The way we learn about tango events is changing dramatically, and there is extreme variability around the world.

About ten years ago, the only way to learn about a tango event was to pick up a flier (at another tango event, or on some bulletin board), grab a local newsletter/magazine, or to subscribe to one of the many email list servers that sent out notifications in your area.  These methods of acquiring tango information still exist, but the increasing ease of putting together a website and the growth of Facebook have really changed how people learn about new events.

In the United States, most people learn about their local tango events through their regional website or via Facebook, or some combination of the two.  In fact, our fans on the KnowTango Facebook Page (selection bias aside) said that they use Facebook as a tool to double check regional listings or, more importantly, to see which event will have the most dancers.  The scope and scale of the social element — knowing where your friends are going dancing — is totally unprecedented in the tango world and I think we are going to see that continue to expand in the future.

That said, use of Facebook for tango tends to be very regional.  In the US, for example, it’s high, but in countries such as France, Germany, and Argentina, it’s significantly lower.  So what do dancers in those countries use to publicize their events?  And how do people know about new events?  For now, at least, I think we are still tethered to the world of paper fliers and newsletters.