My parents’ extreme tango makeover
Simone Facchini and Gioia Abballe of Italy at the Tango World Championship in Buenos Aires.
When Yowei Shaw was in college, her parents' relationship started to change.
Maybe it was empty nest syndrome, maybe it was a midlife crisis — she's not quite sure. But after taking dance lessons on a cruise ship, her parents turned their lives upside down for the tango. They went from a couple who stayed home watching the History Channel to dancers going out five nights a week, perfecting their technique.
They even renovated their house to make room for a dance floor. When they made a trip to Buenos Aires, the tango’s birthplace and epicenter, they invited Yowei along.
(Originally aired August 12, 2011)
The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. Will you support The World with a gift today? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!