Ballroom dancing: The Tango History

The Tango history

During the latter part of the 19th century Buenos Aires experienced an influx of immigrants from Europe and Africa. Many of these immigrants were very lonely in that they migrated to Buenos Aires by themselves. They sought out places where they could find temporary friendship and companionship, such as bars and saloons and other gathering places in order to pass the time. Many of these lonely people just wanted to drown their sorrows.

With the mixture of cultures, a new style of music was formed using African beats, Indian rhythms, Latin rhythms, as well as the popular music of that time in Argentina. This new combination of music formed the music that we now know of as Tango. It is believed by some music historians that Tango got its name from the African candomble drum beat known as "tan-go." However, other historians believe that Tango was taken from the Latin word tangere, which means "to touch."

It is believed that the dance of the Tango started as a pantomime between a prostitute and pimp, and is thus filled with sexual energy, suggestive movements and a web of emotions. Then the dance was accented by the downhearted whirr of the bandoneon.

A less offensive form of tango was brought to France in the early 1900s. It became somewhat refined and intensified in popularity with high society in Paris. Additions to this new form of Tango included classy clothes and lyrics, as well as ballrooms and an orchestra. The Tango soon became popular all over Europe and the US as it found its place among the rich and powerful. Soon it became popular with the higher class of Argentinean society, which consisted of the same people who had previously shunned the Tango as being repulsive and obnoxious.

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