The tango was first danced in the lower class neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. Mixing musical influences, which range from Spanish Flamenco to African percussion and beyond, the tango is reflective of the early Buenos Aires population, which was largely composed of those who had immigrated to Argentina from Europe at the end of the 19th century.
Originally, the tango was a dance that men performed together, and eventually prostitutes joined the fun in the slums. Today, female dancers often wear provocative clothing that is reminiscent of these early and more traditional days.
Tango is a complex and sexy dance. Fancy foot work, graceful movements and a loving embrace make up the foundation. Words simply cannot describe the feeling one gets while watching or dancing the sensuous, sophisticated tango.
Carlos Gardel was, and still is, the most famous tango singer. Many of these traditional songs are often cited as the breeding point of Argentina’s modern day lunfardo or slang. Gardel’s untimely death in a plane crash has further secured the tango singer’s icon status amongst Argentines. The only man to even get close to his fame and popularity is the great footballer (soccer player) Diego Maradona.
Be sure to see a tango show of some form while in Buenos Aires. Many free performances can be found randomly on the streets in the more touristy sections of town (Plaza Dorrego in San Telmo, Av. Florida in Centro, Plaza San Martín in Centro). These shows are great mid-day entertainment, but don’t run on a firm schedule and do not compare to professional performances. If you’re interested in catching a professional stage performance, do your research and find the appropriate price and location for the tango show that best suits you. We recommend either the Esquina de Carlos Gardel professional show with dinner or going out on a guided milonga tour with tango lessons for a more intimate experience.
3 Comments for Buenos Aires Basics: Tango
First, thanks for recommending my blog, tangocherie.
I love yours, BTW.
Let me just point out to your readers that plus all the things you said, further understanding of the tango requires someone to go to a milonga to see the "real" tango of Buenos Aires in action. That is, the improvised social tango that is danced by "regular" folks and not professional show dancers. This tango is based on improvisation, the music, sensuality, connection and the imbrace, and there's nothing else like it in the world.
There are more than 70 milongas a week in Buenos Aires; search one or two out and enjoy watching the real thing.
Tango wasn't performed by men — they practiced together so they could improve and dance well enough for women.
Tango on stage is choreography for entertainment that requires training and physical agility, so it looks complex. Tango is really a simple dance that locals enjoy every day in the milongas. It's about feeling the music and sharing it with the person in your arms.
I describe it as a sensuous dance rather than a sexy one.
You're wrong Janis. Wrong.