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A history of tango and dance styles from Tango Reo

Tango is a dance that has influences from various forms of European and African culture. The dance originated in lower-class districts of Buenos and later Montevideo. The word “tango” seems to have first been used in connection with the dance in the 1890s. 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 immigrants, primarily Italians, Spaniards, and French in origin.

 

In the early years of the 20th century, dancers and orchestras from Buenos Aires travelled to Europe, and the first  tango craze took place in Paris, soon followed by London, Berlin, and other capitals. Towards the end of 1913 it hit New York, and Finland. In the USA around 1911 the word “tango” was often applied to dances in a 2/4 or 4/4 rhythm such as the one step. Thae 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”. By 1914 more authentic tango stylings were soon developed, along with some variations like Albert Newman’s “Minuet” tango (A Tango-non ragtime, 2/4)

The onset in 1929 of the Great Depression, and restrictions introduced after the overthrow of the the Argentine  government in 1930 contributed to a tango decline. This trend was reversed under the following government of Juan Peron, making tango once again fashionable. Tango went into declined again in the 1950s as a result of economic depression and the banning of public gatherings by successive military dictatorships; male-only Tango practice—the custom at the time—was considered “public gathering”.

TANGO STYLES

The Tango consists of a variety of styles that developed over the years. 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, 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 canyengue
  • Tango Argentino
  • Tango Oriental (Uruguayan tango)
  • Gay Tango
  • Tango liso
  • Tango salon
  • Tango orillero
  • Tango camacupense (Angola)
  • Tango milonguero (Tango apilado)
  • Tango Nuevo (New Tango)
  • Show Tango (also known as fantasia)
  • Ballroom tango
  • Finnish tango

These are danced to several types of music:

  • Tango
  • Vals (the tango version of waltz)
  • Milonga (a related dance that usually has a faster tempo)
  • Tango Electronico (tango fusion)
  • “Alternative tango”, i.e. non-tango music appropriated for use in the dance of music

The “milonguero” style is characterized by a very close embrace, small steps, and syncopated rhythmic footwork. It is based on thepetitero or caquero style of the crowded downtown clubs of the ’50s.

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 complicated 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 very open, and the complex footwork is augmented with gymnastic lifts, kicks, and drops.

A newer style sometimes called tango Nuevo, tango fusion, 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 SALON

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 Rio de la Plata 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.

GAY TANGO

Queer tango is a new way to dance Argentine tango free from traditional heteronormative codes. Its proposal is to dance tango without pre-established roles according to the gender of the dancers and to perform the exchange of leader and follower. Therefore it is also called open role or same-sex tango. Gay tango movement permit not only an access to tango for the LGBT-community, but also opens new possibilities for heterosexual dancers: women learn the lead, men learn the follow.

TANGO NUEVO

A newer style sometimes called tango Nuevo, tango fusion, 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 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.

BALLROOM TANGO

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 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 Rio de la 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 Rio de la Plata, 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 Latin American 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 tangophiles to the central Finnish town of Seinäjoki; the town also hosts the Tango Museum.

Reprinted with the permission of Tangoreo.net

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