Would you pay for a guaranteed tanda with anyone you wanted?
In this episode, I dig into the world of taxi dancers - a subject that never fails to divide opinions. For some, it’s a lifeline: a bridge to the tandas they dream about in communities where imbalance makes dancing scarce. For others, it feels like a line crossed, where the social fabric of tango gives way to transactions.
From Buenos Aires origins to festival token systems, from ambassadors to controversies, taxi dancers raise bigger questions: how much do we value access, and what happens when money enters a space built on cabeceo and mystery?
✨ If you’ve ever wondered how far we’ll go for the tanda we want - and what that says about tango today - this banter is for you.
🎧 Want support as you grow in your own tango?
Join me inside IMSO Tango School Online — try it free for 30 days: https://imsotango.com/online-school
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More
🌍 Website: imsotango.com
📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com
📸 Instagram: @imso_tango
🎙 Listen to The Tango Banter: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/DItT8LMWASb
💃 Join the Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
🎶 Free Lesson – 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music:
imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
💬 Have questions? Drop a comment or DM me anytime!
Photo courtesty of @louistangophoto
Music courtesy of La Santa Calavera Orchestra
What keeps us coming back to tango - even after the moments when we’re ready to quit?
In this episode, I sit down with Mitra Martin to explore the cycles of belonging, the archetypes we step into, and the surprising ways tango changes us over time.
From the first spark at La Viruta to creating spaces that welcome beginners, Mitra’s journey opens up big questions about growth, friendship, and how we keep the dance alive.
And yes - she even shares a new game designed to help dancers push past “just practicing” into something more playful, creative, and lasting.
✨ If you’ve ever wondered what keeps tango fresh year after year, this conversation is for you.
Learn more about the Tango Fairytale Game here: https://mitramartin.notion.site/tangofairytalegame
Use code IMSOTANGO to get $20 off: https://mitramartin.gumroad.com/l/original-tfg-deck
🎧 Want support as you grow in your own tango?
Join me inside IMSO Tango School Online — try it free for 30 days: https://imsotango.com/online-school
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More
🌍 Website: imsotango.com
📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com
📸 Instagram: @imso_tango
🎙 Listen to The Tango Banter: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/DItT8LMWASb
💃 Join the Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
🎶 Free Lesson – 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music:
imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
💬 Have questions? Drop a comment or DM me anytime!
In this episode, I share the moments that made me wonder - the partner who once felt magical but later left me restless… and the tanda that turned from electric to empty overnight.
We look at two forces always at play: the path of growth and the seasonality of connection. Sometimes it’s technique that drifts us apart. Other times it’s history, friendship, or silence between tandas that changes everything.
I don’t have a formula. What I’ve found is that these shifts are less about fault - and more about change itself. Tango keeps asking us: what do we value today, and how do we honor it?
If you’ve ever sat out a dance you once would have jumped for - or felt the sting of someone else quietly moving on - this one’s for you.
🎧 Want support as you navigate your own tango journey? Join me inside IMSO Tango School Online — try it free for 30 days: https://imsotango.com/online-school
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More🌍 Website: imsotango.com📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com📸 Instagram: @imso_tango🎙 Listen to The Tango Banter: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/DItT8LMWASb💃 Join the Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld🎶 Free Lesson – 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music:imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152💬 Have questions? Drop a comment or DM me anytime!Photo courtesty of @louistangophotoMusic courtesy of La Santa Calavera Orchestra
Tango can sometimes feel like high school all over again. The cliques, the cool kids’ tables, the silent rules of who gets invited and who gets ignored — all of these patterns shape our experience at the milonga.But what if we stopped taking them so personally and started seeing them for what they are - systems at play? Seating, body language, and rejection aren’t just random; they’re forces that structure the social game of tango.In this episode of The Tango Banter, I explore how these patterns show up, why they trigger so much of our teenage baggage, and how we can navigate them with strategy - without losing the joy of the dance.✨ If you’ve ever felt invisible at the milonga, anxious about where to sit, or stung by rejection that lingers for years, this one’s for you.👉 Subscribe for more weekly tango banter, and share your experiences in the comments - I’d love to hear your stories.📌 Stay Connected & Learn More🌍 Website: imsotango.com📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com📸 Instagram: @imso_tango🎙 Listen to The Tango Banter: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/DItT8LMWASb💃 Join the Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld🎶 Free Lesson – 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music:imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152💬 Have questions? Drop a comment or DM me anytime!
