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Tango is a
partner dance Partner dances are dances whose basic choreography involves coordinated dancing of two partners, as opposed to individuals dancing alone or individually in a non-coordinated manner, and as opposed to groups of people dancing simultaneously in a ...
and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combination of Rioplatense Candombe celebrations, Spanish-Cuban Habanera, and Argentine Milonga. The tango was frequently practiced in the brothels and bars of ports, where business owners employed bands to entertain their patrons. The tango then spread to the rest of the world. Many variations of this dance currently exist around the world. On August 31, 2009, UNESCO approved a joint proposal by Argentina and Uruguay to include the tango in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.


History

Tango is a dance that has influences from
African African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** Ethn ...
and
European European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...
culture. Dances from the candombe ceremonies of former African enslaved people helped shape the modern day tango. The dance originated in lower-class districts of Buenos Aires and
Montevideo Montevideo () is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2011 census, the city proper has a population of 1,319,108 (about one-third of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...
. The music derived from the fusion of various forms of music from Europe. The words "tango" and "tambo" around the River Plate basin were initially used to refer to musical gatherings of slaves, with written records of colonial authorities attempting to ban such gatherings as early as 1789. Initially, it was just one of the many dances, but it soon became popular throughout society, as theatres and street barrel organs spread it from the suburbs to the working-class slums, which were packed with hundreds of thousands of European
immigrant Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...
s. When the tango began to spread internationally around 1900, cultural norms were generally conservative, and so tango dancing was widely regarded as extremely sexual and inappropriate for public display. This led to a phenomenon of culture shock. Additionally, the combination of African, Native American and European cultural influences in tango was new and unusual to most of the Western world. Many neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires have their particular tango histories: for example La Boca, San Telmo and Boedo. At Boedo Avenue, Cátulo Castillo, Homero Manzi and other singers and composers used to meet at the Japanese Cafe with the Boedo Group. In the early years of the 20th century, dancers and orchestras from Buenos Aires travelled to Europe, and the first European tango craze took place in Paris, soon followed by London, Berlin, and other capitals. Tango historian
Nardo Zalko Nardo Zalko (October 1, 1941June 2, 2011) was an Argentinian-French journalist, author, researcher, and historian of tango. Early life Zalko was born in October 1941 to a Lithuanian Jewish couple, Frida and Abrasha Zalko, who migrated to Argenti ...
, a native of Buenos Aires who lived most of his life in Paris, investigated the mutual fertilization between the two cities in his work, ''Paris – Buenos Aires, Un Siècle de Tango'' ("A Century of Tango"). Towards the end of 1913, it hit New York City as well as Finland. In the U.S., around 1911, the word " tango" was often applied to dances in a or rhythm such as the one-step. The term was fashionable and did not indicate that tango steps would be used in the dance, although they might be. Tango music was sometimes played but at a rather fast tempo. Instructors of the period would sometimes refer to this as a "North American tango", versus the so-called "Argentine tango". The tango was controversial because of its perceived sexual overtones and, by the end of 1913, the dance teachers who had introduced the dance to Paris were banished from the city. By 1914, more authentic tango stylings were soon developed, along with some variations like Albert Newman's "Minuet" tango. In Argentina, the onset in 1929 of the
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
, and restrictions introduced after the overthrow of the Hipólito Yrigoyen government in 1930, caused a temporary decline in tango's popularity. Its fortunes were reversed later in the 1930s, and tango again became widely fashionable and a matter of national pride under the first Perón government, which in turn had a major effect on Argentinian culture overall. Mariano Mores played a role in the resurgence of the tango in 1950s Argentina. Mores's ''Taquito Militar'' was premiered in 1952 during a governmental speech by President Juan D. Perón, which generated a strong political and cultural controversy between different views of the concepts of "cultured" music and "popular" music, as well as the links between both "cultures". Tango declined again in the late 1950s, as a result of economic depression and the banning of public gatherings by the military dictatorships; male-only tango practice—the custom at the time—was considered "public gathering". That, indirectly, boosted the popularity of rock and roll because, unlike tango, it did not require such gatherings. However, in the late 1980s the tango again experienced a resurgence in Argentina, partly due to the endeavors of
Osvaldo Peredo Osvaldo Peredo Leigue (also Osvaldo Peredo Leigh, ''nom de guerre'': Chato) (1941 – 12 January 2021) was a physician and a Bolivian revolutionary leader. He lived in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, where he was an alderman on the Municipal ...
. In 2009, the tango was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.


