23 March 2006

One for the tango lovers

This is Michelangelo one of the famous "for-export"-tanguerías, even though what they dance in there looks nothing like traditional tango. But I guess it´s beautiful in its own way. I´d wish I could post pictures from the inside but the entrance fee is hellish expensive.
What makes this place located on Balcarce 433 so interesting is that the building dates back to 1849 (when it was an "almacen" (grocery store), but the ground on where it was built has tunnels from the XVIth century. Here used to be the Santo Domingo the Michelangelo Convent and it has still its tunnels beneath the ground. This is part of the oldest block in Buenos Aires called "Manzana de las Luces" (Block of the lights) and has been excavated recently by archeologists, where thay found porcellain and other instruments of daily life.

10 Comments:

Blogger Carlos Lorenzo said...

Why is it that the best places we always miss because of expensive fees. It is very interesting to know about historical buildings built over ancient ones. I have friends from Argentina and they tell about their country, but nothing better as a good photo with information about details. Thanks

11:49 AM  
Blogger Wolf said...

Interesting story and a great photo with good lighting!

11:50 AM  
Blogger Bob said...

Hi Cynthia,

"Tanguería" - never heard the word before, very nice. Good brickwork.

12:15 PM  
Blogger miss tango said...

Hola Cynthia,
You say the dancing doesn't look like traditional tango, are they dancing to nuevo tango, and electronica tango music?o

5:28 PM  
Blogger Nicola said...

This looks and sounds like an extraordinary place! Are they showing the pieces they've found in a museum?

5:39 AM  
Blogger Cynthia Quiros said...

Tango: this is salon-tango, I don´t know what it´s called, where they jump and do all sorts of actobatics. TRadiconal tango is what my aunt (all the "vieja guardia") dance or what you dance in la ideal...tradicional tango, no so much fuss with the feet but the symbolics behind every single little move, that what the compadritos used to dance. But you know about this more than I do, so I shut up now.
Nicola: tha pieces can only be visited if you go inside, as I said reaaaly expensive. The problem is that there is no jurisdiction about the found things, yes they belong to the government, but since the whole urban archeaology is relatively new, no rules are made about it. So the only way these can be seen by general public is when someone takes the courage to make some space in one of the museums or built a new one.

Bob, wolf, carlos, tango & Nicola Thank you for your lovely comments.

9:07 AM  
Blogger Cynthia Quiros said...

It´s ok... i am mostly a turist in my own town...It´s great that you corrected it! I was at the marcha but among 100.000 people it´s hard to find anyone!! when the rain started to kick in i stayed like half an hour and took off, but at least I got to the plaza de mayo! It was insane i´ve never seen so many people like that before. It´s just great!!

12:39 AM  
Blogger miss tango said...

The demonstrations sound really exciting!
Now you have me so curious about this new tango place. How expensive? And if it is that expensive and the locals do not go, what would the point of going be? I come to BA to dance with the locals.

1:41 PM  
Blogger Cynthia Quiros said...

It´s actually a turist place, I think the entrance fee+dinner is around 180 pesos. That is way over a local budget who probably would spend 10 pesos on an entrance fee for a tanguería. When I shot this picture busses were just arriving with tons of people...but they don´t go there to learn like you do, they just want to see something great and it´s just an other spectacle.

5:24 PM  
Blogger miss tango said...

Wow 180! that is rather exhorbitant! Even for a tourist gringa like me! 180 pesos will get you 12 entries to a lesson and daytime milonga at La Confiteria Ideal or you could even have 3 trendy meals at LOMO! 180 gets you a pair of Comme Il Faut tango shoes.
But some people I suppose would rather have the Disney version, rather than seeking authenticity, when it comes to travel.

2:14 PM  

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