Tango is a dance that started in South America and moved to Europe and the world. It has it start in the low-class society in Argentina and Uruguay and now it’s mostly dance by mid and high societies around the world. This paper will be focusing on a brief introduction about the history of tango and the different styles of tango such as: Tango Milonguero, Ballroom tango, International tango, American tango, Filipino tango, Tango Nuevo, Finish tango and finally the Argentinean tango. Tango is a dance that started in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Montevideo, Uruguay during the late 19th century.
Early tango was known as Tango Criollo. Tango is a derivation of three dance styles the first is the Spanish Habanera, second the Uruguayan Milonga and finally the Candombe. It started as a local dance and then it spread into society by theatres and street barrel organs, which were packed with European immigrants. By 1912 the tango arrived to Europe started in France and then some other countries. With time tango evolved into “ballroom tango” with less body contact. The first recorded tango was Mi Noche triste by Carlos Gardel in 1917.
In 1922 guidelines for the English style of ballroom tango were set. As this form became popular around the world, the Argentinean people keep their own style but know low and high class of society danced to it. Tango decayed in popularity for a while, until the 1980’s when there were a couple of shows in Broadway about this dance; one of them is “Forever Tango”. (Denniston) Tango consists of a variety of styles that developed in different regions and eras of Argentina and Uruguay as well in other locations around the world.
The styles are mostly danced in either open embrace, where lead and follow have space between their bodies, or close embrace, where the lead and follow connect either chest-to-chest “Argentine tango” or in the upper thigh, hip area “American and International tango”. The different styles of Tango are: Tango Argentino, Tango Oriental (Uruguayo), Tango Canyengue, Tango Liso, Tango Salon, Tango Orillero, Tango Milonguero (Tango Apilado), Tango Nuevo, Show Tango (Fantasia), Ballroom Tango, Finnish Tango, Filipino Tango. Castro) Here is some basic information about some of these styles: Tango Milonguero style is characterized by a very close embrace, small steps, and syncopated rhythmic footwork. Filipino tango is a more free form style of tango. It seems to be a combination of hustle and American style tango. This style of tango has lots of open breaks and turns as in hustle. (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc) Ballroom tango was adapted to the preferences of conventional ballroom dancers, and incorporated into the repertoire used in International Ballroom dance competitions.
Ballroom tango is divided into two styles first the international Tango which evolved mainly as a highly competitive dance, while the American Tango evolved as an unjudged social dance with an emphasis on leading and following skills. Ballroom tangos use different music and styling from Argentine tangos, with more staccato movements and the characteristic “head snaps”. (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc) International tango was born as the Argentine tango made its way to Europe and gained popularity particularly in Paris.
As the European dancers enjoyed the music and passion of the dance, they began to inject their own culture, style and technique. In an effort to teach a standardized version of the tango, the English eventually codified their own version of tango for instruction in dance schools and for performance in competitions. The resulting style was referred to as English style, but eventually took on the name International style, as this became the competitive ballroom version practiced around the world.
Initially, the English dominated the International style tango, but eventually, technicians from other backgrounds, most notably the Italians, have chipped away at the English standard and created a dynamic style that continues to raise the competitive bar. (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc) American tango is a style that took it’s evolutionary path is derived from Argentina to U. S. , when it was popularized by the film The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in which they dance a beautiful scene of Argentinean tango.
As a result, the Hollywood style steps mixed in with other social dance steps of the times began this branch away from the Argentine style. This looser social style was referred to as American style by the English. (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc) Tango Nuevo dance style features an open embrace, fluid partner movements, trading of lead and further regional reinventions of the tango dance. Tango Nuevo is largely fueled by a fusion between tango music and electronica, though the style can be adapted to traditional tango and even non-tango songs. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc) Finish tango is danced in very close full upper body contact in a wide and strong frame, and features smooth horizontal movements that are very strong and determined. Dancers are very low, allowing long steps without any up and down movement. Forward steps land heel first, and in backward steps dancers push from the heel. In basic steps, the passing leg moves quickly to rest for a moment close to the grounded leg. (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc) Argentinean tango is a social dance and a musical genre that originated in Argentina and moved to Uruguay and to the rest of the world later on.
Argentine Tango consists of a variety of styles that developed in different regions and eras, and in response to the crowding of the venue and even the fashions in clothing. Argentine Tango is danced in an embrace that can vary from very open, in which leader and follower connect at arm’s length, to very closed, in which the connection is chest-to-chest, or anywhere in between. Close embrace is often associated with the more traditional styles, while open embrace leaves room for many of the embellishments and figures that are associated with Tango Nuevo.
Tango is essentially walking with a partner and the music. Musicality is an extremely important element of tangoing. Also, dancers generally keep their feet close to the floor as they walk the ankles and knees brushing as one leg passes the other. Argentine Tango relies heavily on improvisation; although certain patterns of movement have been codified by instructors over the years as a device to instruct dancers, there is no “basic step. ” One of the only constants across all Argentine Tango styles is that the follower will usually be led to alternate feet. A tango is a living act in the moment as it happens.
Argentine Tango is danced counterclockwise around the outside of the dance floor and dance “traffic” often segregates into a number of “lanes”; cutting across the middle of the floor is frowned upon. It is acceptable to stop briefly in the line of dance to perform stationary figures, as long as the other dancers are not unduly impeded. Dancers are expected to respect the other couples on the floor; colliding or even crowding another couple, or stepping on others’ feet is to be avoided strenuously. A good dancer is one who makes you see the music. (Wikimedia Foundation, Inc) Tango started in Argentina and Uruguay in the late 19th century.
Now is a dance world wide recognized and danced in many ballrooms. There is many types of tango but the most danced are the international tango, the American tango and the Argentinean tango. There is different type of steps and music played in all the different styles but a good dancer is the one who makes the audience see the music. Works Cited Castro, Donald S. The Argentine Tango As Social History, 1880-1955: The Soul of the People. Edwin Mellen Press, 1991. Denniston, Christine. The Meaning of Tango: The Story of the Argentinian Dance . Anova Books, 2008. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Tango (dance). 22 September 2008. 22 september 2008.