Etymology

There are several theories regarding the origin of the word ''tango'', none of which has been proven. An African culture is often credited as the creator of this word; in particular, it is theorized that the word derives from the
Yoruba The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba consti ...
word '' shangó'', which refers to Shango, the God of Thunder in traditional Yoruba religion. This theory suggests that the word “shangó” was morphed through the dilution of the Nigerian language once it reached South America via slave trade. According to an alternative theory, ''tango'' is derived from the Spanish word for "
drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a she ...
", ''
tambor Tambor can refer to: * Tambor, Costa Rica, a town in Costa Rica ** Tambor Airport, an airport that serves Tambor, Costa Rica * El Tambor River, river in Guatemala * Jeffrey Tambor (born 1944), American actor * Tambor (dance), Afro-Venezuelan mus ...
''. This word was then mispronounced by Buenos Aires’ lower-class inhabitants to become ''tambo'', ultimately resulting in the common ''tango''. It is also sometimes theorized that the word is derived from the Portuguese word '' tanger'', which means "to play a musical instrument". Another Portuguese word, '' tangomão'', a combination of the verb ''tanger'' ("to touch") with the noun ''mão'' ("hand") meaning "to play a musical instrument with one's hands", has been suggested as the etymon of ''tango''. According to some authors, ''tango'' is derived from the Kongo word ''ntangu'' which means "sun", "hour", "space-time".


Styles

The tango consists of a variety of styles that developed in different regions and eras of Argentina as well as in other locations around the world. The dance developed in response to many cultural elements, such as the crowding of the venue and even the fashions in clothing. The styles are mostly danced in either open embrace, where lead and follow have space between their bodies, or
close embrace In partner dances, close embrace is a type of closed position where the leader and follower stand facing each other chest-to-chest in full or partial body contact. The dancers usually stand offset from one another, such that each has their ri ...
, where the lead and follow connect either chest-to-chest (Argentine tango) or in the upper thigh, hip area (American and International tango). Different styles of tango are: * Tango argentino *
Tango canyengue Argentine tango is a musical genre and accompanying social dance originating at the end of the 19th century in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. It typically has a or rhythmic time signature, and two or three parts repeating in patterns such as ABA ...
*Tango fantasia * Tango liso *Tango oriental * Tango orillero *Tango salon * Tango camacupense (Angola) *
Tango milonguero Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
(tango apilado) (see also "
Milonguero A milonguero is a person who spends time dancing social tango. The word comes from the term ''milonga'' referring to a tango dance event. The term was used from the 1870s to mark a man who spent much of his time dancing tango of any style. Since ...
") *
Tango nuevo Nuevo tango is both a form of music in which new elements are incorporated into traditional tango music, and an evolution of tango dance that began to develop in the 1980s. Dance Origins Prior to the 1990s, Argentine tango was taught with a didac ...
(new tango) * Tango vals (Tango waltz) * Milonga *
Ballroom tango Ballroom tango is a ballroom dance that branched away from its original Argentine roots by allowing European, American, Hollywood, and competitive influences into the style and execution of the dance. The present day ballroom tango is divided into ...
* Finnish tango * Uruguayan tango * Maxixe (Brazilian tango) These are danced to several types of music: * Tango * Electronic tango-inspired music (Tango electronico) * "Alternative tango", i.e. music that is an alternative to tango, or non-tango music employed for use in tango-inspired dance The milonguero style is characterized by a very close embrace, small steps, and syncopated rhythmic footwork. It is based on the or style of the crowded downtown clubs of the 1950s. In contrast, the tango that originated in the family clubs of the suburban neighborhoods (Villa Urquiza/Devoto/Avellaneda etc.) emphasizes long elegant steps, and complex figures. In this case the embrace may be allowed to open briefly, to permit execution of the complex footwork. The complex figures of this style became the basis for a theatrical performance style of tango seen in the touring stage shows. For stage purposes, the embrace is often open, and the complex footwork is augmented with gymnastic lifts, kicks, and drops. A newer style sometimes called ''
tango nuevo Nuevo tango is both a form of music in which new elements are incorporated into traditional tango music, and an evolution of tango dance that began to develop in the 1980s. Dance Origins Prior to the 1990s, Argentine tango was taught with a didac ...
'' or 'new tango' has been popularized in recent years by a younger generation of dancers. The embrace is often quite open and very elastic, permitting the leader to lead a large variety of very complex figures. This style is often associated with those who enjoy dancing to jazz- and techno-tinged "alternative tango" music, in addition to traditional tango compositions.


Tango de salon (salon tango)


Tango canyengue

''Tango canyengue'' is a rhythmic style of tango that originated in the early 1900s and is still popular today. It is one of the original roots styles of tango and contains all fundamental elements of traditional Tango from the River Plate region (Uruguay and Argentina). In ''tango canyengue'' the dancers share one axis, dance in a closed embrace, and with the legs relaxed and slightly bent. ''Tango canyengue'' uses body dissociation for the leading, walking with firm ground contact, and a permanent combination of on- and off-beat rhythm. Its main characteristics are its musicality and playfulness. Its rhythm is described as "incisive, exciting, provocative". The complex figures of this style became the basis for a theatrical performance style of Tango seen in the touring stage shows. For stage purposes, the embrace is often very open, and the complex footwork is augmented with gymnastic lifts, kicks, and drops.


