Establishment
Tango is one of the most mysterious dances in the world, because it reflects the characters, the straightness of lines and unbridled naked passion at the same time. Argentine tango is a mixture of styles, directions and types of national folk dance rhythms with a touch of European and even African destinations.
It is believed that the prototype of all styles of tango was the Argentine dance for couples, which, initially, people had danced in South America. However, some sources, in particular the French scientists, argue that the first Tango appeared in Spain. They consider that the founders of the dance were Spanish aboriginals at the beginning of the 15th century. And only in the 16th century, during the colonization of South America, Spain, with the first immigrants brought the culture of tango into Latin America. In its original Spanish form, it was just one of the many variations of the paired folk dances. Initially Tango was dance under the rhythms of drums and looked like a fairly primitive dance, but over the time, the Argentine Tango has become a tricky dance with an absolutely exceptional musical and dance direction, based on the rhythms and melodies borrowed from Europe, Africa and Latin America’s tribes.
At the end of the 19th century, the Argentinian Tango became extremely popular between immigrants in the port city of Buenos Aires. People from all over the world came into the New World in search of a better life. These people brought with them a variety of musical instruments from their home countries as violin, guitar and flute. They also brought the musical traditions of their countries. In Buenos Aires as a center of different cultures’ interlacing of different cultures and directions, tango was formed. At first it was fun, easy, and even vulgar. For a long time it remained the music and dance of the underclass. Intermediate and advanced classes, it did not recognize. In those days, the Tango was danced in taverns, in the courtyards of the barracks, in brothels and on the streets in poor neighborhoods of the city. At the beginning of the 20 century, among the tools the Tango appeared bandoneon, an instrument reminiscent of the sound of the organ. He added a note of drama to the music of tango. With it appearance in tango’s culture, it has become slower, and has received the new tone of intimacy. In the 20’s the economic crisis in Argentina began. A lot of people lost jobs, money, hopes. There was a depressive atmosphere in Buenos Aires. In 1955, in Argentina came the military regime that forbade the dance. Tango also was abhorrent to all higher and secondary segments of society because it was considered a dance of the poor people with free feelings.
In the 90’s, Argentine Tango again began to conquer Europe and the United States. Tango began to open schools, conducted seminars of famous maestros, and organized speeches. The dance was born in experiments of the young Argentine generation. The dance was called Tango Nuevo. It was based on strong emotions, the alternation of smooth and rapid movements, tenderness and irresistible passion. The great attention was payed to the passionate tango dancing and energy. Modern Argentine Tango is a dance in the form of a dialogue between woman and man, in which both partners subtly feel each other and create a dance together (Thompson, 2005, 12). They provide the content according to their feelings. Now, Tango Nuevo is one of the most progressive and developing trends in the world of Argentine tango.
Tango is one of the most complex dances between all kinds of ballroom dancing. It is not only because of the specifics of the choreography, which is far from simple. The main reason is the ability to show feelings, passion in the dance. In the world there are many types of tango, which have their own characteristics and traits. But nevertheless the type and direction, Tango is the only dance that represents the love story between dancers with the help of several steps (Foster, 1998, 38). Moreover it is hard to find more emotionally rich dance. In each little staging, dancers live love story, which is full of feelings and their expression, passion, tenderness, anger, love exposed, striking for its intimacy.
Argentine Tango is a way of communication between the people. More specifically it is the language of their communication (Hart, 2003, 23). In Buenos Aires, people are still coming to the meetings to dance and to pass time with friends. Tango’s technique and role in the pair are designed to provide an opportunity for the two to merge into feelings, to understand each other without words, on the go. Tango is the art of improvisation between man and woman.
Today, tango is a popular dance that is danced not only by amateurs but also by professionals. Ballroom Tango is involved in programs of international competitions, along with fokstrot, waltz and other dances. Modern Argentine Tango is a constantly changing organism. It incorporates everything new and at the same time keeps the old traditions.
References
Foster, D., & Lockhart, M. (1998). Culture and customs of Argentina. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.
Hart, S. (2003). Contemporary Latin American cultural studies. London: Arnold.
Thompson, R. (2005). Tango: The art history of love. New York: Pantheon Books.
