened to him and other milongueros talk about their love for tango and their lives in the milongas.”
She says that she tried to write a book about milongueros, but she found that the best media for the content she creates is her blog.
Her blog is must-read if you want to get deep insights about traditional social tango life in Buenos Aires. I must say, her blog is one of the best sources I could find, helping me understand what social tango is really about.
Thank you Janis.
Hey, sorry to interrupt…
Do you like reading my articles? If you do please consider a small contribution to the existence of this blog.
I don’t sell a book or run ads: I share these articles for free. Unfortunately I also have to pay my bills, so if you see value in my work please consider a small donation/gratuity (the same way you tip your favorite bartender).
From my heart to yours!
Ivica
Securely processed via PayPal
2. Tango Voice – The Voice of Tango Argentino for North America
https://tangovoice.wordpress.com
Let me be honest with you: I have no idea who is behind this blog.
Author (or authors) himself (or herself) says that this blog is not a diary of personal tango experiences.
“This blog is about how tango argentino is practiced and promoted in North America compared to Argentina, in order to overcome the cultural divide.”, they explain.
I would very much like to add that, despite the fact that they say it’s comparison between tango in Argentina and North America, it can be also be comparison between tango in Argentina and the rest of the world.
This blog is a real treasure of competent articles about “tango politics”: things like sociology, economy, history, culture etc. If you want to understand the role of tango in society and how it can be transferred to your community (and you as a person), this blog is for you.
Warning: Be prepared for long articles and academic style.
3. Tango Therapist – Reflections on the powerfully therapeutic “Four M’s” of Argentine Tango: Music, Movement, eMbrace, and Mindfulness
https://tango-therapist.blogspot.com
Mark’s blog has been on my favorite list since the day I discovered it about 5 years ago. He checks all of my points of what constitutes a good tango blogger: he is knowledgeable, great writer and dedicated to his blog. On top of that he is a musician, “practitioner of mindfulness” and a licensed therapist.
“Tango has brought together all the passions I have had through my life into one marvelous thing as a dancer.”, he explains.
Saying all this, you can imagine what his topics are: mostly on how a person relates to his dance and how the dance influences his well being.
Mark is great writer and his articles are easy to read and always on relevant topics.
I’ve followed Mark’s Tango Therapist blog since 2010,, And gone back & read a lot from before that time…H’s also an online friend.
His insight that it is always the music which leads was one that freed me from the strictures of some tango teachers when I was young in Tango. And his blog prepared me to experience close embrace tango when I went to BA’s in 2014.
Tango Voice I try to read but it is far to academic for me…. And I find myself getting bored and giving up.. But then it is for North Americans and I am Australian.
Tango Chamuyo I drop by to read occasionally. Janis has a deep love and understanding of the old milongueros of BA’s many of whom have now died.
But I was disappointed by her recent blog post demanding that the milongas of BA’s be allowed to reopen despite the raging Covid pandemic there. I know that so many people depend on tango for an income and are desperate. But there are a 1000 people a day dying in BA’s from Covid !Reopening the milongas would make the pandemic even worse.
PS : I made a comment on that post suggesting that this was not right. And my comment was suppressed..
Tangomentor is my favorite tango blog!
Short and to the point! Provocative but not vulgar, educational but not boring and useful as well as amusing this blog gives me the link to tango world!
Thank you for everything you do!