Tango nuevo

A newer style sometimes called ''
tango nuevo Nuevo tango is both a form of music in which new elements are incorporated into traditional tango music, and an evolution of tango dance that began to develop in the 1980s. Dance Origins Prior to the 1990s, Argentine tango was taught with a didac ...
'' or 'new tango' was popularized after 1980 by a younger generation of musicians and dancers. Ástor Piazzolla, composer and virtuoso of the bandoneón (so-called "tango accordion") played a major role in the innovation of traditional tango music. The embrace is often quite open and very elastic, permitting the leader to initiate a great variety of very complex figures. This style is often associated with those who enjoy dancing to jazz- and techno-tinged, electronic and alternative music inspired in old tangos, in addition to traditional Tango compositions. ''Tango nuevo'' is largely fueled by a fusion between tango music and
electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to r ...
(), though the style can be adapted to traditional tango and even non-tango songs. Gotan Project released its first tango fusion album in 2000, quickly following with
La Revancha del Tango ''La Revancha del Tango'' is the debut album by French musical group Gotan Project. It was released on 22 October 2001 on XL Recordings and ¡Ya Basta! Records. The album contains a cover of the title track from Frank Zappa's 1970 album ''Chunga ...
in 2001. Bajofondo Tango Club, a
Rioplatense Rioplatense Spanish (), also known as Rioplatense Castilian, is a variety of Spanish spoken mainly in and around the Río de la Plata Basin of Argentina and Uruguay. It is also referred to as River Plate Spanish or Argentine Spanish. It is the ...
music band consisting of seven musicians from Argentina and Uruguay, released their first album in 2002. Tanghetto's album '' Emigrante (electrotango)'' appeared in 2003 and was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2004. These and other electronic tango fusion songs bring an element of revitalization to the tango dance, serving to attract a younger group of dancers.


New tango songs

In the second half of the 1990s, a movement of new tango songs was born in Buenos Aires. It was mainly influenced by the old orchestra style rather than by Piazzolla's renewal and experiments with electronic music. The novelty lies in the new songs, with today's lyrics and language, which find inspiration in a wide variety of contemporary styles. In the 2000s, the movement grew with prominent figures such as the Orquesta Típica Fernandez Fierro, whose creator, Julian Peralta, would later start Astillero and the Orquesta Típica Julián Peralta. Other bands also have become part of the movement such as the Orquesta Rascacielos, Altertango, Ciudad Baigón, as well as singer and songwriters Alfredo "Tape" Rubín, Victoria di Raimondo, Juan Serén, Natalí de Vicenzo and
Pacha González Pacha González (born in Buenos Aires in 1975) Argentine Tango singer and songwriter Biography Pablo “Pacha” González was born in Buenos Aires in 1975. As a teenager, he started playing the piano participating in several projects with dif ...
.


Ballroom tango

Ballroom tango, divided in recent decades into the "International" and "American" styles, has descended from the tango styles that developed when the tango first went abroad to Europe and North America. The dance was simplified, adapted to the preferences of conventional ballroom dancers, and incorporated into the repertoire used in International Ballroom dance competitions. English tango was first codified in October 1922, when it was proposed that it should only be danced to modern tunes, ideally at 30 bars per minute (i.e. 120 beats per minute – assuming a measure). Subsequently, the English tango evolved mainly as a highly competitive dance, while the American tango evolved as an unjudged social dance with an emphasis on
leading and following In some types of partner dance, lead and follow are designations for the two dancers' roles in a dance pairing. The leader is responsible for guiding the couple and initiating transitions to different dance steps and, in improvised dances, for cho ...
skills. This has led to some principal distinctions in basic technique and style. Nevertheless, there are quite a few competitions held in the American style, and of course mutual borrowing of technique and dance patterns happens all the time. Ballroom tangos use different music and styling from the tangos from the River Plata region (Uruguay and Argentina), with more staccato movements and the characteristic ''head snaps''. The head snaps are totally foreign to Argentine and Uruguayan tango, and were introduced in 1934 under the influence of a similar movement in the legs and feet of the tango from the River Plate, and the theatrical movements of the pasodoble. This style became very popular in Germany and was soon introduced to England. The movements were very popular with spectators, but not with competition judges.


Finnish tango

Tango arrived in Finland in 1913. The tango spread from the dominant urban dance form to become hugely popular across Finland in the 1950s after World War I and World War II. The melancholy tone of the music reflects the themes of Finnish folk poetry; Finnish tango is almost always in a minor key. The tango is danced in very close full thigh, pelvis and 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, although rises and falls are optional in some styles. Forward steps land heel first except when descending from a rise, 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. Dips and rotations are typical. There is no open position, and typically feet stay close to the floor, except in dips the follower might slightly raise the left leg. Unlike in some Argentine-Uruguayan tango styles, in Finnish tango there is no kicking of any kind, and there are no aerials. The annual Finnish tango festival '' Tangomarkkinat'' draws over 100,000 tango fans to the central Finnish town of
Seinäjoki Seinäjoki (; "Wall River"; la, Wegelia, formerly sv, Östermyra) is a city located in South Ostrobothnia, Finland; east of Vaasa, north of Tampere, west of Jyväskylä and southwest of Oulu. Seinäjoki originated around the Östermyra bru ...
; the town also hosts the Tango Museum.


