Shoes. We love them! Tango shoes are one of the big attractions of dancing Argentine tango. Dancing Argentine tango, we are caught in the web of delight - colours, styles, heels, straps, femininity. We can’t resist the shoe stalls at milongas; our trips to Buenos Aires centre around the dozens of shoe shop which tempt our attention.

But just what is happening with tango shoes? I have been fortunate enough to be bought some gorgeous shoes, sourced from various stores in Buenos Aires, and many have given good service – reliable, well constructed, durable and comfortable. So imagine my disappointment when not one, but three of my recently acquired pairs of shoes failed without warning, and when I discovered to my horror, that the cause of failure was really poor design and shoddy workmanship. Whilst the prices have escalated way beyond inflation, the quality of tango shoes appears to have plummeted. Let’s face it, Argentine tango is not an ‘extreme sport’, weight is centred on the soles and angles appear only as decorations. Is it that the suppliers see our tourist market as a ‘get rich quick’ target? Which of the shoe makers is looking at long-term sustainability of supply? Do they not think that tangueras chat together to share their misery as well as their delights? Share your thoughts and concerns, and maybe with the weight of opinion, we could end up getting a better deal.