In the steamy tropics of South America an elegant and passionate dance was born that received condemnation in Buenos Aires and labeled "Dirty Dancing" in the US. That dance is called the Argentine Tango. The Argentine Tango is a celebration of life mixed with rampant sexuality that was considered unacceptable in polite society. Rudolph Valentino, the great "Latin Lover" of the silver screen, introduced a fare more tamer version in New York in 1921 than the one practiced in Argentina.
Buenos Aires has often been called "The Paris of South America" because of its cosmopolitan nature. This is the land of Evita and the Peron legacy, after all. 100 years ago, the streets of Buenos Aires were filled with people who emigrated from Europe and their descendants, many of whom were homesick for their native countries. As the Europeans mixed with the native Indian populations, an influx of immigrants from Cuba and rhythmic music from Africa began to have an effect on the population that favored the polka and the waltz.
It is said that the Argentine Tango began when the gauchos (cowboys) would come to town seeking female companionship. Since their leather chaps were stiff from weeks on horseback and they walked with bent knees, the male stance was born. The women held themselves at a distance, keeping their heads back from the odor of a man who had long been out on the trail. Despite the imagery of this urban legend, it hardly seems likely that dancing with smelly male strangers could possibly give rise to such a dance of passion where bodies intertwine so freely. In fact, it is also said that the gauchos never danced the Tango. The romantic gaucho imagery actually came from the 1926 movie, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, starring Rudolph Valentino. Rudy played an Argentine cowboy with a whip in one hand and a carnation in his mouth, apparently because a carnation has no thorns compared to the traditional rose. The imagery created on the screen was so powerful that to this day, male Tango stars often embrace the gaucho garb. Of course, we can safely assume that Mr. Valentino had bathed.
But the Argentine Tango was actually born in the brothels of Buenos Aires. It was considered obscene and roundly condemned by civil society because of the foreplay and seduction that's rampant in the dance. But despite its sexuality and less-than-perfect origin, it strikes the essence of all men and women. It is the classic "War Between the Sexes" where love, dominance and submission rules and chivalry and polite face are only secondary. The Argentine Tango is an expression of coming together, parting ways, and restoration. It dance is driven by the Latin rhythms and chemistry between the two people. And because it is less structured than the American version, it is very hard to make a mistake so one can be free to "tango on."
One can look like an expert with only a few moves. One just has to alter the moves as the tempo changes between fast and slow, elegant and dramatic. This is a dance that mirrors life. You move together, somewhat rigid, in unison. You break away, unite, embracing passionately with legs wrapped around one another. You twirl, dip, glide. You move slow only to explode in a furious flurry. It is a dance of opposites: man and woman, slow and fast, reserved and unbridled. It is the reason why Tango is so much fun to watch and learn to dance.
From its inception in the slums of Buenos Aires to the high society of NYC, the Argentine Tango has come a long way. And it's appeal as a universal story of drama, love and romance is what keeps people wanting more. You'll be sure to steal the spotlight on any dancefloor after learning this dance.
Buenos Aires has often been called "The Paris of South America" because of its cosmopolitan nature. This is the land of Evita and the Peron legacy, after all. 100 years ago, the streets of Buenos Aires were filled with people who emigrated from Europe and their descendants, many of whom were homesick for their native countries. As the Europeans mixed with the native Indian populations, an influx of immigrants from Cuba and rhythmic music from Africa began to have an effect on the population that favored the polka and the waltz.
It is said that the Argentine Tango began when the gauchos (cowboys) would come to town seeking female companionship. Since their leather chaps were stiff from weeks on horseback and they walked with bent knees, the male stance was born. The women held themselves at a distance, keeping their heads back from the odor of a man who had long been out on the trail. Despite the imagery of this urban legend, it hardly seems likely that dancing with smelly male strangers could possibly give rise to such a dance of passion where bodies intertwine so freely. In fact, it is also said that the gauchos never danced the Tango. The romantic gaucho imagery actually came from the 1926 movie, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, starring Rudolph Valentino. Rudy played an Argentine cowboy with a whip in one hand and a carnation in his mouth, apparently because a carnation has no thorns compared to the traditional rose. The imagery created on the screen was so powerful that to this day, male Tango stars often embrace the gaucho garb. Of course, we can safely assume that Mr. Valentino had bathed.
But the Argentine Tango was actually born in the brothels of Buenos Aires. It was considered obscene and roundly condemned by civil society because of the foreplay and seduction that's rampant in the dance. But despite its sexuality and less-than-perfect origin, it strikes the essence of all men and women. It is the classic "War Between the Sexes" where love, dominance and submission rules and chivalry and polite face are only secondary. The Argentine Tango is an expression of coming together, parting ways, and restoration. It dance is driven by the Latin rhythms and chemistry between the two people. And because it is less structured than the American version, it is very hard to make a mistake so one can be free to "tango on."
One can look like an expert with only a few moves. One just has to alter the moves as the tempo changes between fast and slow, elegant and dramatic. This is a dance that mirrors life. You move together, somewhat rigid, in unison. You break away, unite, embracing passionately with legs wrapped around one another. You twirl, dip, glide. You move slow only to explode in a furious flurry. It is a dance of opposites: man and woman, slow and fast, reserved and unbridled. It is the reason why Tango is so much fun to watch and learn to dance.
From its inception in the slums of Buenos Aires to the high society of NYC, the Argentine Tango has come a long way. And it's appeal as a universal story of drama, love and romance is what keeps people wanting more. You'll be sure to steal the spotlight on any dancefloor after learning this dance.
About the Author:
Tony and Melanie have been dancing, teaching, performing and creating fantastic choreography for over 30 years. The run NYC's premier dance center If you want to know more background of any dances make sure you check out their website. They are currently teachingdance lessons in NYC
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