It Takes Two to Tango

Influenced by the Spanish, the dance form took birth in Argentina and Uruguay in around 1850- 1890. The dance was originated in the lower middle classes in Buenos Aires among the former slave people, as it was performed at their candomble ceremonies. The music that was used was created by combining a number European music types as the people who practiced it were mainly European immigrants, chiefly French, Spanish and Italians.

The term “Tango” was associated with dance in the year 1890. Earlier the dance was quite obscure as any other type that sprung up in those days. Soon the dance gained popularity and spread across borders, changing a little in form every time it travelled. The dance in time also crept into theatres and clubs and had started to have well defined performances. Over the time the dancers and orchestras travelled to various countries and this helped the fame of the dance spread across continents and became popular in many other countries like Paris, London and Berlin. Towards the end of 1913, it hit New York in the USA.

As it travelled places and times, the dance form saw many alterations and variations. It carried them along and now we have various sub- types in the dance. Some of the popular sub types in the genre are- Tango Argentino, Tango Oriental (uruguayo), Tango Canyengue, Tango Liso, Tango Salon, Tango Orillero, Tango Milonguero (Tango Apilado), Tango Nuevo (New Tango), Show Tango (also known as Fantasia), Ballroom Tango, Finnish Tango etc. All these sub types use variations in the techniques and the music used. The dance changed as much as it moved from one place to another as it changed over decades.

The dance can be performed in an open embrace where there is space left between the bodies of the lead and the follow or a close embrace where the lead and the follow connect either from chest to chest or the upper thigh, hip area. The factors that have altered the dance form range from time and geographical area to clothes in fashion and the space available for the dance. For example the Milonguero is a dance form that uses a real close embrace and short steps. This happened as the dance form was originated in the crowded downtown clubs in the early 50’s.

Be the sensual technique or the flirty dance dresses, the dance soon became a favorite of half of the world. The dance uses special dance apparels and heels as dance shoes this also influenced trends all over. All in the entire dance is beyond doubt a favorite across half of the world!!!