The man and woman face each other, with the man holding the woman's right hand in his left, and with his right arm around her. The Tango is the third dance to use this hold for couple dancing. The Viennese Waltz is the first dance done in this couple hold. It was very popular in Europe in the 1830’s. Couple dancing before the Viennese Waltz was very formal and did not involve a lot of physical contact just mainly holding hands. About 10 years after the Viennese Waltz came the Polka. Also taking Europe by storm, the Polka became the newest craze to use this scandalous new hold. Tango was extremely different from anything that came before it, and was the biggest influence on all couple dancing in the Twentieth Century. The story of tangos evolution is a mystery but, what is known is that it was immigrants coming into Argentina who brought these new couple dances with there more intimate hold.
The first piece of written music that called itself Tango was written and published in Argentina in 1857. “Toma mate, che” was the song. In this period the meaning of Tango probably meant Tango Andaluz, Andalucian Tango, a style of music from eastern Europe mainly Spain.
The origin of the word “Tango” in Argentina is still a mystery but it is believed to come from Argentina. The most common theory was that the community of African descent put the name of their god with the Spanish word for drum (tambor) and then came up with the word “Tango”. In Argentina Tango had a much different meaning then that in Spain. Members of the African community in Buenos Aires certainly joined in and influenced the development of the dance and music, just as members all the other communities in Buenos Aires did.
Nowadays the Tango is something of high class or upper society. It’s very sophisticated but, during the times of its origin, it became popular in the slums, or the underbelly of Argentina. The immigrants of Europe, Africa, and other unknown ports streamed into the outskirts of Buenos Aires in the 1880’s. They would find their amusement in drinking and sex. They would go to the whorehouses to satisfy their need to keep busy. From this came a mix of cultures and eventually the creation of the Tango. Although it can’t be proven that this is its exact origin this is the theory that is most logical. The relentless rhythms that the African slaves, the candombe, beat on their drums (kno...
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...oped, lyrics reflected political feelings until they started to be banned as subversive. The dance and its music went underground as large dance venues were closed and large gatherings in general were prohibited. The tango survived in smaller, unpublicized venues and in the hearts of the people.
When Juan Peron rose to power in 1946 the tango again reached the pinnacle of popularity in Argentina, as both he and his wife Evita embraced it wholeheartedly. Yet, with Evita's death in 1952, the tango again fell from the mainstream spotlight. The necessity of going underground combined with the eventual invasion of rock and roll sent the tango into decline until the mid-1980s when the stage show Tango Argentino opened in Paris. Once again Paris was ground zero for igniting tango excitement worldwide. The show toured the world and stimulated a revival in Europe, North America and Japan that we are part of today.
Work Cited
1. Bandonion: A Tango History
by Javier Garcia Mendez, Arturo Penon
2. The Argentine Tango As Social History, 1880-1955: The Soul of the People (Latin American Studies, Vol 3)
by Donald S. Castro
3. Tango : An Art History of Love
by ROBERT FARRIS THOMPSON
The Charleston dance was a fast paced dance that went with the song “The Charleston” by James P. Johnson. Many dance clubs banned the Charleston because the dance was unsuitable for the youth to be dancing. Also new dance styles were being created, for example, the Foxtrot. The Foxtrot was one of the cherished dances of the era. The Foxtrot is a partner dance and many disapproved of how close the partners were to each other while dancing, often cheek-to-cheek.