Why does tango make us care so much about our clothes? In this episode, I share my own phases - from hiding in all-black outfits, to chasing the “classic tango look” with slits and heels, to questioning what it really means to feel at home in what you wear.
We look at the paradox: dressing to hide vs. dressing to attract - and how both can shape the way we feel and move. Clothing has both a functional impact on how we dance, and a psychological one that can be even more powerful.
I don’t have a final answer. For most of us, it’s an evolving question: what makes us feel confident, expressive, and free on the dance floor?
If you’ve ever walked into a milonga feeling awkward in your outfit… or found yourself dancing differently because of what you’re wearing… this one’s for you.
Chicago visit info here: https://imsotango.com/events
🎧 Want support as you find your voice in the dance?
Join me inside IMSO Tango School Online — try it free for 30 days: https://imsotango.com/online-school
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More🌍 Website: imsotango.com📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com📸 Instagram: @imso_tango🎙 Listen to The Tango Banter: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/DItT8LMWASb💃 Join the Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld🎶 Free Lesson – 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music:imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152💬 Have questions? Drop a comment or DM me anytime!
In tango, who carries the responsibility for musicality - the leader, the follower, or both? In this episode, I reflect on my own evolution from follower to leader and explore how musicality feels different depending on your role.
Why do some followers feel they’ve hit a ceiling in their expression? What do leaders discover when they finally follow? And how does dancing both roles change your understanding of music altogether?
This one’s for anyone who’s ever wondered if they’re doing “enough” musically - or if musicality might live somewhere deeper than technique.
🎧 Want support as you find your voice in the dance?
Join me inside IMSO Tango School Online - Try it free for 30 days: https://imsotango.com/online-school
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More
🌍 Website: imsotango.com
📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com
📸 Instagram: @imso_tango
🎙 Listen to The Tango Banter: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/DItT8LMWASb
💃 Join the Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
🎶 Free Lesson – 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music:
imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
💬 Have questions? Drop a comment or DM me anytime!
Photo courtesty of @louistangophoto
Music courtesy of La Santa Calavera Orchestra
Do you ever catch yourself changing the way you dance when someone’s watching?
In this episode, we explore the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) shifts that happen when we’re being observed—especially by dancers we admire. From the pressure to “look tango enough” to the quiet pull of self-expression, we unpack the complicated relationship between aesthetics and authenticity.
You’ll hear stories about dressing the part, performing connection, and learning to watch yourself on video without flinching. Because sometimes looking good costs more than we think—and sometimes, it sets us free.
🎧 Want to explore musicality, expression, and confidence in your own dancing?
Join me inside the IMSO Tango School — your first month is free: 👉 https://imsotango.com/online-school
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More
🌍 Website: imsotango.com
📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com
📸 Instagram: @imso_tango
🎙 Listen to The Tango Banter: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/DItT8LMWASb
💃 Join the Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
🎶 Free Lesson – 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music:
imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
💬 Have questions? Drop a comment or DM me anytime!
What happens when tango meets other dances? In this episode, I reflect on how exploring different dance styles shaped my understanding of tango more deeply than tango alone ever could.
This isn’t about abandoning tradition. It’s about seeing tango with new eye - through contrast, through play, through movement that invites more range, more rhythm, more possibility.
I talk about the myths of tango “purity,” the asymmetries in the embrace, and the surprising ways your body and technique evolve when you let other forms into your dance journey.
Check out my fusion dance with Charles on my IG: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMs-I7zufOy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=cDZydWNjZjEzMGpi
🎧 Ready to explore tango from more than one angle?
Inside the IMSO Tango School, we go beyond technique - into history, musicality, and the layers that shape your personal style.
👉 Join us - your first month’s on me: https://imsotango.com/online-school
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More
🌍 Website: imsotango.com
📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com
📸 Instagram: @imso_tango
🎙 Listen to The Tango Banter: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/DItT8LMWASb
💃 Join the Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
🎶 Free Lesson – 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music:
imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
💬 Have questions? Drop a comment or DM me anytime!
You’ve probably been there. The song ends, you break the embrace, and there’s this weird little pause. You know another song is coming - but right now, you’re face-to-face with a stranger… and you’re not sure what to say.
Do you say something? Do you wait for them to speak first? Is it weird to compliment their shoes?
