Today, 11th of December, is the National day of Tango in Argentina: during this day, Buenos Aires stops walking and starts dancing.
Every year, hundreds of dancers gather on the famed Avenida de Mayo to put their best foot forward. Traffic comes to a standstill as more than 10 bands perform on stages erected along the avenue to provide a musical backdrop for the Gran Milonga Nacional (the Big National Milonga).
The national Day of Tango is a big event in Buenos Aires: people take it to the streets and dance on Avenida de Mayo until the wee hours, milongas are crowded like no other day, TV stations broadcast documentaries about the history of tango, and even the Argentine president visits a milonga and trys a few risque moves (OK, I made this one up). But what’s the story behind this special day?
The national day of tango commemorates the birth of two legends of tango: the immortal legend Carlos Gardel, perhaps the most famous tango singer of all times, and genius orchestra conductor Julio de Caro: both born on Dec. 11th.