A Short History of the Tango
The tango is a form of ballroom dancing that originated in Latin America. It is believed to have evolved in the dance halls and brothels of working class districts in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Other scholars believe that the tango arose from cross-cultural influences in the Rio de la Plata region, which compromises parts of modern day Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. Whatever its origins are, the tango is a beautiful, highly stylized form of dancing that has gained a considerable following worldwide.
In 2009, the tango was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, which honors significant intangible cultural products across the globe. There are many variants of tango today such as the Argentine tango, Uruguayan tango, Ballroom tango (which is the American and International version), and even Finnish tango.
Tango as an art form probably arose from European and African influences in Latin American culture. The primitive tribal dances of African slaves and the sophisticated waltzes of European origin somehow merged in the urban centers of Rio de la Plata, thus producing tango. Moreover, Vaudeville Theater and street performers helped spread tango to other urban centers, and it soon gained popularity among European immigrants such as Italians and Spaniards.
At the turn of the 20th century, dancers and orchestras from Latin America travelled to Europe and introduced the art form to the continent. This sparked the first European tango dance craze in major cities like Paris, London, and Berlin. By 1913, the tango craze had spread to New York City. In the United States, the term ‘tango’ was often applied to other dances in the 2/4 and 4/4 rhythm such as the one-step. This does not indicate that tango steps were used in the dance. In many cities such as Indianapolis dance lessons conducted by foreign instructors during this time were sometimes called the Americanized version of the tango as “North American tango” as opposed to the authentic tango that came from Rio de la Plata.
The onset of the Great Depression in 1929, as well as the repressive regimes of the Argentine government, stalled the development of tango for decades. However, its fortune was reversed upon the election of President Juan Perón (husband of the famous Evita Perón). Once again, tango dancing flourished in Argentina. In US cities such as Indianapolis dance lessons featuring the tango became even more popular.
Dancing the tango in Indianapolis dance studios is enjoyed by many people, especially couples, and has major health benefits. Tango dancing can aid in the healing of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and also provides great exercise.
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