Comparison of techniques

Argentine Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or (feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, s ...
- Uruguayan and
ballroom A ballroom or ballhall is a large room inside a building, the primary purpose of which is holding large formal parties called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions and palaces, especially historic man ...
tango use very different techniques. In Argentine and Uruguayan tango, the body's center moves first, then the feet reach to support it. In ballroom tango, the body is initially set in motion across the floor through the flexing of the lower joints (hip, knee, ankle) while the feet are delayed, then the feet move quickly to catch the body, resulting in snatching or striking action that reflects the staccato nature of this style's preferred music. In tango, the steps are typically more gliding, but can vary widely in timing, speed, and character, and follow no single specific rhythm. Because the dance is led and followed at the level of individual steps, these variations can occur from one step to the next. This allows the dancers to vary the dance from moment to moment to match the music (which often has both legato and/or
staccato Staccato (; Italian for "detached") is a form of musical articulation. In modern notation, it signifies a note of shortened duration, separated from the note that may follow by silence. It has been described by theorists and has appeared in music ...
elements) and their mood. The Tango's frame, called an ''abrazo'' or "embrace", is not rigid, but flexibly adjusts to different steps, and may vary from being quite close, to offset in a "V" frame, to open. The flexibility is as important as is all movement in dance. The American Ballroom Tango's frame is flexible too, but experienced dancers frequently dance in closed position: higher in the elbows, tone in the arms and constant connection through the body. When dancing socially with beginners, however, it may be better to use a more open position because the close position is too intimate for them. In American Tango open position may result in open breaks, pivots, and turns which are quite foreign in Argentine tango and International (English) tango. There is a closed position as in other types of
ballroom dance Ballroom dance is a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world, mostly because of its performance and entertainment aspects. Ballroom dancing is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television. ...
, but it differs significantly between types of tango. In Tango from the River Plata region, the "close embrace" involves continuous contact at the full upper body, but not the legs. In American Ballroom tango, the "close embrace" involves close contact in the pelvis or upper thighs, but not the upper body. Followers are instructed to thrust their hips forward, but pull their upper body away and shyly look over their left shoulder when they are led into a "corte". In tango from the River Plate region, the open position, the legs may be intertwined and hooked together, in the style of Pulpo (the Octopus). In Pulpo's style, these hooks are not sharp, but smooth ganchos. In Tango from the River Plata, Uruguay and Argentina, the ball or toe of the foot may be placed first. Alternatively, the dancer may take the floor with the entire foot in a cat-like manner. In the International style of Tango, " heel leads" (stepping first onto the heel, then the whole foot) are used for forward steps. Ballroom tango steps stay close to the floor, while the River Plata Tango (Uruguayan and Argentine) includes moves such as the '' boleo'' (allowing momentum to carry one's leg into the air) and '' gancho'' (hooking one's leg around one's partner's leg or body) in which the feet travel off the ground. Both Uruguayan and Argentine tango features other vocabulary foreign to ballroom, such as the '' parada'' (in which the leader puts his foot against the follower's foot), the '' arrastre'' (in which the leader appears to drag or be dragged by the follower's foot), and several kinds of '' sacada'' (in which the leader displaces the follower's leg by stepping into her space).


Famous tango singers

*
Carlos Acuña Carlos Acuña (November 4, 1915 – February 19, 1999) was an Argentina, Argentine Tango music, Tango singer and composer. As a vocalist, he was best known for his performance of ''La Calesita'' ("The Merry-Go-Round"); and as a composer, for ''Un ...
(1915–1999) was known for his deep, high and expressive voice. His foreign travels brought him success in Uruguay, Mexico, Italy and Spain, where he became a close friend of the exiled
Juan Perón Juan Domingo Perón (, , ; 8 October 1895 – 1 July 1974) was an Argentine Army general and politician. After serving in several government positions, including Minister of Labour and Vice President of a military dictatorship, he was elected P ...
. *
Néstor Fabián Néstor Fabián (born 30 November 1938 in Buenos Aires, Argentina), is an Argentine tango singer and actor. Having lost his biological family, he was adopted. At the age of twelve, he started working at a shoes factory to help his adoptive fami ...
*
Carlos Gardel Carlos Gardel (born Charles Romuald Gardès; 11 December 1890 – 24 June 1935) was a French-born Argentine singer, songwriter, composer and actor, and the most prominent figure in the history of tango. He was one of the most influential inte ...
* Roberto Goyeneche * Julio Sosa (1926–1964) from Uruguay was one of the most important tango singers during tango's unhappy years in the 1950s and early 1960s. His passion for poetry led to his sole published book; his passion for fast cars led to his young death. *
Olavi Virta Olavi Virta (originally to 1926 Oskari Olavi Ilmén) (27 February 1915 in Sysmä, Grand Duchy of Finland – 14 July 1972 in Pispala, Tampere, Finland) was a Finnish singer, acclaimed during his time as the "King" of Finnish tango. Between 1939 a ...
* Reijo Taipale * Tita Merello * Edmundo Rivero *
Pyotr Leschenko Pyotr Konstantinovich Leshchenko (russian: Пётр Константинович Лещенко; 2 June 189816 July 1954), a singer in the Russian Empire, and later Romania, is universally considered "the King of Russian Tango" and specifically kno ...


