What is Argentine Tango
Milonga Buenos Aires
Argentine tango is a dance of connection between two people that evolved in Buenos Aires and Uruguay from around the 1880's . It is graceful, intimate, sensual and intricate, borrowing from African and European musical and dance traditions. It is a contiually evolving dance form and there are different styles of Argentine tango which vary according to the size of the steps, the type of embrace( closed, open) and the range of steps used. These variations have arisen from different parts of Buenos Aires where the dance developed and changes that have occured over time. Each person's interpretation of the dance is highly personal. Argentine tango has the same roots as its Northern cousin, Ballroom tango or International tango but it is quite a different dance and dancers of either form do not interchange.
To view some pictures of Buenos Aires, the home of tango go to Buenos Aires... where it all began
To view some pictures of Buenos Aires, the home of tango go to Buenos Aires... where it all began
There is only now......
For most people, Argentine tango is associated with the drama and passion we see in stage tango. Although stage tango represents the essence of Argentine tango, many people are not even aware that tango is mainly a social dance: a place for getting together, where we dance with many people each night, circulating the room in couples. In fact, dancing tango is in many ways a collective experience. It is deeply connecting. We dance together, taking energy from each other and each dance is an opportunity to transcend ourselves.
Many people who dance tango become "addicted" (probably one of the healthier addictions you could cultivate!!). I believe that this is because as one becomes more proficient, dancing evokes a very strong sense of well-being. My understanding of why this happens is that Argentine tango is 100% improvised. The dancers use the resources they have and their connection to move together in time. This requires absolute attention to the moment and release from other thought, making tango a very effective form of "walking meditation", a form of mindfulness. So much of our day is spent with numerous tasks and objectives. Our minds are overactive. When we dance tango we are in the PRESENT. The rest falls away.
For a beautifully written article on this topic and the richness that tango offers at a personal level, read Sharna Fabiano's
Many people who dance tango become "addicted" (probably one of the healthier addictions you could cultivate!!). I believe that this is because as one becomes more proficient, dancing evokes a very strong sense of well-being. My understanding of why this happens is that Argentine tango is 100% improvised. The dancers use the resources they have and their connection to move together in time. This requires absolute attention to the moment and release from other thought, making tango a very effective form of "walking meditation", a form of mindfulness. So much of our day is spent with numerous tasks and objectives. Our minds are overactive. When we dance tango we are in the PRESENT. The rest falls away.
For a beautifully written article on this topic and the richness that tango offers at a personal level, read Sharna Fabiano's
Get the facts about what tango does to your brain and body chemistry!
Tango as a tool for personal growth
I believe that tango can be harnessed as an effective tool for personal growth. There are so many opportunities that it offers. These arise from the fact that the tango is a life-long learning process that constantly opens us up to new challenges and dynamics. It is also confrontational for many people to share their physical space with a person that they don't know. (For me , this was one of major challenges when I started to learn) .Learning in tango arises from the need to share more of ourselves and overcome some ego issues in order to progress and dance enjoyably with another person. We learn to accept that each person, including ourselves has their own strengths and limitations and that each encounter is an accommodation of these by both people. It is therefore an opportunity to become more tolerant of another and address barriers that might be affecting other parts of our lives. It is also an opportunity to develop our resilience and positive outlook. Each dance is different. One may brilliant and the next not. We learn to accept this ride as part of the journey.
Tango Music
The music that people dance tango to varies quite a bit these days, ranging from Golden Era orchestras such as Pugliese and Canaro to modern remakes of these works. When the iconic composer Astor Piazolla started to introduce elements of jazz to his music in the 1960s he was rejected by many traditionalists and his musical style was labelled "tango nuevo". Piazolla is great listening music but can be quite difficult to dance to. Today "tango nuevo" usually refers to something different - Gotan Project, Narcotango,Bajofondo. These are modern emsembles that fuse traditional tango rythmns with electronic beats. Young dancers often prefer listening to modern tango music at first. I love dancing to modern rythmns. But I do believe that Golden Era pieces provide the richest fodder for tango dancers. As one increases the range of movements one is comfortable with, the more one can delve into traditional tango's rythmns and melodies. It offers the dancer a universe of possibilities. It is worth the effort to become acquainted with this music and to find the orchestras that you like best. For great online listening go to:
What is Argentine tango?