The Waltz isn’t a new dance but the dance had evolved from what it was in the past and became less directional. The dance was meant to be a slower dance than all the popular dances of the 1920s and it was more passionate and romantic. The most popular ballroom dance style was the Foxtrot and it just so happened that it was the easiest dance also. This dance consisted of smooth walking and could be danced to both fast and slow jazz tempos making it easy to transition between the two whenever the music switches up. The Foxtrot can be danced with simple steps if that was how the person felt was better or it could be danced with a series of complex steps meaning that it was a customizable dance. The Tango is another popular ballroom dance and came from Argentina. It’s popularity skyrocketed after “Rudolf Valentino performed it for a movie named Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse”(Nelson). The Tango arrived to the dance scene earlier than all the other dances, making its first appearance in 1912. The Tango was a passionate dance meant to be danced with a partner and the steps had a distinct vibe that added a sense of drama to the dance.There were also other popular mentions: The Shimmy which was banned from most dance halls because of its impurity and was also known in gypsy dances, The Black Bottom which eventually beat the Charleston and became the number
The Tango Blast is a clique that started forming sometime within the 1970s-1980s as a result of incarcerated Hispanic males banding together to protect themselves from previously established prison gangs, such as the Texas Mexican Mafia; the phrase “tango” is actually an acronym for “Together Against Negative Gang Organizations”. Members like to represent themselves with things associated to the cultures of the cities
The tradition still takes place today in many areas of Mexico. However, some parts of Mexico do the dance a little differently. The dance is more common in the central regi...
Dance is just as important and music in Afro-Cuban Culture. The music is made to be danced to, and most of the popular Cuban dances that exist today are of African decent. The most popular are the rumba, danzon, and son. Especially among the working class poor, dancing and music was simply a way to blow off steam and have a good time.
A club known as the Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers possibly began this trend in 1935 when they formed their group of 12 dancers (Swingin’). This group of dancers began, and performed the majority of their lifetime as a group in the Savoy Ballroom. They created the Lindy Hop quite simply, using movements from the Charleston as well as basic tap movements. And because of their dance, they had the opportunity to perform both on Broadway, and even in some movies. First, two partners would dance around together in various ways. Then, the man would complete a series of lifts with the girl, usually ending with them apart. Finally, a section of solo footwork would occur to bring the couple back
In 1940s Argentina, the populist style was beginning to dominate the political scene and its greatest trailblazer was Colonel turned President, Juan Peron. Peron rose to power using populist techniques of the time. He began by building relationships with the working class, talking one on one with the labor leaders and listening to their concerns. This intimate setting made him seem like he truly cared for the working class and unions, not just as a politician, but as a friend (Fraser, 40). A vital and unforgettable aspect of Juan Peron’s rise to power was the contributions of his wife, Eva Peron. Eva’s fanatic support for Peron’s vision of the “New Argentina” allowed him to ultimately secure the love of the people.
Morales, Ed. The Latin Beat: The Rhythms and Roots of Latin Music from Bossa Nova to Salsa and Beyond. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da Capo, 2003. Print.
The instruments used for this song is of a standard rock band; lead vocalist, electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit. The genre for this song is determined by the steady and yet simplistic instruments used in this version. An interesting note is that the chorus is in the genre of rock but the verses combine the genres tango and reggae. This could be because merging these three different styles of music attracted the attention of youth more with rock being rebellious at that time and tango and reggae having a heavy beat for that time period. ...
In the dance sequences, they use very precise, very traditional Latin American dance moves, staying true to the culture and tone of the film. They also use the same dancing style to illustrate both happy and sad moments in the film, juxtaposing how when the people of Argentina are happy, dancing with energy and full of life and when they are sad, dancing slowly and
The origin of Mexican Folklorico dances originate from Mesoamerican days when the Mayas and the Aztecs
Bachata originated from the Dominican Republic in the early 20th century. During dictator Trujillo’s rule, Merengue was the official music to the nation. Because many Dominicans did not accept their African roots, their dances and rhythms were oppressed. Bachata, with its African influences, was considered crude and lower class, only played by campesinos- peasants. It was only popular in the rural parts of the Dominican Republic. However beginning in the early 60s, bachata was steady becoming tolerated, and eventually loved. (Pacini)
Whether it is the fire dances of the native Hawaiians, or the Tango from Spain, dance is a part of every culture. This event is not an event I would usually attend. I am not into art of any kind except music. At first, there were two reasons I went to this performance.
Dance is an ancient human practice, however the earliest record of human dance remains a mystery. By