Far from tango’s birthplace in working-class districts and port areas of Buenos Aires in Argentina and Montevideo in Uruguay, dance enthusiasts in Istanbul have built a close-knit and passionate community.
Every night, they gather at milongas – sessions of Argentine ballroom dancing – on both sides of this vast city that bridges Europe and Asia, drawn together by music, movement and the embrace of tango.
Turkish locals, foreign residents, visiting international teachers and travellers keep the dance alive while a multitude of dance schools and studios foster a vibrant tango scene.
Gonca Cetin, dancing in the red dress with Guralp Diner, embraced tango so enthusiastically that she now teaches it.
Once a beginner and now a tango teacher, Gonca Cetin describes the city’s tango community as both diverse and welcoming. “It’s possible for everyone to find a tango environment that suits them. There’s a constantly growing and developing community,” she says.
At Istanbul’s milongas, where changing dance partners is part of the tradition, friends and strangers eagerly share the dance floor.
“I believe tango is a conversation without words,” Ms. Cetin added. “What draws me to it is the unique balance between connection and freedom. Through music and embrace, I am able to communicate, create, and express my emotions in a way that feels both deeply personal and profoundly shared.”
