Brief Argentine Tango. Argentine tango

For more than a century, the passionate, exciting, rhythmic dance, which is called "Argentine tango", annually wins the hearts of millions of people around the world.

Tango gained popularity in the 19th century in Buenos Aires. In those days, this still very young town was already inhabited not only by natives, but also by emigrants. The music created specifically for this dance is a "cocktail" of melodies from different nationalities and cultures. However, the same can be said about the movements - the milonga born in Argentina, the habanera from Havana, Indian ritual dances, flamenco from Spain and even the German waltz - they all shared a piece of their personality to end up with a tango that has become for many people not just dance, but a real lifestyle.

History of tango

There are many theories about the origin of this direction, but none of them has been confirmed. It is only known that in the middle of the 19th century, slaves brought to Argentina from the hottest continent began to gradually influence the local culture, giving it unusual elements that the local population adopted and made “their own”.

When at the beginning of the 20th century the population of the country reached one and a half million, it was no longer possible to figure out which nationalities became the ancestors of certain cultural characteristics. In Argentina, at that time, there were many Spaniards, Africans, British, Italians, Poles, Russians and aborigines who constantly borrowed music, dance movements from each other, brought their own traditional elements and gave out completely new, unique "products". This is how, most likely, the tango appeared.

Everything you need to know about tango

According to tradition, the music for this dance is performed by an orchestra consisting of piano, guitar, bandoneon, double bass, flute and violin. However, nowadays, most often, dancers have to perform movements to tunes recorded on CDs or electronic media, however true connoisseurs tango doesn't matter, because the whole point is in the "communication" between partners, the passion that boils when a man and a woman merge into one, performing movement after movement.

Argentine tango, despite its peculiarities and seemingly precise performance technology, is an improvisational dance that is built from four main elements:

* step;
* turn;
* stop;
* decoration.

In order to make the process exciting, passionate and charming, partners must develop their own own style, a special sequence of movements and come up with bright, unusual jewelry. Even professional dancers, despite prior arrangements, cannot know exactly how the dance will take place.

One turn or an extra step can make it completely different, direct the flow in the other direction and give the audience a truly unforgettable experience. First of all, Argentine tango is a fusion of hearts and souls, and only then, a strict technique consisting of a “set” of pas. It is worth noting that this direction has the only strict rule - Argentine tango is always danced counterclockwise. It differs from its "ballroom" counterpart in balance, movements, the presence of improvisational elements, music and even steps.

Music and movements are very popular not only in dances. For example, figure skating is very often accompanied by these incendiary melodies, and elements are also used in synchronized swimming, gymnastics and other "beautiful" sports.

Types of Argentine tango

Despite the fact that the direction seems quite understandable and accomplished, it has several varieties, which, often, can only be determined by a specialist or just a person who appreciates and respects the art of dance. All of them have their own names:

* fox;
* salon;
* fantasy;
* milognero;
* orillero;
* Nuevo.

Let's try to consider each of the varieties in more detail.

Liso

This style owes its appearance to cramped, crowded dance halls, in which there was often not enough space for turns, rotations or figures, and partners could only perform simple moves, to snuggle closer to each other, but so that everyone has enough freedom to insert a certain “decoration”.

Salon

This tango is performed by partners deliberately shifted to the right of each other and positioned in a V-shape. The style is without a doubt one of the most refined, and is distinguished by the separation of the partners from each other, which allows them to perform complex figures and turns. However, it is very important to follow certain line dance, otherwise the whole meaning may be lost.

Fantasy

Fantasy is, at its core, a stage style of tango designed specifically to create spectacular, exciting shows. This includes several styles at once - salon, orillero and nuevo, and even ballet elements that are not characteristic of any other type of tango.

Milognero

This direction originated in the forties of the 20th century, when the dance floors were small, and there were so many people who wanted to dance, and even a fox with a rather modest “span” could seem like an unaffordable luxury. This tango is still loved to dance at parties and nightclubs, because the close contact of the bodies of partners and the intimacy of hugs is the best for events where people come with their couples or in search of a soul mate.

Orillero

This style is very reminiscent of a salon, but the movements of the dancers are more relaxed, the contact of the bodies is minimal, and all the decorations are performed with the scope inherent in the tango in its classical sense.

Nuevo

This is a modern, recently created direction, which has not yet managed to acquire its own characteristics and distinctive elements. In fact, the dancers themselves contribute to its development, adding completely new movements, inventing original figures and steps.

