Tango Shows & Performances

There are two main versions of Tango: Social and Stage. Social Tango is danced socially by regular people while Stage is performed by professionals. If you’re a tourist, you should go and see both!

Where to go for social Tango

You can go to a milonga to watch people dance the “real” Tango. Ask the Tangovida Lounge Whatsapp group for recommendations for that night/week. Also see the “Milongas, Practicas, Festivals: Social Dancing Events” section to find them yourself.

Note: Some of the smaller and busier milongas do not like people coming in large groups just to watch, simply because there is not enough space. If you’re a group of more than four people and you don’t intend on dancing, it’s better to go to one of the tourist milongas such as La Viruta or Maldita Milonga.

Social Tango is the improvised version that is danced socially at Milongas and Practicas. Milongas sometimes have exhibitions or performances to showcase famous dancers.

You can find these Milongas and Practicas at Hoy-Milonga and look for events marked with a star ⭐ icon – this denotes that the event has something special – usually exhibition performances and sometimes a live band (“Música en vivo”).

Price: Milongas are much more affordable – typically US $2-4.

Where to go for stage tango

Stage Tango is Tango performed on the stage by professionals for an audience. The dancers wear costumes and perform elaborate movements with dramatic poses.

You can watch stage Tango on the streets of Buenos Aires, and at dinner Tango shows in theaters.

Street Performers

Street performers can be found in Plaza Dorrego in San Telmo, Calle Florida (usually only in peak tourist seasons, and can be hard to find), and La Boca (this area is known for robberies; stay in the main tourist areas at all times). Please make sure to tip them well as they live mainly off tips.

Tango Shows in Theaters

Prices range from USD $20 to $200 with costume changes, choreography, and live orchestra that lasts more than one hour. Read reviews for the main shows.

Tip: Don’t have dinner at the shows as the meals are overpriced and just average in quality. It’s better to have dinner elsewhere before the show.

Time: Shows tend to start around 10pm while dinner service starts around 8pm.

Price: US $40 (paid in pesos at the current exchange rate)

Recommended Stage Tango Shows

This list is based on recommendations from members of The TangoVida Lounge, and is sorted by increasing price & quality. Go for the most expensive one that fits within your budget.

  • Homero Manzi (Av. San Juan 3601)
    Price: US $20
    Review: Low-key simpler show, preferred by locals as it’s cheaper. Starts at 10pm. VIP seating is closest to the stage and is worth paying for.
    Home or Hotel pick-up/drop-off: Not included
  • El Viejo Almacen
    Price: US $40
    Review: Good show in a smaller venue. While you can just show up without a reservation on non-busy nights, it’s better to make a reservation as they’ll also pick you up for free.
    Note: They’ll tell you it’s US $70, but that is using the official exchange rate, so it’ll be effectively about US $40 if you pay with cash using pesos obtained at the blue rate.
    Home or Hotel pick-up/drop-off: Included
  • Cafe De Los Angelitos
    Price: US $60 (without dinner included. Insider tip: it’s worth visiting for a coffee without the show to check it out as the famous Tango singer Carlos Gardel used to frequent it.)
  • Review: They pay the highest salaries to dancers, so you get to see the best dancers out there. VIP seating is in private balconies.
    Home or Hotel pick-up/drop-off: Included
  • Rojo Tango
    Price: US $180
    Review: A smaller venue; feels very intimate. It’s more like an older style cabaret show. The stage is next to the tables and the dancers are much closer to the audience than the other shows.
    Tango Rojo has the best experience, but is also the most expensive. Their dinner is very good and worth booking with the show.
    Note: As of January 2023, the Tango World Champions from 2022 (Ricardo Astrada & Constanza Vieyto) are among the group of dancers.
    Home or Hotel pick-up/drop-off: Included

Where to buy tickets

It’s typically cheaper to buy tickets directly, but buying them online is quicker and easier through these websites: GetYourGuide and Viator.

There are many other Tango shows out there, but this list has been curated by members of the TangoVida Lounge who have actually been to these shows. And, we don’t receive any commissions or kickbacks from any of the shows.

Shows in smaller theaters are a much better experience. The mass advertised ones are the big shows in huge theaters, where it is hard to see the dancers well, the worst food, and overall not a good value. Examples of large theater shows are Tango Porteño and Tango Madero.

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