TANGO, an impossible hug
"The tango represents everything that COVID 19 prevents: embracing the other, closeness, intimate spaces, bringing together unknown people. A UNESCO Intangible Heritage of Humanity, tango is culture but it is also work. One year after the beginning of the pandemic, tango is one of the few industries that has not yet resumed all its activities in Argentina. The milongas are still closed, leaving many workers and amateurs on the sidelines. The classes adapted to the virtual, embracing the air, the chairs or the walls of the houses, to maintain the social link. The community began to organize to fight protocols to reopen their spaces and also to help those most in need, delivering bags of food to the affected workers of a sector that, behind the glitz and glamorous propaganda, has always been precarious and little recognized."
The project has been done with the support of National Geographic Society Emergency Fund for Journalists
The photo essay has been published in The Guardian
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Mario Bulacio is one of the director of The Catedral club, where he also lives, one of the iconic Milonga in Almagro neighborhood, in Buenos Aires. It started 22 years ago mixing tourists, local dancers and people who just want to enjoy the atmosphere and have a drink. Since the begining of the lockdown it remains closed. Around 50 worlers ( waiters, teachers, DJ) are part of the place and can't work since March 20th.
Virigina Ravenna showing movements from her seat to be closer to her students. She teaches at her home during a virtual rehearsal with a group which took class with her since april 2020. Most of them are retired people and the technology has been a challenge for them.
Sheila Loy,a tango teacher during her virtual class, on the computer of her student Zunilda, in her living room. She is showing the movement to her students.
Tango lesson in " La Milonguita del Parque Chacabuco ". It’s a "clandestine" milonga which appeared at the begining of novemeber in Parque Chacabuco, a garden crossed by a high way like in other parks in the city. For many people, especially retired people forwhich tango represents a hobby and a way of life, it's an essential space and a social link.
At Lucila's home, one of the member of TTD “Trabajadores de Tango Danza” ( Workers Tango Dance), preparing the plastic bags . Each 2 weeks, in one of the room of her appartment and thanks to donations, they are able to prepare and deliver with the help of others packs of food for families of the tango community in need.
A feet in the middle of the food bags in process at Lucila's home, one of the member of TTD “Trabajadores de Tango Danza” ( Workers Tango Dance). Each 2 weeks, in one of the room of her appartment and thanks to donations, they are able to prepare and deliver with the help of others packs of food for families of the tango community in need.
The tango dancers and teachers Gaby Mataloni and Andrea Uchitel with food bags in the corridor of Andrea’s house. the TTD “Trabajadores de Tango Danza” ( Workers Tango Dance) is organizing each 2 weeks a distribution of fodd bags to members of the tango commuinity in needs. This week they use the house of a German archeologist, friend of Andrea Uchitel, a tango dancer and teacher. The house is empty and it's a perfect place to organize the bags and their future distribution. The bags are made thanks to donations, of products and money.
Tango workers are holding signs on the Culture Ministery door of Buenos Aires. March 11, 2021 is the anniversary of one year without any milongas, where many tango workers collaborate as dancer, musicians, DJs etc. Workers of the sector organized a protest to ask for help and work together on protocols to re open milongas.
Diego Benbassat is bandeonist in the “Misteriosa Orquesta”, a famous orchestra and in a Tango show for tourists, its major and regular income. Since March he couldn’t work, and had no income for 2 months. In june he decided to do something and started as a delivery man for online selling platforms with his car, until he could play again.
Tango lesson in " La Milonguita del Parque Chacabuco ". It’s a "clandestine" milonga which appeared at the begining of novemeber in Parque Chacabuco, a garden crossed by a high way like in other parks in the city. For many people, especially retired people forwhich tango represents a hobby and a way of life, it's an essential space and a social link.