Tango influence

Music and dance elements of tango are popular in activities related to gymnastics, figure skating,
synchronized swimming Synchronized swimming (in British English, synchronised swimming) or artistic swimming is a sport where swimmers perform a synchronized choreographed routine, accompanied by music. The sport is governed internationally by FINA (the ''Fédérati ...
, etc., because of its dramatic feeling and its cultural associations with romance. For the
1978 FIFA World Cup The 1978 FIFA World Cup was the 11th edition of the FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial international football world championship tournament among the men's senior national teams. It was held in Argentina between 1 and 25 June. The Cup was won by t ...
in Argentina,
Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufactur ...
designed a ball and named it Tango, likely a tribute to the host country of the event. This design was also used in
1982 FIFA World Cup The 1982 FIFA World Cup was the 12th FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial Association football, football tournament for men's senior national teams, and was played in Spain between 13 June and 11 July 1982. The tournament was won by Italy national foo ...
in Spain as ''Tango Málaga'', and in 1984 and 1988 UEFA European Football Championships in France and West Germany.


In society

Tango appears in different aspects of society: Regular milongas and special festivals. A very famous festival is the Tango Buenos Aires Festival y Mundial in Buenos Aires also known as
World tango dance tournament The World tango dance tournament (in Spanish: ''Campeonato Mundial de Baile de Tango'', also known as ''Mundial de Tango'') is an annual competition of Argentine Tango, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, usually in August, as part of the Buenos A ...
. On a regional level there are also many festivals inside and outside of Argentina. One local festival outside Argentina is
Buenos Aires in the Southern Highlands Buenos Aires in the Southern Highlands (or short BASH) is a social Tango dance event held annually in November at Bundanoon, NSW, Australia. It is supported by Tango Social Club of Canberra and Tango Synergy of Sydney. BASH was the originally ...
in Australia.


Gender and tango

Typically the tango is performed between a man and a woman, however the two have very different aspirations within the tango. Women often looked to the tango to help them gain confidence and to help them find a potential relationship. Men however looked to the tango for intimate reasons, and were known to be flirty and sexually willing. Women, however, were primarily focused on the dance itself and became wealthy. As time went on and the tango culture changed, women and men often wanted to travel and compete and also teach tango classes and then both women and men are viewed as equals. Gender roles also plays a big part in the mechanics of tango due to the tango needing a leader. But in more recent times this is being challenged due to woman not wanting to be dependent on the male for the dance. In the early 1900s, there were often more male dancers than female so the dance was performed between two men. This allowed for both men to learn the leading and following roles of tango and adapt to both lead equally in the dance. This changed the mechanics of the dance to be closer to two equally leading roles between men and women or same sex pairs.


