Tango Milonguero

Meeting the milonguero Ricardo Vidort permanently changed our experience of tango. This warm generous man opened a door to a way of dancing that was simple  musical and elegant, a close embrace style shaped by a lifetime on the social dance floors of Buenos Aires. Tango milonguero turned out to be the cure for an over-reliance on the step patterns which till this point had shaped our dancing. It took a while to understand the significance of our time spent with Ricardo. We had to entirely re-think our approach to tango - but once we’d finally discarded our notebook filled with step combinations we found ourselves dancing with a freedom that has become the goal of everything we do.

Arriving at a satisfactory definition of Tango milonguero is probably impossible, but we can identify some of the characteristics which make this style of dancing instantly recognisable.

• a close embrace in which the dancers share an axis

•  an embrace which remains unbroken throughout the dance without moments of separation to perform figures

• an avoidance of step patterns in favour of simple elements - turns, pivots, cortes.

• minimal use of decorations (adornos)

• an economy of movement which allows dancers to operate in a small space

• an intimate connection to the music, almost exclusively music from tango’s Golden Age

• a living connection with the dancers immediately around you in the ronda

These are the elements which are visible from the outside. But more than any other style tango milonguero focuses on something that is not immediately visible . You won’t find it in eye-catching boleos or in complex combinations of steps.  And certainly not in  In the sort of effortlessly athletic dancing that makes bystanders gasp in admiration. Tango milonguero is above all a search for connection - with your partner and with the music - where the embrace takes precedence over everything else.

For dancers who love this style no amount of dazzling footwork can compete with the tango high these moments of deep connection bring. It’s a style which demands a willingness to be open to your partner whether it’s someone you know well or to a complete stranger. It requires too a level of emotional maturity. With Tango Milonguero there is nowhere to hide. As Cacho Dante said - bailas como sos - you dance who you are. And it’s hard to imagine a situation where who you are is more visible than in a milonguero embrace.