Tango is a two-person dance that originated in Africa but is popular in Argentina. The accompaniment music is in 2/4 time, but it is played in a staccato style with a strong sense of frustration. Therefore, in actual performance, each quarter note is converted into two eighth notes, so that each measure has four eighth notes. Tango is currently one of the official events in the International Standard Dance Competition. When dancing tango, the combined postures of men and women are slightly different from other modern dances. It is called "tango positioning". The two parties are closer to each other. The right arm of the man and the left arm of the woman should be more inward, and their bodies should be closer to each other. Contact, center of gravity shifts, mainly on the right foot for men and on the left foot for women. Both men and women do not look at each other. When positioning, both men and women look to their left side. Tango music has a bright rhythm and its unique syncopation is its distinctive feature. The dance steps are gorgeous, elegant, passionate and wild, with endless changes. The cross-steps, kicks, jumps and spins are dazzling. The singer is sometimes passionate and unrestrained, sometimes weeping, sometimes cynical, sometimes sentimental. The lyrics use a lot of street slang. When dancing, men wear dark evening gowns with bow ties, and women wear long skirts with a high slit on one side.
Historical origin
Tango is said to have originated from a secret dance between lovers, so men originally wore daggers when dancing. Although they do not wear daggers now, dancers must have a serious expression and perform well. Look around, beware of being discovered. You must smile when dancing in other dances, but you must not smile when dancing tango, and your expression must be serious. The body language of tango dance is very rich, but the standardized tango dance currently used in sports dance competitions is much simpler than the local tango dance in Argentina.
In fact, milonga in tango is a relatively happy and joyful type of tango dance. It is derived from the passionate Habanera dance music in Africa and the brisk Poca dance music in Europe. Therefore, male and female dancers cooperate with this lively and playful dance style. When playing milonga music, it usually gets rid of the deep sadness of the original Argentine tango and turns into an atmosphere of fun and play between men and women?
Tango originated in Buenos Aires and is regarded by Argentines as the national quintessence of the country. .
At the end of the 19th century, the young Republic of Argentina entered a period of stable development after years of war, and a large number of European immigrants poured into this wealthy land. Most newcomers do small jobs at docks or construction sites. Whenever night falls, they gather in small hotels in slums to drink and have fun, chatting to relieve the loneliness of urban life and the pain of missing their hometown.
Immigrants come from different countries and regions around the world, and they bring different dances and music. Tango is a gorgeous flower that grows in this rich land.
Tango is mainly Italian and Spanish style, mixed with some black music and dance rhythms. It integrates music, dance, singing and poetry. It is a comprehensive art with a unique style.
Tango has a humble origin. At first, it was only performed in dilapidated warehouses and even brothels in ports. The audience was low-class people selling coolies, so it was despised by the upper class. However, the charm of this art form was irresistible. By the beginning of the 20th century, tango had been generally accepted by the public. The 1940s ushered in its golden age, with a large number of songwriters, singers and dancers emerging.
Tango Centennial Style
Just as bullfighting represents Spain, tango is synonymous with Argentina. The original tango was regarded as an alternative among ballroom dances. It has been controversial since its birth. Later, it has undergone several changes to become what it is today. So what is the story behind tango? Let's go see it together.
People have various theories about the origin of tango. Some people think that tango originated from black dance, while others say that tango was brought to Argentina by Europeans. Although these factors have more or less affected the development of tango, one thing is certain. Only in the free and unrestrained atmosphere of Argentina can tango truly grow up and become a new and unique dance form.
At the end of the century, tango appeared. The original tango was not as elegant as it is now and was popular in bars and restaurants. The most incredible thing about tango at that time was that the feminine tango was originally a dance entirely for men. It is said that in dirty and crowded taverns in Buenos Aires, men danced passionate tangos in order to attract the attention of girls. We can no longer see what it would be like for two men to dance tango today, but some of the confrontational movements in tango can allow us to see the elegance of tango at that time.
Women joined the ranks of tango, but the humble origin of tango made it only spread among civilians for a long time and became an indispensable "scene" in small suburban hotels. Around the 1920s, a man named Carlos Cardel and his dance team brought tango dance to Paris, and overnight tango conquered Paris, the fashion capital. In order to cater to the appreciation of the upper class, French aristocrats made some modifications to tango, removing the rough and wild elements of tango and making it noble and elegant.
After more than a hundred years of development, by the 1970s and 1980s, tango had blossomed within the walls and flourished outside the walls. On the one hand, more and more people were learning tango from all over the world; On the other hand, in the homeland of tango, Argentine tango, with the invasion of pop music, most of the tango recording studios in Argentina closed down.
Moreover, a considerable number of young people in Argentina do not like tango and think it is outdated. In response to this situation, in order to carry forward and promote national culture, the Argentine government issued decrees and even stipulated the establishment of radio and television stations dedicated to broadcasting tango. After all kinds of efforts, Tango, a centenarian, has gained new vitality. Nowadays, it is as easy as going to a restaurant to watch a small-scale tango dance performance. Many old-brand or high-end restaurants will arrange a free tango dance performance at a certain time in the evening. Tango, which has been popular for more than a hundred years, has become a new fashion.