In film

Argentine tango is the main subject in these films: * '' ¡Tango!'' (1933) * '' Kaatru Veliyidai'' (2017), directed by Mani Ratnam with the song Tango Kelayo composed by Oscar winner
A.R. Rahman Allah Rakha Rahman (; born A. S. Dileep Kumar; 6 January 1967) is an Indian music composer, record producer, singer and songwriter, popular for his works in Indian cinema; predominantly in Tamil and Hindi films, with occasional forays in int ...
and lyrics written by vairamuthu. * ''
Adiós Buenos Aires ''Adiós Buenos Aires'' (English language: ''Goodbye Buenos Aires'') is a 1938 Argentine musical film directed and written by Leopoldo Torres Ríos. The film starred Tito Lusiardo and a 19-year-old Amelia Bence. The film is a musical about tan ...
'' (1938) * '' Tango: El Exilio de Gardel/Tangos: the Exile of Gardel'' (1985), starring Philippe Léotard, directed by Fernando Solanas * '' Tango Bar'' (1988), starring Raúl Juliá * '' The Tango Lesson'' (1997), starring Sally Potter and
Pablo Verón Pablo is a Spanish form of the name Paul. People *Pablo Alborán, Spanish singer *Pablo Aimar, Argentine footballer *Pablo Armero, Colombian footballer *Pablo Bartholomew, Indian photojournalist *Pablo Brandán, Argentine footballer *Pablo Brenes, ...
, directed by Sally Potter * '' Tango'' (1998), starring Cecilia Narova and Mía Maestro, directed by Carlos Saura * ''
Assassination Tango ''Assassination Tango'' is a 2002 American crime thriller film written, produced, directed by, and starring Robert Duvall. Other actors include Rubén Blades, Kathy Baker and Duvall's Argentine wife, Luciana Pedraza. Francis Ford Coppola was one of ...
'' (2002), starring Robert Duvall, Rubén Blades and Kathy Baker, directed by Robert Duvall * '' Orquesta Típica'' (2005), documentary film about typical orchestra Fernandez Fierro, directed by
Nicolas Entel Nicolas Entel (born 14 August 1975) is an Argentine filmmaker. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Buenos Aires and lives in Brooklyn, NY. He has written, directed and produced shows for Amazon Studios, Netflix and HBO. Entel created, wrote ...
* ''12 Tangos – Adios Buenos Aires'' (2005), directed by
Arne Birkenstock Arne Birkenstock (born 1967) is a German film director and screenwriter. Biography Birkenstock was born in Huettental and was raised in Cologne. He studied economy, political science, history of Latin America and romance languages in Cologne, ...
* '' Tango libre'' (2012), directed by Frédéric Fonteyne * '' Vaje v objemu / Practice in embrace'' (2012), directed by Metod Pevec A number of films show tango in several scenes, such as: *'' The Threepenny Opera'' (Die 3-Groschen-Oper) (1931), directed by G. W. Pabst, has number called Tango Ballade. * '' The Plow That Broke the Plains'' (1936), directed by Pare Lorentz. * '' The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse'' (1921), starring
Rudolph Valentino Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor based in the United States who starred ...
and Alice Terry, directed by Rex Ingram. * ''
L'amore in città ''Love in the City'' ( it, L'amore in città) is a 1953 Italian anthology film composed of six segments, each with its own writer or director. The anthology consists of the following episodes: * ''Paid Love'' written and directed by Carlo Lizza ...
'' (1953), segment ''"Paradise for three hours"'' (Paradiso per tre ore), directed by Dino Risi, starring nonprofessional actors, featuring a long sequence in a ballroom, where a passionate tango of Mario Nascimbene is played. * '' Il Conformista'' (1970), starring Jean-Louis Trintignant and Dominique Sanda, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. * '' Last Tango in Paris'' (1972), starring
Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he received numerous accolades throughout his career, which spanned six decades, including two Academ ...
and Maria Schneider, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. * '' The World's Greatest Lover'' (1977), starring Gene Wilder (who also directed), Carol Kane and Dom DeLuise. * '' Death on the Nile'' (1978),
Peter Ustinov Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov (born Peter Alexander Freiherr von Ustinov ; 16 April 192128 March 2004) was a British actor, filmmaker and writer. An internationally known raconteur, he was a fixture on television talk shows and lecture circuits ...
and Olivia Hussey tango whilst David Niven is the unfortunate partner to Angela Lansbury's rather eccentric version of the dance. * ''Tango'' (1981), a short animation film by Zbigniew Rybczynski. Received an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film, Academy Awards 1982. * ''
Never Say Never Again ''Never Say Never Again'' is a 1983 spy film directed by Irvin Kershner. The film is based on the 1961 James Bond novel '' Thunderball'' by Ian Fleming, which in turn was based on an original story by Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham, and Flemi ...
'' (1983), starring
Sean Connery Sir Sean Connery (born Thomas Connery; 25 August 1930 – 31 October 2020) was a Scottish actor. He was the first actor to portray fictional British secret agent James Bond on film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983. Origina ...
and Kim Basinger, directed by Irvin Kershner. * ''
Naked Tango ''Naked Tango'' is a 1990 erotic drama film. An Argentinean-international co-production, it was written and directed by Leonard Schrader, and stars Vincent D'Onofrio, Mathilda May, Esai Morales and Fernando Rey. The choreography was created by Car ...
'' (1990), starring Vincent D'Onofrio and Mathilda May, directed by Leonard Schrader. * '' Scent of a Woman'' (1992),
Al Pacino Alfredo James Pacino (; ; born April 25, 1940) is an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he has received numerous accolades: including an Academy Award, two Tony Awards, and two Primetime Emmy ...
as blind Colonel dances
Argentine tango Argentine tango is a musical genre and accompanying social dance originating at the end of the 19th century in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. It typically has a or rhythmic time signature, and two or three parts repeating in patterns such as AB ...
. * ''
Strictly Ballroom ''Strictly Ballroom'' is a 1992 Australian romantic comedy film directed and co-written by Baz Luhrmann in his feature directorial debut. The film is the first in his "Red Curtain Trilogy" of theatre-motif-related films; it was followed by 1996 ...
'' (1992), directed by
Baz Luhrmann Mark Anthony Luhrmann (born 17 September 1962), known professionally as Baz Luhrmann, is an Australian film director, producer, writer and actor. With projects spanning film, television, opera, theatre, music and recording industries, he is re ...
. * '' Addams Family Values'' (1993), Raul Julia and
Anjelica Huston Anjelica Huston ( ; born July 8, 1951) is an American actress and director. Known for often portraying eccentric and distinctive characters, she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, as well as no ...
dance a tango so passionate that it literally burns the floor and makes all the champagne bottles in the nightclub pop their corks. * '' Schindler's List'' (1993), starring Liam Neeson. * '' True Lies'' (1994), starring
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, film producer, businessman, retired professional bodybuilder and politician who served as the 38th governor of California between 2003 and 2011. ''Time'' ...
, Jamie Lee Curtis and Tia Carrere, directed by
James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...
. * '' Evita'' (1996),
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
and
Antonio Banderas José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born 10 August 1960), known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and singer. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Antonio Ba ...
dance a ballroom tango. * '' Happy Together'' (1997), directed by Wong Kar-wai. * '' Moulin Rouge!'' (2001), featuring Ewan McGregor and "El Tango de Roxanne". * '' Waking Life'' (2001), directed by