In this episode, I talk about those in-between moments at the milonga - the little bits of conversation (or silence) that can feel unexpectedly awkward. Whether you love chatting or dread small talk, this is something every dancer has experienced.
🎧 Let’s talk about how to navigate those moments - and maybe even enjoy them.
🌟 And if you’re ready to level up your musicality, check out my private training series Dance the Music. It’s an 8-session package focused on helping you actually feel the difference between tango’s four big orchestras - D’Arienzo, Di Sarli, Troilo, and Pugliese - and reflect that in your dance. We work 1-on-1 using video feedback.
🕰️ Only 10 spots are available, and enrollment is open through July 31.
👉 Learn more and sign up here: https://imsotango.com/dance-the-music
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More🌍 Website: imsotango.com📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com📸 Instagram: @imso_tango🎙 Listen to The Tango Banter: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/DItT8LMWASb💃 Join the Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld🎶 Free Lesson – 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music:imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152💬 Have questions? Drop a comment or DM me anytime!
We all long to belong. But what if the moment we finally do… we still don’t feel it?
In this episode, I explore the emotional complexity of belonging in tango - what it means to feel part of a community, and why that feeling can slip away even when the invitation is clear.
I reflect on personal moments - from sitting outside the “cool table” in Buenos Aires to unexpected ease at a fusion dance retreat - and ask:
What if belonging isn’t a destination, but something we practice?
What if it ebbs and flows, even after we’re “in”?
This isn’t a list of how-tos. It’s a meditation on identity, insecurity, and the quiet ache to feel accepted. If you’ve ever sat at the edge of the milonga wondering where you fit, or if you’ve questioned your place even among friends—this episode is for you.
🎧 Join me Tuesday, July 22 for DJ Basics: What Every Tango Dancer Needs to Know—a live webinar inside IMSO Tango School Online.
🌀 Try the program FREE for 30 days → https://imsotango.com/online-school
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More
🌍 Website: imsotango.com
📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com
📸 Instagram: @imso_tango
🎙 Listen to The Tango Banter: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/DItT8LMWASb
💃 Join the Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
🎶 Free Lesson – 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music:
imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
💬 Have questions? Drop a comment or DM me anytime!
What’s it really like to live and dance tango in Buenos Aires?
In this special episode, I talk with Lee Litas - a journalist, dancer, and now full-time resident of Buenos Aires- about her journey from tango tourist to tango local. After visiting 14 times, Lee made the leap to move permanently, and shares what changed when she stopped visiting and started living the dance from the inside.
We talk about:
– Why she chose to move during the pandemic
– The myths foreigners have about tango culture in Buenos Aires
– What it’s like to experience “too much tango”
– The importance of etiquette, codes, and floorcraft
Whether you’ve been dreaming of your first trip to BA or are just curious what it really means to live tango every day, this conversation will open your eyes to a deeper layer of the culture.
Follow Lee in IG @litasintotemptation
🎧 Want to go deeper than just steps and technique?
Join me inside IMSO Tango School Online — my monthly program for dancers who want to connect with tango on a deeper level, through musicality, culture, and personal expression.
– Try it free for 30 days: https://imsotango.com/online-school
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More
🌍 Website: imsotango.com
📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com
📸 Instagram: @imso_tango
🎙 Listen to The Tango Banter: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/DItT8LMWASb
💃 Join the Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
🎶 Free Lesson – 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music:
imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
💬 Have questions? Drop a comment or DM me anytime!
Are you still a student… or have you become a dancer?
In this episode, I reflect on the long arc between learning tango and owning it - and why so many of us feel like we’re never quite ready.
We talk about:
- That feeling of not being good enough… even after years of classes.
- The temptation to stay in “practice mode” - even at the milonga.
- And the quiet shift that happens when you finally let go of trying to be perfect… and start dancing for real.
This isn’t about technique drills or tips.
It’s a meditation on self-perception, permission, and the moment you realize the only diploma that matters is the one you give yourself.
If you’ve ever caught yourself working instead of dancing…
Or hesitated to go to a festival because you thought you weren’t ready…
This conversation is for you.
🎧 Want support as you find your voice in the dance?
Join me inside IMSO Tango School Online - my monthly program for dancers who want to explore musicality, presence, and the emotional artistry of tango.