Despite such a variety of directions, tango was, is and remains a dance in which a man and a woman must not only convey movements, but also understand each other and give a boost of energy and positive energy to the audience and their partner.

To understand the character and soul of tango, it is necessary to get acquainted with the history of this amazing dance, a dance with a sad and eccentric, truly human history.

Origin of Tango.

There are several assumptions about the origin of the word "tango":
Congolese Lango dance
the god of the nigerian yoruba tribe "shango",
the Bantu word "tamgu", meaning dance in general, or "tango", which in the Congo means "closed place", "circle", a word that later came to be called places where slaves were collected before loading onto a ship.

It is believed that not only the word, but also the dance owes its origin to the Afro-Creoles who lived in Buenos Aires and Montevideo (important staging posts of the slave trade), where it originated at black dance parties - "sociedades de negros" presumably from the candombe dance. Kandombe was ritual dance, which combines elements of the Bantu and Catholic religions. The dancers lined up in rows and walked towards each other. The transition consisted of five choreographically defined scenes, which were performed not by couples, but as a group dance. Since during black holidays it often came to bloody fights, these events were soon banned by the administration, this confrontation persisted during the time of the resettlement of Europeans to the territory of Argentina. Thus, dance parties black began to pass in enclosed spaces. The couples danced without close embraces, the dancers dispersed to the beat, imitating the gestures of the original candombe. This new dance adopted by the "compadrites" living in the suburbs and brought it to the saloons, where until then only the traditional milonga was danced.

With the creation of the first "sociedades de negros" at the beginning of the 19th century in Buenos Aires and Montevideo, the word "tango" began to refer to both these societies themselves and their dance parties. What was played at these parties had little in common with the music that had spread in émigré circles on the Río de la Plata since the mid-19th century. In the ports of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, different cultures merged into one new one, with which the new settlers identified themselves, the tango known to us appeared.

When comparing tango with candombe, the music of the black population of Buenos Aires, it is already clear from the instruments used that these musical styles have little in common. None of the many percussion instruments that form the basis of candombe has ever been used in tango.

Tango and candombe are united by a rhythmic formula that, in principle, underlies all Latin American music that has undergone African influence. This rhythmic formula also influenced three musical styles that were the immediate forerunners of the tango:
Afro-Cuban habanera;
tango Andaluz;
milonga.

Habanera

Habanera, which arose around 1825 in the suburbs of Havana, is pair dance, and the form of the song. From a musical point of view, it is a mixture of Spanish song traditions with the rhythmic heritage of black slaves. As a result of constant contacts between the colony and the metropolis, the habanera penetrated the Spanish kingdom and around the 1850s. became popular throughout the country mainly due to folk theaters. On the Rio de la Plata, the habanera came from Paris. After it became a salon dance in Paris, it was enthusiastically received by aristocratic circles. Latin America, the cultural space of Rio de la Plata, repeating everything that was fashionable in France.

In the port taverns of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, the habanera was distributed by Cuban sailors. She immediately began to compete with the most fashionable dances of that era - mazurka, polka, waltz. She was also very popular in folk theater in the form of songs. The rhythmic basic structure of the habanera consists of a two-quarter bar, which in turn is composed of one percussion eighth, one sixteenth, and two further eighths (the first bars of the world famous opera Bizet "Carmen": "Love child, child of freedom...").

This rhythm of the Habanera was passed on to the Andalusian tango and the milonga. Since these three musical styles differ from each other only melodically, the public and composers often confused them even at that time. Tango Andaluz

The Andalusian tango originated around the 1850s. in Cadiz, refers to classical forms flamenco and is performed with guitar accompaniment. This is both a song form and a dance, which was first performed only by a woman, and then by one or more couples, and the partners did not touch each other. However, the Andalusian tango did not come to Argentina as a dance. Here it was used only as a song or folk theater verses.

Milonga

The milonga, the Creole predecessor of the tango, is already part of cultural history in its own right. The Negro population of Brazil retained the original meaning of the word "milonga" - "words", "conversation". their implementation, and at the same time "chaotic mixture". In this sense, this word is used in the epic of Martin Fierro. Soon this word began to be used to refer to a special dance-song form, to which were added milonguera - a dancer in entertainment establishments and milonguita - a woman working in a cabaret with a penchant for alcohol and drugs.