Richard Linklater Richard Stuart Linklater (; born July 30, 1960) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is known for films that revolve mainly around suburban culture and the effects of the passage of time. His films include the comedies '' ...
. * ''Le Tango Des Rashevski'' (2002). * '' Chicago'' (2002), starring Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere, directed by Rob Marshall includes a song titled "
Cell Block Tango "Cell Block Tango" is a song from the 1975 musical ''Chicago'', with music composed by John Kander and lyrics written by Fred Ebb. Description At the Cook County Jail women's annex, six women explain their presence in the jail, all of whom stand ...
" and is accompanied with a dance. * '' Frida'' (2002), Salma Hayek and Ashley Judd dance a tango to the Lila Downs performed song "Alcoba Azul". * ''
Shall We Dance Shall We Dance may refer to: Films * ''Shall We Dance'' (1937 film), a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical * ''Shall We Dance?'' (1996 film), a Japanese film about ballroom dancing * ''Shall We Dance?'' (2004 film), an American remake of the ...
'' (2004), starring Richard Gere,
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
and Susan Sarandon, directed by Peter Chelsom. *
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
featured choreography inspired by the
Argentine tango Argentine tango is a musical genre and accompanying social dance originating at the end of the 19th century in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. It typically has a or rhythmic time signature, and two or three parts repeating in patterns such as AB ...
styles for the Die Another Day section of her 2004
Re-Invention Tour The Re-Invention World Tour (billed as Re-Invention World Tour 2004) was the sixth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna, in support of her ninth studio album '' American Life'' (2003). The tour began on May 24, 2004, in Inglewoo ...
. Segments of the 2005 documentary '' I'm Going To Tell You A Secret'' show this choreography in use. * '' Rent'' (2005) had Anthony Rapp and Tracie Thoms perform a semi-elaborate ballroom tango in the song "Tango:Maureen" to describe their emotional relations and issues over a promiscuous girl they both dated. * '' Mad Hot Ballroom'' (2005), documentary directed by
Marilyn Agrelo Marilyn Agrelo is an American film director and producer. She directed and co-produced the 2005 documentary film ''Mad Hot Ballroom''. The documentary won several awards, including the Satellite Award for Best Documentary Film in 2005 and the Chr ...
. * '' Love and Other Disasters'' (2006), Jacks ( Brittany Murphy) and Paolo ( Santiago Cabrera) perform a tango together. * '' Take the Lead'' (2006), starring
Antonio Banderas José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born 10 August 1960), known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and singer. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Antonio Ba ...
, directed by Liz Friedlander. * ''Tanghi Argentini,'' Oscar nominated short film by Guy Thys, starring Dirk Van Dijck and Koen van Impe * '' Another Cinderella Story'' (2008), starring Selena Gomez and Drew Seeley. Performed during the Black and White Ball in the scene where Mary drops her Zune. * '' Easy Virtue'' (2008), in which Jessica Biel and
Colin Firth Colin Andrew Firth (born 10 September 1960) is an English actor and producer. He was identified in the mid-1980s with the " Brit Pack" of rising young British actors, undertaking a challenging series of roles, including leading roles in '' A M ...
dance a tango. * '' Step Up 3D'' (2010), in which Rick Malambri, Sharni Vinson and some of the supporting characters at a ballroom dance a tango to Jazmine Sullivan's '' Bust Your Windows''. * ''Pixilation II'' (2011), short animation film by Kambras. * ''Tango Libre'' (2012) starring François Damiens and Anne Paulicevich, directed by Frédéric Fonteyne * ''Two to Tango'' (2021), directed by Dimitri Sterckens Finnish tango is featured to a greater or lesser extent in the following films: * '' Onnen maa'' (1993), starring
Pertti Koivula Pertti is a Finnish masculine given name.http://verkkopalvelu.vrk.fi/Nimipalvelu/default.asp?L=1 nimipalvelu Notable people *Pertti Ahlqvist, blues musician *Pertti Haikonen, footballer *Pertti Hasanen, ice hockey goalkeeper *Pertti Honkanen, v ...
and
Katariina Kaitue Katariina Kaitue (born 21 January 1967 in Helsinki) is a Finnish actress. She has been a regular actress since 1991 at the Finnish National Theatre, where she has performed dozens of roles. Kaitue studied at the Helsinki Theatre Academyi from 1 ...
, directed by Markku Pölönen. * ''
Levottomat ''Restless'' ( fi, Levottomat) is a Finnish romantic film directed by Aku Louhimies and released in 2000. It was entered into the 22nd Moscow International Film Festival. The sex scenes in the film sparked uproar and disapproval from the audienc ...
'' (2000), starring Mikko Nousiainen and Laura Malmivaara, directed by
Aku Louhimies Aku Louhimies (2009) Aku Louhimies (born 3 July 1968) is a Finnish film director and screenwriter. He has directed feature films, documentary films, commercials and music videos. His international breakthrough was the 2016 serial drama '' Rebe ...
. * ''
Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö ''The Match Factory Girl'' () is a 1990 Finnish-Swedish film edited, written, co-produced, and directed by Aki Kaurismäki, the final installment of his Proletariat Trilogy, after his '' Shadows in Paradise'' and ''Ariel''. It follows Iris, a you ...
'' (1990), starring Kati Outinen, directed by
Aki Kaurismäki Aki Olavi Kaurismäki (; born 4 April 1957) is a Finnish film director and screenwriter. He is best known for the award-winning '' Drifting Clouds'' (1996), ''The Man Without a Past'' (2002), ''Le Havre'' (2011) and ''The Other Side of Hope'' (20 ...
. * '' Mies vailla menneisyyttä'' (2002), starring Markku Peltola and Kati Outinen, directed by
Aki Kaurismäki Aki Olavi Kaurismäki (; born 4 April 1957) is a Finnish film director and screenwriter. He is best known for the award-winning '' Drifting Clouds'' (1996), ''The Man Without a Past'' (2002), ''Le Havre'' (2011) and ''The Other Side of Hope'' (20 ...
. * ''
Varjoja paratiisissa ''Shadows in Paradise'' () is a 1986 Finnish art house comedy-drama film written and directed by Aki Kaurismäki. The film stars Kati Outinen as Ilona and Matti Pellonpää as Nikander. ''Shadows in Paradise'' was awarded the Best Film award a ...
'' (1986), starring Matti Pellonpää and Kati Outinen, directed by
Aki Kaurismäki Aki Olavi Kaurismäki (; born 4 April 1957) is a Finnish film director and screenwriter. He is best known for the award-winning '' Drifting Clouds'' (1996), ''The Man Without a Past'' (2002), ''Le Havre'' (2011) and ''The Other Side of Hope'' (20 ...
. * ''
Kuutamolla ''Lovers & Leavers'' ( fi, Kuutamolla) is a 2002 Finnish romantic drama film directed by Aku Louhimies. The film is written by Katja Kallio and Louhimies, based on Kallio's novel ''Kuutamolla: Levoton tarina rakastamisesta''. ''Lovers & Leavers'' ...
'' (2002), starring Minna Haapkylä and Laura Malmivaara, directed by
Aku Louhimies Aku Louhimies (2009) Aku Louhimies (born 3 July 1968) is a Finnish film director and screenwriter. He has directed feature films, documentary films, commercials and music videos. His international breakthrough was the 2016 serial drama '' Rebe ...
. * '' Tango Kabaree'' (2001), starring Martti Suosalo and Aira Samulin, directed by Pekka Lehto. * '' Minä soitan sinulle illalla'' (1954), starring
Olavi Virta Olavi Virta (originally to 1926 Oskari Olavi Ilmén) (27 February 1915 in Sysmä, Grand Duchy of Finland – 14 July 1972 in Pispala, Tampere, Finland) was a Finnish singer, acclaimed during his time as the "King" of Finnish tango. Between 1939 a ...
, directed by
Armand Lohikoski Armand Lohikoski (January 3, 1912 – March 20, 2005) was an American born Finnish movie director and writer. He is best known as a director of a number of '' Pekka ja Pätkä'' movies. Career Before his career as a film director Armand Lohikosk ...
.