- Try it free for 30 days: https://imsotango.com/online-school
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More
🌍 Website: imsotango.com
📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com
📸 Instagram: @imso_tango
🎙 Listen to The Tango Banter: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/DItT8LMWASb
💃 Join the Facebook Community: facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
🎶 Free Lesson – 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music:
imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
💬 Have questions? Drop a comment or DM me anytime!
Photo courtesty of @louistangophoto
Music courtesy of La Santa Calavera Orchestra
Tango feels different depending on where you are - but is it the dance that changes, or is it us?
In this episode, I reflect on what it was like to dance in Japan, and the questions it stirred up:
What shapes a community’s embrace? How much do our cultural backgrounds shape the way we connect? And what happens when we stop seeing difference as wrong - and start seeing it as human?
This isn’t a lesson in technique.
It’s a reflection on culture, perception, and what we miss when we assume there's only one right way to dance.
If you’ve ever walked into a milonga and felt slightly out of sync - or sensed a subtle shift in connection when dancing abroad - this conversation might feel familiar.
🎧 Want to keep exploring these deeper layers of tango?
You can join me inside IMSO Tango School Online - my monthly program where we dive into musicality, connection, and the art of dancing from the inside out.
You can try it free for 30 days here - https://imsotango.com/online-school
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More
🌍 Website: http://imsotango.com
📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com
📸 Instagram: @imso_tango
Join my Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
💬 Have questions? Drop a comment below or DM me on Instagram!
🎶 Free Lesson: 5 Things every dancer should know about tango music: https://imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
Tango can bring up all kinds of doubts—the kind you don’t always say out loud.
In this episode, I reflect on three mindset shifts that helped me move through quiet insecurity: the pressure to look a certain way, the myth that leaders always know more, and the moment musicality stopped being abstract and started feeling real in my body.
This isn’t a how-to. It’s a reflection on what it means to feel behind, and how we begin to come back to ourselves.
If you’ve ever questioned your place in tango - or wondered if you’re doing it “right” - this one’s for you.
🔗 Want to keep exploring musicality, phrasing, and expression? Join my online program - first month’s free → https://imsotango.com/online-school
🗣️ What’s one mindset shift that changed your dancing? Message me @imsotango or reply in the comments below.
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More
🌍 Website: http://imsotango.com
📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com
📸 Instagram: @imso_tango
Join my Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
💬 Have questions? Drop a comment below or DM me on Instagram!
🎶 Free Lesson: 5 Things every dancer should know about tango music: https://imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
Some dynamics in tango are so normalized, we stop seeing them - until something shakes us awake.
This episode explores the unspoken power structures that shape our community: who gets centered, who stays silent, and why certain behaviors are tolerated for so long. It’s not about one incident. It’s about a pattern. One we’ve all participated in, whether we meant to or not.
Through reflection and shared experiences, I look at the deeper questions behind the discomfort: How does power move in a tango space? What do we risk when we speak up? And what does real cultural change ask of us?
This conversation isn’t easy - but it’s necessary if we want tango to be more than just beautiful on the surface.
Tango is more than steps. It’s a reflection of who we are - and how we show up for each other on the dance floor.
If you’re ready to explore the deeper layers of musicality, connection, and technique, try IMSO Tango School Online.
🎓 Get your first 30 days free → https://imsotango.com/online-school
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More
🌍 Website: http://imsotango.com
📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com
📸 Instagram: @imso_tango
Join my Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
💬 Have questions? Drop a comment below or DM me on Instagram!
🎶 Free Lesson: 5 Things every dancer should know about tango music: https://imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
Tango has a reputation for being beautiful. But is it also… unwelcoming?
In this episode, I look at what makes tango feel intimidating to newcomers - and what seasoned dancers can do to change that. No shaming, no blaming - just a clear-eyed look at how culture is created, and how each of us can help shape a more generous, open, and truly social dance floor.
Because belonging doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by design.
💬 Have thoughts or stories to share? Drop them in the comments or DM me @imso_tango.
Want to go deeper in your tango?
IMSO Tango School Online helps you build confidence, expressiveness, and musical clarity on the dance floor. First month is free → https://imsotango.com/online-school
📩 Join the community & learn more:
🌍 Website: http://imsotango.com
📸 Instagram: @imso_tango
💬 Questions? DM me on Instagram or drop a comment below.
