BUENOS AIRES AND THE TANGO
Remember the Corrales Viejos!
The word ‘TANGO’ has an African origin, derived from a word meaning ‘closed place’ or ‘reserved ground’, which indicated the place where African slaves gathered to dance.
During the early and mid 1800’s, tens of thousands of African slaves were brought to ARGENTINA and they began to influence the local Argentinean culture.
On top of that, there was a massive immigration in ARGENTINA during the later part of the 1800’s.
The intermixing of Spanish, African, Italian, Russian, British, Polish and native Argentines resulted in a melting pot of cultures. This was most strongly the case in the field of ‘MUSIC’ and ‘DANCING’, where ‘MAZURKAS’, traditional ‘POLKAS’ and ‘WALTZES’ were mixed with the African ‘CANDOMBE’ rhythms and the popular Cuban ‘HABANERA’.
The ‘TANGO’ as a dance was probably born in African-Argentine dance venues in ‘BUENOS AIRES’, attended by young poor men, the so called ‘COMPADRITOS’.
They first took the ‘TANGO’ to the Corrales Viejos (slaughterhouse district of ‘BUENOS AIRES’) and later introduced it in dance halls, bars and brothels. It was in these establishments that the Argentine ‘MILONGA’ music was combined with the African rhythms: the ‘TANGO’ as we now know it, was born.
The ‘TANGO’ knew a worldwide spread in the early 1900’s, when sons of wealthy Argentine families came to Paris, the most innovative place in the world in these times.
By 1910, the ‘TANGO’ had become a trendy phenomenon in Paris, London and New York.
At the same time, it had become the national symbol of Argentina.
Its distinctive sound comes to life thanks to the combination of guitar, violin and flute. The flute is sometimes replaced by the ‘BANDONEON’ or ‘CONCERTINA’. The typical lyrics still express a feeling of nostalgia (just like in the early days of the immigrants).
The first (and most famous) ‘TANGO SINGER’, was ‘CARLOS GARDEL’ (1887 – 1935).
Thanks to him, ‘TANGO MUSIC’ spread enormously overseas. GARDEL died in a plane crash in 1935.
By the end of the 60’s, the ‘TANGO’ had been more or less forgotten , but it was brought back to life thanks to the more jazzistic traits, added by ‘BANDONEON’ genius ‘ASTOR PIAZZOLLA’.
Nowadays, the ‘TANGO’ is more alive then ever in dance-schools all over the world.
The different styles of TANGO
- TANGO ARGENTINO
- TANGO ORIENTAL (TANGO URUGUAYO)
- TANGO CANYENGUE
- TANGO LISO
- TANGO SALON
- TANGO ORILLERO
- TANGO MILONGUERO (TANGO APILADO)
- TANGO NUEVO
- SHOW TANGO (TANGO FANTASIA)
- BALLROOM TANGO
- FINNISH TANGO
What is TANGO?
TANGO is the dance of the ‘FLESH’, of ‘DESIRE’, of ‘EMBRACED BODIES’.
It’s a dialogue, ‘SEDUCTION’ made movement, the encounter of two worlds.
It’s an ‘EXHIBITIONIST DANCE’, aesthetically pleasant and fearlessly ‘TEASING’.
The dancing couple slightly touches each other’s shoes among ‘SENSUAL CARESSES’,
while the stunned spectator – an eternal ‘VOYEUR’ – is fascinated and astonished by the tacit ‘ROMANCE’ between the ‘DANCERS’.
More info:
www.buenosairestango.com/batingles/homengFRMOD.htm
