LONDON, OCT 5, 1913...

'The tango dancing craze promises to be the most conspicuous feature of London's Winter season. Tango teas and classes have now developed into tango clubs, which have multiplied to an extraordinary degree. Several of the tea shops at Piccadilly also offer dancing for digestive and 'other' purposes...'

 

Born in Argentina somewhere in the mists of the 19th century, the tango emerged as a mature art form at the turn of the 20th, and it wasn't long before this new dance craze went viral. The first wave of tango fever hit Europe in 1913, with London a prime hotspot. In the UK, the milonga - naturally - manifested itself in the form of 'tango teas', where social dancing was accompanied by the chance to take afternoon tea. Much maligned at first as lascivious and indecent by the more conservative sectors of society, and despite being officially denounced by numerous cardinals and bishops (and even banned by law in the USA), tango hysteria saw several subsequent waves, with tango teas continuing to be advertised in the UK well into the 1940s.

 

Join us at the beautiful Argentine Ambassador's Residence in London for this magical milonga British-style, and enjoy a traditional afternoon tea with an Argentine twist of homemade gourmet alfajores. Beginners can take in a taster tango lesson, but the milonga is open to all levels. Five hours of pure dancing to traditional music from the golden age of Argentine tango, provided by our specialist DJs, Alessia Cogo and Ivo Ambrosi. Wine will also be served towards the end of the evening.

 

Feel free to don your best 1910s/20s/30s outfit! The best-dressed attendee of the day will receive a special prize.

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This event is accompanied by the online concert, It Takes Tea to Tango! which takes place on the 2nd December. Click HERE for more info.

 

Alessia Cogo DJ

Ivo Ambrosi DJ

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Organised by ILAMS as part of Echoes Festival 2021 in collaboration with the Instituto Cervantes and the Anglo-Argentine Society, with the kind support of the Embassy of Argentina