🎶 Free Lesson – 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music: https://imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
👥 Join the FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
What makes a dancer stand out at the milonga? It’s not just the moves. It’s not just the music. It’s something deeper.
In this episode, I unpack the quiet, often unspoken reasons why dancers choose certain partners over others—from posture and floorcraft to musicality, energy, and presence.
If you’ve ever wondered, “What are they seeing that I’m not?” or “What are people looking for when they watch me dance?”—this episode is for you.
Whether you're newer to tango or have been dancing for years, this conversation will help you reframe how you see the dance floor… and how you show up on it.
→ Chicago event info click here: https://imsotango.com/events
Want to feel more confident, expressive, and musical in your own dancing?
That’s exactly what I help dancers do inside IMSO Tango School Online.
🎓 Try it free for 30 days → https://imsotango.com/online-school
💬 Stay Connected & Keep Exploring
🌍 Website → http://imsotango.com
📸 Instagram → @imso_tango
💌 Email → connect@imsotango.com
🎶 Free Lesson → 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music: https://imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
💬 Join the community → SoTango World Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
This episode originally aired in October 2024, but I’m bringing it back because it sparked some of the most heartfelt messages I've ever received.
In this episode, I unpack the elusive, euphoric experience dancers often call the tango high. From nervous system chemistry to spiritual flow states, I reflect on what happens inside us when the dance clicks—and why we sometimes wait for it instead of learning how to bring it.
Whether you’ve felt that magic or are still chasing it, this conversation will help you reframe what connection truly is—and what it means to offer it, not just receive it.
Want to feel more confident, expressive, and musical in your own dancing?
That’s exactly what I help dancers do inside IMSO Tango School Online.
🎓 Try it free for 30 days → https://imsotango.com/online-school
💬 Stay Connected & Keep Exploring
🌍 Website → http://imsotango.com
📸 Instagram → @imso_tango
💌 Email → connect@imsotango.com
🎶 Free Lesson → 5 Things Every Dancer Should Know About Tango Music: https://imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
💬 Join the community → SoTango World Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
This episode originally aired as Season 2 #17, and it’s one I still get messages about. So today, we're bringing it back.
If you’ve ever been told to “just feel the music,” but no one explained how—this one’s for you. I break down the essential building blocks of tango music and how they translate into better dances, deeper connection, and more musical movement.
Whether you’re a leader or follower, musicality is the difference between just getting through the song… and actually dancing it.
Join my upcoming LIVE in my FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
🎶 Embellishment workshop May 27th - IMSO Tango School Online - join FREE for 30 days: https://imsotango.com/online-school
The BIG 4 orchestras: Di Sarli, D'Arienzo, Pugliese, Troilo
The BIG 4 of Tango Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7j75hs8BtxmAPTKWfAG0Zy?si=5jjiyNywRc-WGt-2CTpFPQ&pi=m0YmOEtoTJSme
Tango Orchestra Sampler Spotify Playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1fO8xlPHvZv7I2Wk0zA0OK?si=yIL0eNUKT9SxdLLFOqnx-g&pi=VU-2oCF1RDqrz
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More
🌍 Website: http://imsotango.com
📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com
📸 Instagram: @imso_tango
💬 Have questions? Drop a comment below or DM me on Instagram!
🎶 Free Lesson: 5 Things every dancer should know about tango music: https://imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
Politics and tango might seem like separate worlds—but are they really?
In this final episode of the season, I’m diving into the messy, often uncomfortable reality of how political views—whether personal, community-based, or global—can shape who we dance with, who we avoid, and how we feel at the milonga. From awkward cabeceos to full-on community rifts, politics shows up in tango whether we like it or not.
This is one of the spiciest episodes I’ve recorded yet, and I hope it sparks reflection—whether you agree, disagree, or find yourself somewhere in the middle.
Tango music can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to. IMSO Tango School Online helps you break down the music, understand phrasing, and make clear, musical choices in your dance—without overthinking.
🎓 Try it free for 30 days—see if it’s right for you → https://imsotango.com/online-school
📌 Stay Connected & Learn More
🌍 Website: http://imsotango.com
📩 Email: connect@imsotango.com
📸 Instagram: @imso_tango
Join my Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/sotangoworld
💬 Have questions? Drop a comment below or DM me on Instagram!
🎶 Free Lesson: 5 Things every dancer should know about tango music: https://imsotango.namastream.com/product/83152
