[Tango-L] tourists, portenos, affordability

[Lois Donnay]

I would like to respond to some of the excellent comments on how tourists
and porteno's spend their disposable income on tango.

Yes, it is true that it must seem to the Argentines that the tango tourists
have unlimited amounts of cash, as they seem to throw it around with
abandon. They take three or four private lessons a week with marginal
teachers, eat out twice a day, buy 5 pairs of shoes, three leather coats,
tip 20%, skip from milonga to milonga and take taxis everywhere. 

But for those of us who are committed to returning to BsAs regularly in
order to keep a modicum of authenticity in our local tango communities, that
yearly expenditure for airfare, lodging, lessons and milongas is tough. Add
to that the fact that while I am away I make less income teaching there
compared to back home. 

So, when I am there and I am asked to join my group to go out to eat, or to
a show or an event, I am reluctant. I walk, or take the bus, not a taxi. I
stir up a pot of Maggi sopa, and savor the memory of "the best meal of my
life" that I had there last year, because this year I just can't justify it.
Inflation hurts me, too. 

But what really upsets me is so many locals in the tango business think they
can charge tourists 2,3,4 times as much. For instance, men who I wouldn't
dance with in the milongas are teaching at a tango house for $50/hour. 

Lois 
Minneapolis, MN 

-----Original Message-----
From: Deby Novitz [mailto:dnovitz at lavidacondeby.com] 
Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 11:54 AM
To: tango-l at mit.edu
Subject: [Tango-L] Empty milongas

Lois,

Yes at times the milongas are not as full as they were.  Some nights are 
packed and others no.  What we see is more uneven attendance.  Why?  Let 
me tell you why, we can't afford it.  I just had this conversation with 
one of my guests.  I live in pesos.  The average Argentine makes about 
700 - 800 pesos a month.  The retired guys live on much less.  In the 
last year we have had rampant inflation.  Everything costs more. My 
guests don't understand why I can't go to 2 or 3 milongas in a night, go 
out to dinner, and then take taxis everywhere.  To them it is a 100 
pesos or a $30 night.  For me it is 100 pesos. 

You guys (not directed at you Lois) come here and talk about dinners for 
60 pesos.  For you this is $20.  In San Francisco the same thing would 
cost $150.  For us it is 60 pesos.  If you eat out every night for 60 
pesos it is no big deal.  You go back to the states and make more 
dollars.  We are still here living in pesos. Those 180 pesos tango shoes 
are $60 for you, at Nordstroms similar quality would be $200.  For us it 
is 180 pesos.  What am I leading up to?

The milongas are now 10 pesos.  Before they were 6 pesos.  The milonga 
is a luxury.  Yes, it is a passion, but it is still a luxury.  When your 
electric bill, phone bill, water bill, and grocery bill are now more 
money.  A milonga 5 - 6 times a week is something that gets cut.  People 
that used to dance 6 days a week now go 2 - 3 days.  When I see people I 
have not seen for awhile I ask them where they have been.  They tell me 
"no puedo" I can't. 

Some of the other dancers who work are now finding themselves with more 
"American" schedules.  They are working more hours to support the 
economy here.  They do not have time.  One of my favorite dancers is a 
clothing manufacturer.  New contracts have him so busy he is too tired 
to dance much.  In the past he would catch the end of the afternoon 
milongas, eat dinner, then go to dance at night.  He no longer dances at 
the matinee milongas and goes out maybe 2 - 3 times a week or even not 
at all.