Inside Istanbul’s vibrant dance community
ISTANBUL (AP) — Dance enthusiasts are far from tango’s birthplace in the working-class districts and port areas of Buenos Aires and Montevideo in Argentina and Uruguay. Istanbul We have created a close-knit and passionate community.
They gather every night at milongas (Argentine ballroom dance sessions) on both sides of this vast city that bridges Europe and Asia, united by the embrace of music, movement and tango.
While local Turks, foreigners, visiting international teachers and travelers keep the dance alive, numerous dance schools and studios also create a vibrant tango scene.
Gonca Çetin, who was once a tango beginner and is now a tango teacher, describes the city’s tango community as both diverse and welcoming.
“It is possible for everyone to find a tango environment that suits them. There is a community that is constantly growing and developing,” he says.
In Istanbul milongas, where changing dance partners is part of the tradition, friends and strangers share the dance floor with excitement.
“I believe tango is a wordless conversation,” added Çetin. “What draws me to this is the unique balance between connection and freedom. Through music and embracing, I am able to communicate, create, and express my feelings in a way that is both deeply personal and deeply shared.”
The city’s tango culture extends beyond the dance floor.
Master shoemaker Ercan Umay continues another important tradition of tango culture by producing handmade tango shoes for the dancers gliding through the city’s milongas in his small workshop in Istanbul.
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This is a documentary photo story curated by AP photo editors.
