Argentine Tango

THE DANCE AND THE

DANCERS
 Marcia
The dancers in tango
The Argentine Tango is a partner dance, danced originally by a
couple, female and male, or by two males. It is very different
from the Tango in International and American ballroom dancing.

There are several styles of Argentine Tango: Salon Tango,

Milonguero Tango, Tango Nuevo and Neo Tango.

Argentine Tango is an interpretive, improvisational social dance

that allows the dancers to develop a deep connection, between
themselves, the music, and the environment which they are
dancing. Even though the Argentine Tango has now evolved into
a complex dance that incorporates an amazing variety of
footwork, if you peel away the layers, at its heart, it is a street
dance, that can be danced and felt anywhere you hear the Tango
music.
 Marcia
The tangos first impression in America

As it arrived in America in 1910, Tango was

considered an exotic dance which had great
impact in the society, but still not as big as the
turkey trot dance.

In the words of one social commentator, the

decade between 1910 and 1920 was the
period in which America went dance mad.
The problem was on how the dances were
performed. It was not just that the partners
held on to each other while dancing; it was the
wriggling...twisting motions they indulged in.
In other words, not appropriated.
 Marcia

The emphasis of the tango

The tango originated as a collectivistic dance in the
working class of Buenos Aires danced by men since
there were no women to dance with.

Soon prostitutes in the slums of Buenos Aires took up

the dance to entice man and increase their clientele.

From the slums of Buenos Aires the tango was observed

by nobles of the higher classes who took a fancy to it
and soon came in hordes to learn the new enticing
dance.

The nobles brought the tango into high class society

where it took the world with a fever.

The tango soon became all about performance, and

which couple could perform the best.
 TANGO AS A RELIGION: HEAVEN OR HELL
Marcia

For many of its practitioners,Tango is a kind of religion, a cult,

an object of worship or admiration. Tango has its priests (male
and female,Tango is a broadminded church). The faithful
believe that the dance holds the promise of something more.

A kind of faith, if you will an unproven believe in their ability to

achieve something extraordinary, something so far out of the
range of ordinary experience, that they are willing to give
everything they have to try to obtain it. There is a feeling of
elation that is achieved when tango works, a kind of bliss
associated with living truly and completely in the moment. It is
a bit like love. It is their heaven and their hell.

The tango is a dance of passion, allowing the dancers to form

deep connections with one another. The dance is filled will
sensuality as the dancers embrace, often staring deeply into
each other's eyes.
Description of the tago
 Bienvenue

The movement of Argentine tango

The movement of the Argentine Tango is a musical genre of
simple quadruple metre, binary musical form, and the social
dance that accompanies it.

Because the Argentine tango is based on improvisation and

evolve over time it can be danced to a melody of different songs
at different tempos. The dance can either be slow or fast
depending on the song and rhythm of the dancers.

Most of the movements are isolated to below the hips, dips and
elaborate wide movements are uncommon.

The tango starts in the eyes, each of the dancers slowly move
towards one another and come together in a close embrace. The
sensuality and passion is clearly expressed movements and
embrace.

The argentinean tango can be danced without moving much from

the same position. Allowing large groups of dancers to dance in
the same space.
 Bienvenue

The deeper meaning of Tango

Argentine tango is a musical genre of simple quadruple metre and
binary musical form, and the social dance that accompanies it. Its
lyrics and music are marked by nostalgia, expressed through melodic
instruments including the bandoneon.

It holds secrets to becoming a responsible and responsive leader:

two-way communication, setting a clear direction, and building the
foundations that allow intuition and innovation to flourish

The Tango is a way to express a type of innocent intimacy between

partners. The triumph of tango, is the triumph of its idea, which
regards nonsexual intimacy as decent, healthy and beautiful.

Argentine tango offers the pleasure of the embrace, the peaceful

harmony of connection between man and woman. Choice in partners
to embrace is respected and modulated through the use of the
cabeceo, a type of nod of the head, as the means of invitation to
dance.
 Bienvenue

The dance space

It is generally believed that Argentinian
tango developed in the late 19th century
in the working class neighborhoods of
Buenos Aires, Argentina and Montevideo,
Uruguay as practiced by Uruguayan and
Argentine dancers, musicians, and
immigrant laborers.

It was traditionally danced in all

working-class neighborhoods and soon
attracted the attention of higher society.
Wealthy parents brought Argentine tango
to Europe where it was ushered into the
world's spotlight.

Tango is now danced throughout

argentina. In the markets, at studios, at
festivals, and at clubs. The tango is
woven in the culture of Argentina and is a
way of life to its people.
 Bienvenue

Dressing for tango

The tango attire is professional in a sense.
The men ware fitted suits, often in black or gray,
that are fashionable but allow them to move. Their
hair is often slicked or pulled back.

