Night of Tango stirs Argentina

Tango lovers, more accustomed to smoky dance halls, took to the streets of the Argentine capital during the weekend for the "Great National Milonga."

Traffic was stopped for the night, and high-heeled tango dancers took over the asphalt for the event, which shut down three blocks of one of Buenos Aires' most historic avenues, the Avenida del Mayo.

Violeta Bianchi, tango dancer, said, "It is really special because there is no dance in the world like the tango, where you hold the person in an embrace, with so much passion, love, sensation, sex; it is very sexy, and that attracts everyone because you can't live and feel like that anywhere but here."

This is the third time Argentina has held the event, which is organized by the National Tango Academy and tourism authorities.

Spectators were able to watch some of the country's best tango dancers and listen to groups such as The Buenos Aires Tango Orchestra, Los Reyes de Tango, Gente de Tango, and Sexteto Milonguero with Javier Di Ciriaco.

Jonathon Fortunato, tango lover, said, "It is really good, I am enjoying it a lot that they can put on these kind of shows, because you can go to milongas and pay and it is fine, it is all good, but here so many people have come together just to dance the tango, and that is really good."

The sultry dance was born in South America, and became popular in the late 1800s.

It is distinguished by the close embrace of the dancing couple, who step in time to a two-by-four beat.