Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
150
Moments
T ango Lowdown
It seems impossible to imagine Argentina without thinking of tango, its great-
est expor t t o the w orld. First danc ed b y working-class men in La Boca, San
Telmo, and the port area, tango originated with a guitar and violin t oward the
end of the 19th c entury. Combining African rhythms with the
habanera
and
candombe,
it was not the sophisticated dance you know today. It originated in
brothels, k nown locally as
quilombos,
and was c onsidered t oo obsc ene f or
women—even “working” women. Men would actually dance it with each other
as they waited their turn in the lounges of br othels.
Increasing wa ves of immig rants added I talian elements t o tango , which
helped the dance make its wa y to Europe. It was eventually internationalized
in Paris. With a sense of appr oval from Europe, Argentine middle and upper
classes began to accept the newly refined dance as part of their cultural iden-
tity. The form blossomed under the ex traordinary voice of Carlos Gardel, who
brought tango to Broadway and Hollywood. Astor Piazzola further heightened
the int ernational r ecognition of tango music , incr easing its c omplexity b y
incorporating classical elements.
Tango music usually in volves a piano and
bandoneón
—an instrument ak in
to an accordion. If a singer is par ticipating, the lyrics might c ome from one of
Argentina's great poets, such as Jor ge Luis Borges, Homero Manzi, or Horacio
Ferrer. Themes focus on a do wntrodden life or a w oman's betrayal, making it
akin to American jazz and blues, which developed at the same time. The dance
itself is improvised, consisting of a series of long walks and int ertwined move-
ments, usually in eight-st ep. The man and w oman glide across the floor, with
the man leading the way through early flirtatious movements that give way to
dramatic leads and hear tfelt turns . These mo vements—including k icks that
simulate knife movements, or the sliding , shuffled feet that mimic a gangst er
silently st ealing up t o mur der someone —reflect the danc e's r ough orig ins,
even though tango t oday is refined and beautiful. The dancing style in salons
is much more subtle and subdued than “show tango.”
Tango lessons
ar e an ex cellent wa y f or a visit or t o get a sense of what
makes the music—and the danc e—so alluring . M ost r espectable danc ers
would not sho w up bef ore midnight, g iving you the per fect oppor tunity to
sneak in for a group lesson, offered at most of the salons starting around 9pm.
They usually c ost bet ween $5 and $8 (£3.40-£5.40) f or an hour ; y ou can
request privat e instruc tion f or bet ween $20 and $40 (£14-£27) per hour ,
depending on the instruc tor. I n summer, the cit y of Buenos Air es promotes
tango by offering free classes in many locations. Visit the nearest tourist infor-
mation center for updated information.
5
of George Canning—a B ritish diplomat who opened r elations between Argentina and
Great Britain after independence fr om Spain.
Scalabrini Ortiz 1331 (at Gorriti).
&
11/4832-
6753.
Admission $8 (£5.40). No metro access.