Women wear a variety of dresses, commonly in

reds and blacks. Their dresses can be long or
short, as long as they have a slit to allow the
woman's leg to move freely.
High heels and light jewelry accompany the
dresses with red lipstick and smooky eyes being a
signature look.

There are no props used in Argentinean tango, and

very few body decorations, if any, on the womens
dresses.
 Bienvenue
Argentine tango music
Dance and music are both an integral part of
traditional and contemporary life in Argentina.
Argentine tango music is a reflection of a part of their
cultural identity.
The traditional instruments used was a solo or dual
guitars. Now the most common instruments used are
the bandoneon, one or more guitars, violins, violas,
bass, and a piano.
The instruments come together to create a sensual
melody that can be played at different tempos.
Depending on the song or style of tango someone
may or may not sing. However most of the music
played in the streets of Argentina or for performances
are instrumental.
Oppression or privilege,
historically, in U.S.
 Marcia

OPPRESSION OR PRIVILEGE, IN THE U.S.

Argentine faced a mix of oppression and privilege
in the U.S. historically.
Since the majority of argentine people are fairer
skinned, easily passing as white in America and
could gain white privilege.
The main religion in Argentina is Roman Catholic.
Since this religion is based off christianity, the
dominant religion since Europeans invaded
America their religion was easily accepted.

Although having fair skin granted Argentina

immigrants privilege, there were up to forty
different languages spoken in Argentina, the
dominant being spanish. Upon coming to America
having fair skin did them no good if they couldnt
speak English fluently.

Until 1965 Latinos, including argentines were

unable to vote.
 Bienvenue
Affected expression of Argentine culture in
America
Argentine immigrants culture has been greatly affected by both the oppression and privilege they faced
in America.

If immigrants didnt speak English in America they were looked down upon, most children of immigrants
grew up without learning the language of their parents. This goes the same for children of Argentine
immigrants.

Since the Argentine tango has been changed and popularized into ballroom tango in America, groups of
people dancing the original Argentine tango in America is uncommon.

Traditional Argentine food has been americanized and is served in restaurants across the country, it is a
far cry of the traditional food in Argentine. Even families with parents or recipes passed on from
Argentina have a hard time finding the right quality ingredient in America to make their traditional
dishes.
 Jerusha

Evidence of oppression and privilege

Until the civil rights act of 1965 Latinos, and by geographical
location this included Argentinians, were unable to vote in
America.

The majority of Argentinians have white skin and are Roman

Catholic, for Argentinian immigrants who fall into these
categories this gives grants them privilege upon coming to
America.

Stereotype of Argentinians that affect people's view of them

include, they are vain and arrogant, love a good disruptive
protest, cheat at football then boasting about winning, they are
crazy about Mate and have a ceremony around it, their women
are beautiful, and as a society have an interest in theater and
literature.
 Steven
Evolution of dance and cultural celebration in the U.S.
Argentinians hurdle to the immigrant's dream of upward
mobility but it also reinforces their negative image as
disenfranchised humans in society.

They found their identity in Tango the only thing that kept
them visible to the world.

The Tango became popular in Paris because it ties to

stereotypes, such as, exoticism and sexuality, which
identified with the indigenous Latin American culture.

The aggressive introduction of Anglo music began to

suppress the dance form and the Tango began to decline.

Tango became more of a social dance spreading across the

country as people began to incorporate their own dance
styles keeping the cultural expression alive.

As Tango spread across the world it was for the more

privileged, becoming competitive.
Oppression or Privilege
experienced, presently,
in the U.S.
 Steven

Social, economical, or political structures that

suppressed and devalue Argentine culture expression
The tango, a dance that evolved in Buenos Aires at the end of
the 19th century, the tango is probably derived from the
milonga, a lively, suggestive Argentinian dance, and the
habanera of Cuba and the West Indies. By the 1920s it had
become a popular ballroom dance in Europe and the United
States, and had been transformed into a flowing, elegant
series of steps accompanied by somewhat melancholy music
with a characteristic tango beat.

This group is no longer suppressed by social, economic or

political structures in fact many people love to watch, learn,
and practice this beautiful art.

Tango has made it to live tv. Many professional dancers

embrace this style of dance and use it to their advantage.
 Steven

Early 1900s of the tango

In the last two decades of the 19th century, the dance known as
the tango emerges out of the immigrant culture of Argentina's
dockside slums. The tango fuses New World, African, and
European dance styles and is accompanied first by violin and
harp and later by an accordion-like German import, the
bandoneon. It takes hold in the brothels of Buenos Aires,
where it is sometimes danced by pairs of men, sometimes by
prostitutes and their companions. The steps are sexual and
aggressive, the music permeated with longing and despair, as
the dancers act out the ritualistic relationship of prostitute and
pimp.

