ARGENTINE TANGO IN BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA PART 3

All good things come to end, and unfortunately so did our trip to Buenos Aires. Rounding out the third and final part of this blog series, is Robin Kreiner, a longtime student in ourGlen Head, Long Island dance studio. Also, we’ve included a special note written to us by our hosts, tour guides, and tango experts, Broadway’s Forever Tango stars Ariel Manzanares and Antonella Sarago.

But First, Robin is going to give us her take on this immersive Argentine Tango experience.

Take it away Robin, and tell us about your time in Argentina…

Thinking back I remember all the wonderful experiences we shared. This trip has not only made me a more knowledgeable and experienced dancer, but also a more confident and well rounded person as well.

Day one started after…a twelve-hour flight! While at the hotel we took the chance to a rest in our rooms for a little bit before heading out to a frenzied tango shoe shopping experience! Excited about our new purchases, we then boarded a bus to start our tour of Buenos Aires, where we learned much about the history of this interesting city. Our introduction to the Tango started that same evening with a wonderful dinner followed by a dramatic Tango dance show! 

The following morning it was finally time for…our Tango dance lessons! We were introduced to the unforgettable comedic Tango dancer from the Broadway Show Forever Tango, Ariel Manzanares. His beautiful and talented fiancée, Antonella Sarago joined him as his partner. After a fun and informative group lesson we rushed through lunch and were looking forward to the second half of our dance session that day.

We were separated into couples to practice our technique and partner dancing. Each couple had a professional Tango dance instructor who reinforced what we learned in the group. The last part of the lesson ended with a practice Milonga dance session so we would be somewhat prepared for what was to come later in the evening.

Back at the hotel we had a two-hour break where we slept, swam, sunbathed or talked and laughed while getting to know each other a little better. We then prepared for the evening activities.

Dinner was a wonderful experience where we enjoyed tasting the specialties and sweets of the country. Dressed and ready to practice our Tango dancing, we headed to our first Milonga where we watched in amazement as the couples danced around the floor in a clockwise direction leaving such a small amount of space between them!

All of us, including our Dance With Me instructors, were anxious to get on the dance floor and put our new Tango knowledge to the test. After getting our bodies into proper position and stepping on each other’s toes a bit, we were off to the dance floor! We danced with each other and some were even brave enough to look for that special tilt of the head from a local dancer who would then lead them onto the dance. Either way we had fun and enjoyed our new experiences. 

Later on in the week we had a wonderful trip to a horse ranch where some of us rode horses while others relaxed enjoying local wines and empanadas. We were served a tasty lunch and were lucky enough to enjoy a show about a horse whisperer and his horse. We were all amazed by the calmness, and subservience of the horse to his trainer. 

Another day of lessons and Milonga’s was followed by a Tigre Delta boat trip where we cruised through the waters and enjoyed the sites of the “Argentinean Hamptons”. During this time we stopped at a smoothie bar where we enjoyed the refreshing drinks and shopped at local stores.

The day before we returned home was our last day of instruction and preparation for the final Milonga. We practiced all of our new steps, and much to our surprise were able to dance to the music and follow our leads in a much-improved manner! When it was all said and done, we sadly said our goodbyes to our Tango instructors, and looked forward to our final Milonga. We not only enjoyed our Tango dancing that evening but also got to dance some familiar Bachata, Swing and Cha-Cha. What a pleasant surprise!  

I would like to thank our amazing managers, and instructors, Raphael, Ilia, Trevor, Meredith, and Virginia, and to my new and old friends for sharing this once in a lifetime experience with me! 

– Robin Kreiner

What makes this trip even more special was the note that we received from our hosts Ariel Manzanares and Antonella Sarago. Pardon some of the grammatical mistakes, they’re from Argentina after all!

Read Ariel and Antonella’s note here:

This was truly an amazing journey some of our student and instructors had the opportunity to experience. We are always looking to create memorable experiences for our students on and off the dance floor. We are already planning our next trip… and who knows, maybe you’ll be joining us!

Until then…keep on growing, keep on learning, and never stop dancing!

PS. Check out the images from their trip in the gallery below! (Click to enlarge)