La Viruta

So, last weekend my friend Isabelle Montreal was here. We decided her visit to Bs As wouldn't be complete without a little tango dancing. We went to this place called La Viruta, which is in the basement of the Armenian Cultural Centre (go figure.) La Viruta is famous for it's mix of old and young, foreigners and Argentines, dressed up and dressed down. It's like a big hall, where they have different types of dancing - salsa, tango, swing, folk. Each night they feature two styles and they offer lessons at all different levels earlier on in the evening. Sundays are tango and swing.

We got there just in time for the teachers' tango demonstration before the class started. It was cool, the teachers were all dressed casually, in jeans, with one guy even wearing those horrible pleated waist, tapered leg, plaid weightlifter-style jogging pants. A far cry from fishnets and fedoras. But dancing tango like we all know it, dramatic, and intense.

We joined the group for absolute beginners. There were actually a fair number of Argentines in the group, which surprised me. Unlike salsa or something that lots of Latin Americans grow up dancing at family parties from the time they can walk, tango's not something just anyone knows.

And it actually wasn't that hard! Well, the basic step, anyway. Like salsa, it's way easier for the woman than the man. They have to lead - all we have to do is follow. It was really fun, and I was glad to finally have tried tango, which is so essentially Buenos Aires. I'll be going back soon.