Submitted by Regan Pavlock on the 2020 winter session study abroad program in Argentina sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures…
During our third week in Argentina, everyone had the opportunity to dress up more formally than usual to attend a tango show at night. The show included dinner as well as a two hour long tango spectacular. When we arrived, we were offered foods typical of Argentina, such as steak and pasta, but we were also offered a tango lesson. Being able to learn something so important to the Argentine culture was very exciting to me, and it was a great opportunity to be able to learn the basic steps to such a traditional dance. This tango show inspired me to want to take a tango class outside of the activities scheduled for us during the program, because the elegance and energy between the dancer was something that was breathtaking for me. Once the show began, I had never seen dancers as talented and as skilled as the men and women who danced and sang the tango songs. I was inspired by this Argentine tradition in a way that I had not expected, and I am very grateful for the chance to have seen this performance in person. I was moved by the tango performance, and I felt that I could not compare tango to any American dance traditions, which I found interesting. As a common theme, I feel that Argentine people are more passionate about their country’s defining elements, such as tango, soccer, asado and mate, as opposed to American traditions and customs that are not as widely celebrated and advertised.