Although no one can identify the exact birthplace of the tango, its origins are rumored to lie in the brothels on the outskirts of Argentina’s capital city, Buenos Aires. While today, men in suave attire sensually move their partners around the dance floor, in the early days in Argentina, it was quite a different story.
Origin of the Tango
In the beginning, men would gather in bars to practice their moves, which had more of a predatory quality. Back then, the dance was associated with bordello brawls. Looked down upon by aristocratic families, the tango was seen as a dance for thugs. The earliest music ensembles associated with the tango consisted of a guitar, violin and flute.
The image of the tango changed once it was taken to the fashion mecca of Paris, where it became a hit. Although initially, Christians were advised not to partake in the dance, they did so anyway, making the tango the first Latin dance craze of Europe. With its acceptance by Parisians, the dance was accepted by all social classes in Buenos Aires.
Tango History
Hollywood jumped on the tango bandwagon when it added a tango scene to heartthrob Rudolph Valentino's movie, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, in 1926. In the film, he portrayed an Argentinian cowboy known as a gaucho. In real life gauchos were not associated with dancing the tango. It didn't matter. The gaucho look caught on and became associated with this Latin dance.
Furthering the popularity of the tango was Carlos Gardél, a French born performer who moved to Argentina as a child and became the first great tango singer, recording hundreds of songs and starring in several movies, including The Tango on Broadway in 1934.
Today, the tango is a respected and popular ballroom dance. An audience favorite on the hit TV series, Dancing with the Stars, the tango has been performed by such celebrities as Jennifer Grey and George Hamilton.
While originally associated with the slums of Buenos Aires, the tango has evolved into a provocative and entertaining dance, enjoyed all over the world. No longer thought of as a lower class form of entertainment, it is now accepted throughout all social classes. With its costuming, music and sensual movement, the tango continues to be a ballroom hit.
Source:
World Music the Rough Guide, edited by Simon Broughton, Mark Ellingham, David Muddyman and Richard Trillo, (Rough Guides Ltd.,) 1994
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