Argentine
Tango

Learn about the impact of different musical genres, what the various tango dance styles are, and what the difference is between International Tango and Argentine Tango. Visit our links to explore the word of tango.

The music

Argentine Tango music has been with us for more than a century. It includes selections from old scratchy phonograph records of the late 1910’s-1940s to contemporary recordings from Broadway Performances and Hollywood and Independent Movie Productions. More recently, modern interpretations of Tango include jazz elements (Astor Piazzolla, Pablo Ziegler) and those with a dynamic electronic rhythm (i.e. Carlos Libedinsky's NarcoTango or the Gotan Project). It is virtually impossible to give general rules for picking "good" Tango music without unduly restricting your selection. Besides, there is a lot of variation in what people like to dance to. We encourage you to listen to a variety of music and find the ones that most inspire you. Remember that to dance Tango well, you must be inspired by two elements: The music, and your partner. Assuming you already know what music you want, one good way to find something suitable is to get the name of the bandleader (and, preferably, the year) or vocalist of a song you heard a local Tango DJ playing, and find a CD of that band, or one that includes a number of selections from that band. Recorded Music for most of the Boston Tango Festival events are selected by either a professional guest DJ or by the Tango Society of Boston music committee, a group comprised of local area volunteers. Many have extensive experience studying or listening to Tango music and who continue to learn and update their selections. We encourage you to go up to the DJ for the evening with specific questions about the music you hear to obtain information on the orchestra, era or artist.
There is no substitution for knowing the music well in order to make the dance both enjoyable to you and to your partner, and the only way to know the music is to listen to it often.

Papel Machè "Bandoneonista" Argentine craft by Altea - www.losartesanos.com. Photo by Ixtaliy.

A Word on Tango Styles

It is necessary to distinguish between the Argentine and Ballroom forms of Tango. In the US, there are two forms of Ballroom tango, usually called "American Style" and "International Style." In International tango, sequences of figures and even entire dances are choreographed instead of improvised. This makes the dance less dependent on lead-follow technique and allows for more separation between the dancers. International tangos also use different music and styling from Argentine tangos, with more staccato movements and the characteristic "head snaps." Neither of these Ballroom styles is the Argentine Tango, and these are thus outside the scope of the activities of Boston Tango Festival, which focuses strictly on the Argentine Tango. Other forms of tango include the Finnish tango, with a thudding march rhythm as one of its dominant stylistic traits, and the Chinese tango with Chinese musical arrangements.

The dance

The Argentine Tango is the authentic form of Tango that originated in Argentina in the last two decades of the 19th and early part of the 20th century, and has a grace, subtlety and visual appeal that its followers firmly believe transcends the Ballroom forms of the Tango. The Argentine Tango is not formally standardized, and so you see different sub-styles and schools. However, they all share a certain common or "mainstream" technique that has become sufficiently established in Argentine Tango circles that Tango dancers all over the world can generally dance comfortably with each other. Chief among these are improvisation and non-verbal connection between partners.

You will also find at least two main categories of Argentine Tango teaching, and these are represented among classes offered at the Boston Tango Festival:

Salon Tango:

Salon Tango is the social Tango for the dance floor that is solidly based on leading and following, and contain techniques and figures that are appropriate in a social dance environment.

Fantasia Tango:

Fantasia, as its name suggests, is Tango for the stage, and is generally only appropriate for the stage (although elements of fantasia can often be incorporated, with some reduction in flamboyance, in salon Tango).

In general, beginners in North America learn the salon style Tango first, and then can opt to continue along one of 2 tracks. For those who have no desire to learn stage tango can study many forms of salon tango. These include variations in open and close (chest-to-chest contact) embrace, and styles that define various neighborhoods throughout Buenos Aires. The second track will be for aspiring performers and those with athletic ability who wish to study stage style tango with all its flamboyancy and dramatic flare. Please note that some elements of stage tango such as poses can be adapted into social Tango in North America. Both Salon and Fantasia Tango are taught in classes at the festival, and we encourage you to explore these two dimensions as fully as possible according to what interests you as you decide which classes to attend.

Dancers Two Plus Bandoneon by Susana Rey-Alvarez.

Links

TodoTango: Amazing Tango resource for music, history, lyrics, sheet music, etc.	All About AR Tango: English language guide to Argentine Tango
"Tango En La Ribera" by Sigredo Pastor 10/03