Tango, the sensual dance originating in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is more popular than ever, inspiring tango classes, dance marathons, and TV shows like "Dancing with the Stars." In advance of the N.Y. Tango Festival taking place this weekend, we look at the music behind the passion.
Comments [4]
As a New York based tango dancer, I loved the program on tango in New York City, with one big exception—it has nothing to do with Dancing With the Stars. People start dancing tango for many reasons. Tango, in its strictest definition is a form of music and dance. In essence, tango is a way of being, and it finds you—either as a result of a phone call or an email you weren’t meant to see; it lures you from the job that’s too staid; it can be a beckoning on a night when you’re feeling lonely, or it adds levity to the gravity of daily life. It’s a journey for those who want their lives to change course, and for others, who believed that their lives had just ended due to heartbreak, it’s an attempt to start over again. I’ve never met a single person who has started dancing because of a television program. Please do lots more pieces on tango. Please don’t credit that show with its popularity.
Sincerely,
Maria Finn
Argentine Tango is one of the easiest dances to learn for two reasons: (1) It's mostly very slow so the leaders and followers have more time to think about what they are doing (2) the control by the leader is absolute because the dancers are locked chest to chest.
The interesting part of tango, from the point of view of the music, is that we dance tango to many non-tango forms of music. We tango to Bolero. We do tango moves in Salsa. We have even danced tango to Chopin.
Many dancers, in America, are moving away from the Argentinean roots. It should be noted that the Argentineans did not have many places to dance tango for 30 years, in the 50s, 60s, & 70s. They danced mostly American Rock & Roll. It was the French (Parisians) and Americans that really helped to popularize the dance worldwide.
OK ....I found it!
Thank you.
I missed the first part of the show about NYC tango. Will you be posting a replay on your website?
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