Why this website?

If you want to dance tango in the Chicago area, you’ve come to the right place, whether you’re interested in social dancing, workshops, classes, festivals, organizers, DJs, instructors, venues or maps.   It’s here on this Chicago area tango website — http://chicagotango.info — your link to everything that’s going on with tango in the greater Chicago area, the kind of overview I wished was available when I first wanted to get started with tango.
Most tango organizers have their own mailing lists, websites or Facebook pages promoting their own tango services. But if you look online for general information on dancing tango in Chicago, the results can be confusing for someone unfamiliar with the local tango scene. Search results may also go to web pages that are dated or obsolete. Other search results are listed one at a time — by organizer, event or venue. It can be difficult to find one place that includes an overview of almost everything. And with what formerly was the most comprehensive local tango calendar temporarily inactive, I created chicagotango.info to help fill that void.

This website includes an updated event calendar for local milongas and other events, along with links to local tango festivals DJs, organizers, venues, maps. Organizers are free to post ongoing classes, workshops or other events.

Why me?
I’ve lived in Chicago for the past 12 years dancing a number of social dances, beginning with East Coast Swing, Lyndy Hop and Salsa. Part way through that period, I got the tango bug and never looked back. Since that time, I’ve been dancing tango 3-5 times a week, have visited most of the milongas and have become acquainted with most of the tango organizers in the Chicago area.

Along the way, it has not always been easy for me to figure out which tango teacher to study with or which tango dances (milongas) to attend. I learned through word of mouth, one day at a time. Once I became familiar with the local tango scene, I have often been asked where to go tango dancing in the Chicago area by locals and visitors, alike.  I love Tango and want to promote it in greater Chicago area, as well as encourage others to participate, whether or not I have a website. I am not affiliated with any particular venue or milonga. I’m just a passionate tanquero who loves to dance.

This site is for you, the aspiring tango dancer, along with seasoned dancers, too. It’s for you, the visitor looking for the best place to dance Tango in the Chicago area. It’s for you, the organizers to help promote your events on an independent site that promotes the greater Chicago tango community as a whole.

Richard Miller

Tango dancer, DJ, photographer, instructor and aspiring milonguero.
March, 2010 (updated September, 2010)