The Tango Festival’s Checklist for Women
I asked women followers what they bring with them to the festivals.
There are three categories, based on the answers:
The Usual Suspects,
the Not-So-Usual Suspects, and
the Aliens.
Important:
The only thing you really need for a good tanda is a nice embrace. Stuff are good, but the essential is invisible to the eye.
The usual suspects
Dresses and Outfits: As many dresses as there are milongas, and as many outfits as days of classes.
Shoes: A backup is always a good idea when possible. You don’t want to be forced to buy a new pair if the first one malfunctions (or maybe you do want to be forced 😀)
Make up: Your makeup will touch another person’s skin. Maybe consider makeup from natural ingredients to not expose your partners to potentially dangerous chemicals.
Jewellery: For the ears, neck, wrist, foot, toes, fingers… and one more place, but that you will find in the Alien category.
Refillable water bottle
Water/tea cup/thermo: Maybe this? If you buy it, you are helping me.
Dry fruits: for some healthy late night snacking.
Nipple Covers.
Fan: And bring an extra, some leaders will be very grateful.
The not-so-usual suspects
Magnesium + B6: to relax muscles and avoid muscle pain after physical activity.
Skin tape and/or emergency bandages: because you never know when your next OUCH! moment is going to happen.
Foot lotion and socks: “Put on the cream, put on the socks to keep the cream on your feet, then go to sleep.”
Massage ball & muscle pain cream: Do I need to explain?
Face mask sheet, eye mask: a few sleepless nights can take their toll.
Flat shoes: to lead or to use when tired.
Elastic band: helps to relieve pain and to prevent getting worse, when Achilles are damaged somehow, but you still want to dance.
Flowers: for the hair.
A tip:
Put a dress and a pair of shoes in the carry-on luggage. It will give you time to find solutions in case the checked-in luggage gets lost.
Before you read the ‘Aliens’:
1) You can download the full list as a PDF here to use it later.
2) You might think you know how men choose with whom to dance in a milonga. Well, I asked over 16,000 social tango dancers, leaders and followers the following questions: How do you choose with whom you want to dance? How do you choose with whom you don’t want to dance? And what do you do when you want to dance more? You can find more about it here.
Aliens
Essential oils: for pain, inflammation, skin care, balance, stamina, diggestion, dizziness.
Cannabinoid balm: “Ρub a tiny bit into areas of muscular pain and pain vanishes within 2 minutes, lasting for up to 6 hours. Especially good for my arthritic toes! – Stephanie Brown” Keep in mind it might not be legal in some countries.
Jewellery for the shoes: Well, not technically a jewellery but: Sparkling little stickers for your shoes to be noticed.
Pernaton Green Lipped Mussel Gel Forte for Muscle Massage and Joint Pain: ‘Works like magic on tendons and ligaments. It’s the glucosamine. -Morgan Griffiths”
Tangofulness: to put on the table as a conversation starter.
Shiatsu Foot Massager: Ohhhh, the pleasure…
Massage gun: Ohhhh, the pleasure #2
Shoe Brush: If you step on water in the toilet or wine that someone spilled your shoes can get sticky. Brush them, and you are good to go. Brushing also cleans the fibres that collect all kinds of dirt.
Sewing kit: to quickly fix dresses or malfunctioning laces. You can be the saviour of many women at the dance floor.
Safety pins: Cause you never know when you might need them.
Electrical fan: now that will probably make your table the most popular one.
Power strip: this can make you popular among your roommates, and it can be very useful in some AirBnB’s with few plugs.
JBL box: because nothing puts you more in the mood than tango music while getting ready for the milonga.
Torch: Because sometimes it’s dark when you come back from a milonga.
Wooden Massage Tools: I didn’t know either. Just google it.
A Hot/Cold gel: for local pain relief, acute joint and muscle inflammation, bruising, muscle aches, stress relief.