[Tango-A] Argentine Tango Book Review

[Angela Maria Tango]

Hola Tangueros y Tangueras,

In the event that you are planning to getaway and fly south to Buenos Aires,
I would like to share my review of a new tango book, "Tango Lover's Guide to
Buenos Aires: Insights and Recommendations" by Migdalia Romero.

I really found this book to be a little gem. In fact, I wish I had had it
when I first went to BsAs several years ago. I remember my first trips as I
floundered around for too long trying to figure out the lay of the city,
where to go first and what to do next.  By the time I figured it out almost
a week had passed. This book would have spared me the grief.

It is filled with valuable information to help tango junkies, like myself,
make the most of a limited time in BsAs. It will also help those lucky
enough to spend more time to savor the music and the dance outside of the
milongas in bars, clubs, restaurants, and cultural centers, some of which
lie off the beaten path and where most argentines go. The book covers the
hottest milongas to dance, the schools and the teachers that are highly
respected and sought after, the places to shop for music, shoes, clothes and
tango accessories.

But what makes this guide even more special were the vignettes presented by
the author, which reminded me of my own personal experience as well,
negotiating the etiquette of milongas, learning what to do and not to do as
not to be embarrassed, and trying to understand what makes the milonguero in
BsAs so sought after by women all over the world. The portrait of the
milonguero that the author portraits is indeed special. It made me nostalgic
for times past, making me want to return to BsAs sooner than later.

Although I am a native Spanish speaker, I can also see how this book to be
helpful to people who do not speak the language, as it presents the
sprinkling of Spanish terms for vocabulary that travelers, shoppers and
dancers would need to feel comfortable in the Spanish world of tango. It is
a great companion to all things related to tango in Buenos Aires.

Un abrazo y a la pista!!!

Angela Maria Suero
NYC