In popular culture

* A '' Sesame Street'' episode features a Tango Festival being held at the Furry Arms Hotel. * '' The Backyardigans'' uses the Tango genre for the episode; Secret Agent.


Gallery

File:Tango 2 - San Telmo @ Buenos Aires.jpg File:Tango in Plaza Dorrego.jpg File:Carlos Gardel, Argentine tango singer, portrait.jpg,
Carlos Gardel Carlos Gardel (born Charles Romuald Gardès; 11 December 1890 – 24 June 1935) was a French-born Argentine singer, songwriter, composer and actor, and the most prominent figure in the history of tango. He was one of the most influential inte ...
File:Tango in BA.jpg File:Camanita Tango 06 (3395529946).jpg File:Tango Porteño.jpg, Tango Porteño


References


Further reading

* Davis, Kathy (2015). ''Dancing Tango: passionate encounters in a globalising world'. NYUP. * Kassabova, Kapka (2011). ''Twelve Minutes of Love, a tango story'' (English), Portobello., 9781846272851 * * * Nau, Nicole (1999). ''Tango Dimensionen'' (German), Kastell Verlag GmbH, . * Nau, Nicole (2000). ''Tango, un baile bien porteño'' (Spanish), Editorial Corregidor, * Park, Chan (2005). ''Tango Zen: Walking Dance Meditation'' (English), Tango Zen House, * Park, Chan (2008). ''TangoZen: Caminar y Meditar Bailando'' (Spanish-English), Editorial Kier, *Savigliano, Marta E. (1995) ''Tango and the Political Economy of Passion''. Westview Press, * Turner, David (2006). ''A Passion for Tango'' (English), Dingley Press 2004 Revised and augmented,


External links


Argentine Tango Radio

Tango in the Movies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tango (Dance) Tango dance Partner dance Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity Urban street dance and music Articles containing video clips