When it comes to sitting all night without being asked to dance in the milongas, these are the familiar words heard from many women. There are usually more women than men in the milongas, and usually there are men seated during tandas–something women don’t understand.
There was a time when attending group classes before a milonga was the only way to meet potential partners for the milonga. During the past several years, agencies have sprung up in Buenos Aires for the sole purpose of supplying male partners to mainly single women over 40 to dance in the milongas. The going rate is $30 USD per hour for a minimum of three hours per night for a hired dance partner. The women don’t have to worry about the cabeceo and can spend more time dancing than sitting. One of these experienced tango taxi dancers averages 20 clients each month. That’s a very good income by local standards. A man can work five nights a week and fewer hours than a regular job, but still earn enough to have a comfortable living. All he needs is to know how to dance, have a wardrobe of suits and shoes, and speak some broken English to get by.
Foreigners travel to Buenos Aires to dance with Argentines. The number of tourists in some milongas often outnumber the locals. Some have chosen the taxi dancer route to insure they will dance with an Argentine. It must be worthwhile because a new agency opened last year and another one this month.
I’ve seen a particular taxi dancer working for the past three years in the milongas. His dancing is passable, but has clients who continue to pay for his services. I saw him this week with one of his regular clients. They sit together, but it’s obvious to everyone that they are not a couple; she may be thirty years older than he is, she seems content in dancing all night with him.
I have tried to convince my milonguero friends to consider this work for themselves without success. Many could certainly use the money. They would have to dance with women with whom they didn’t enjoy dancing. It’s simply not worth it to them. They go to the milongas to dance with whom and when they want to dance. Milongueros don’t want to share a table with a woman, least of all a foreign one. It would be obvious to everyone that they are being hired for their services. No amount of money is worth it to them.
The foreign women who sit at my table have no problem in being invited to dance. I advise them on the codes and customs in advance and point out potential partners. It’s their job to do the rest in order to dance. I will not obligate any man to dance with someone, although others do so regularly.
Many equate not dancing to having a bad time at a milonga. Of course, I attend a milonga with the intention to dance. If there are no men with whom I care to dance, I enjoy listening to the music. I have done my share of planchar (to sit out a dance) at milongas. One tanda with a milonguero is more than enough to keep me happy for the night.
Tags: Tango Taxi Dancers
Tango Chamuyo 
May 20, 2009 at 11:59 am
I laughed when I read the title, enough ironing, Viv would agree. Funny how they use one word here to mean something completely different, like the apples of light.
May 20, 2009 at 12:14 pm
I have a very large Spanish-English dictionary to which I refer often. I thought the use of planchar was Lunfardo, but actually it’s one of several definitions.
Manzana is apple, but also to refers to a block (of houses) or land measure. Manzana de las Luces mean block of light.
May 20, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Yep, I recall a friend sending me an email from a mutual acquaintance who had planned on offering me $100 a night to dance with her. I told my friend the person in question would have to add several more zeroes onto that figure (and she could afford it) and I still couldn’t bring myself to dance with her even one dance.
Dang, I sometimes wish my standards weren’t so high – I might actually be able to make a living! 😉