By the 1940s, the tango reaches its peak of popularity, danced

and performed in Buenos Aires cabarets, dance salons, social
and sports clubs, and restaurants, some holding three shows a
day. Maria Nieves, one of the stars of the 1980s show Forever
Tango, says of tango's golden age: "We were swept away by
our love for tango. We just loved to go dancing. We didn't go
out looking for sex...we didn't care what the man looked like. It
was a nice, beautiful, pure group of girls, interested only in the
tango."
 Steven

Oppression or Privileged?
For women within the Argentinean lower class, the tango
wasn't about sexuality, it was about oppression.

Many females who were good at tango used their ability to

enhance their prostitution clientele.

Some women chose to become prostitutes as a route to

escape the depths of the lower class state of life.

By the 1930's, the golden age of Argentina was beginning.

The tango became a fundamental expression of the

Argentine culture, and the golden age lasted through the
1940's-1950's.
The Argentinian culture
acculturation to the U.S.
 Jerusha
Contributions to the U.S. culture
Two of the most prominent things that the Argentinian
cultures has contributed to the American culture, is
food and the tango.

Then tango has been adopted and changed into the

ballroom tango we know today. This passionate dance
has been structured with specific steps so it could be
more easily judged at competitions. The music has a
prominent and steady tempo.

Where Argentine tango is a continually evolving

dances that can be danced to an array of music.

Some classical Argentinian foods that have been

adopted by America and can be found here are,
choriza, Empanadas, medialunas, and dulce de leche.
 Jerusha
Changed traditions
As the Argentinian people have acculturated into the American way of life many of their traditions
have changed or been lost.

The traditional Argentine tango was evolved and changed into ballroom tango.
Obtaining mate in the America is easy, even bring it from Argentina to enjoy is allowed.

With any change in locations comes a change in food. Although there are many Argentinian foods
that have been adopted into the American culture, finding traditional ingredients or a store that
sells non-american foods can be close to impossible.

There are around forty languages spoken throughout Argentina with a blending of cultures.
However some argentinian immigrant parents never teach their children their native language so
they can better acculturated to the American culture. When this happens a lot is lost, stories,
legends, whole chunks of culture that are never passed down.

Argentinians will greet each other and strangers with a hug and a kiss on both cheeks. No one
thinks anything of it. However, in America this is seen as strange, or the person's sexual identity
is brought into questions, especially if they are men. This custom has been lost in
American-Argentinians.
 Jerusha

American adoption of the tango

America has adopted and made its own version of the tango.
The ballroom tango is danced to music that has a vary
pronounced beat, it has been given precise steps that can
easily be judged at competitions, since it is danced with eight
basic steps it is usually danced around the room, where
Argentine tango, couples can stay in one place. Ballroom tango
is vary formal, and couples dont embrace in a way that would
seem improper. Ballroom tango also has upper body
movements, like sways and dips. Ballroom tango is almost
always danced in a parallel footwork pattern, unlike Argentina
that is parallel and cross work.

Most Argentinians are very proud of their famous tango and

will ridicule bad foreign imitations. It is not their intent to be
mean or rude, but since ballroom tango lacks the sensuality,
passion and elegance of Argentine tango that is danced to the
rhythm of the heartbeat. In Argentina there are un unspoken
set of rules, and codigos, that American style ballroom dancing
breaks and is frowned upon because of it.
Conclusion!
Conclusion
(Marcia )In conclusion, Ive learned to appreciate diverses group of dance. Writing about Tango, expanded
my knowledge of the dance steps, as well as how it is important to add your soul as you dance Tango.

I feel that we all have similarities when it comes to certain types of beats, movements of a dance and the
chemistry of a partner. Our commonalities are much more than our differences, because no matter where we
came from, we all have feelings, and those feelings can be expressed through any dance, let alone Tango.

(Jerusha): Before this project I knew very little about Argentine and its people. I had no idea that tango
originated in Argentina. Ive learned to appreciate how passionate the argentinean are in many aspects of their
lives.

There are many similarities between Argentine and American cultures, including, religions, skin color, expression
of emotions through dance, love of food, and so much more. No matter who we are and where we come from we
are all human beings who want to be understood.
Conclusion
(Ben): I learned more about Argentina, that most women can have to dress in profession and men have to dress
professionally as well, but sometimes the women have to dress in a short dress so that they can move the legs
fast

(Steven G): I learned that the women used to perform this dance in the slumps of Argentina for prostitute
situations so they could have just enough money to scrape by. But not only did the women dance with the other
women but men also danced with other men. This dance was also a language for the people of love passion and
stories.
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--Jonas, Gerald. Dancing: the power of dance around the world. London: BBC , 1992. Print. Pg. 174
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dancefeverstudios.com/argentine-tango-and-ballroom-tango/. Accessed 20 July 2017.
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