The rural milonga was very slow and served as musical accompaniment to the songs. The urban version was much faster, more mobile, played and danced more rhythmically. Its relationship with music is obvious. folk singers pampas. Whereas tango is more stylized urban music that left behind its folklore legacy before the 1920s. XIX century, the milonga bears many features of the folk music of Argentina. They danced to the milonga, first of all, in the suburbs at the dance balls of the "compadrites".

The first musical performances of habanera, milonga and Andolus tango.

The habanera, milonga and tango of the Andalusia played a significant role in the repertoire of the trios and minstrels who toured in late XIX V. in the Buenos Aires area. These musicians were almost entirely self-taught, playing flutes, violins, and harp at dances in working-class neighborhoods, suburban eateries, and brothels. News came only from the paiadores, a local variety of itinerant minstrels. It was the songs of the pailladores that gave rise to the song style, and later to the dance called the milonga. Recordings of the milonga performed by the paiadores that have come down to us are extremely imperfect, but at that time the milonga was very popular among the inhabitants of the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

The harp was often replaced by a mandolin, an accordion, or just a crest, and was subsequently completely supplanted by the guitar, which had been played since the time of the conquest. essential role How national instrument gauchos and payadores. Soon the guitarist began to determine the harmonic basis on which the violinist and flutist improvised. Few of the then musicians could read music. Everyone played by ear and invented new tunes every evening. What they liked was often repeated until a peculiar piece of music arose. But since these melodies were not recorded, today it is not known how they sounded exactly.

The minstrel repertoire was more than colorful. They played waltzes, mazurkas, milongas, habaneras, Andalusian tango and at some point the first Argentine tango. Today it is impossible to say which trio played the first purest tango in which diner in the city.

The emergence of tango can be more or less accurately traced from the moment when musicians playing for dancers recorded the music they performed. These were, above all, pianists playing alone in elegant salons. Unlike their anonymous suburban counterparts, they had a musical education, exchanged notes, created their own style and recorded compositions.

The earliest recorded tangos come from one of the most famous composers of the time, Rosendo Mendizabal. During the day, Rosendo Mendisabal taught piano to girls from noble families, and in the evening he met their brothers in such entertainment establishments as "Maria la Vasca" and "Laura", and played tango. A classic early tango was, for example, "El entrerriano" written by Rosendo Mendizabal in 1897. The published scores of "Tangos para piano" give an idea of ​​how joyful and energetic this music must have sounded.

At first, tango was fun, easy, sometimes even vulgar. For a long time it remained the music and dance of the lower strata of society. The middle and upper classes did not recognize him. Tango, or what was meant by this word at that time, was played in the most different places, on the streets, in the courtyards of workers' quarters and in many institutions, from dance halls to brothels: "romeria", "karpas", "baylongs", "tringets", "academies", etc. "Academy" was called an ordinary cafe, where visitors served by women, and where the hurdy-gurdy played. There you could drink and dance with the ladies.

Tango musical instruments

The hurdy-gurdy was at that time one of the most important instruments for spreading young tango music. The Italians walked with her through the streets of the city center and the courtyards of the workers' quarters. Families of immigrants danced on Sundays at their holidays between waltz and mazurka once or twice and tango. The Italian hurdy-gurdy is mentioned in the Argentinean national epic "Martin Fierro". The tangos "El ultimo organito" and "Organito de la tarde" are mentioned there as "the voice of the outskirts". At first, tango was played on the guitar, flute and violin. However, the bandoneon soon became the leading instrument. It is often said that the bandoneon is the soul of tango and tango itself owes its birth to this "devil's instrument". It should be noted that in those years the bandoneon musical instrument was still far from perfect. It was a bellows, medium in size between harmonica and accordion bellows. On the sides, these furs ended with wooden planks with rows of buttons. It was quite difficult to play the bandoneon. The bandoneon is an instrument that sounds like an organ. He added a touch of drama to tango music. With his appearance, the tango became slower, new tones of intimacy appeared for it, the tango acquired that melancholy character with which the music of Rio de la Plata is still associated.

The bandoneon also accompanied the performances of tango singers. Thanks to the bandoneon, melodies that were not originally written as tango turned into tango. A vivid example of this is the famous "La Cumparsita", written in 1916 by Gerardo Rodriguez as a military march. When "La Cumparsita" became a tango, it became musical symbol all carnivals. Another famous tango was written in 1905. This is "El Choclo" by Angelo Villoldo. "El Choclo" survived decades, and in the 1950s new arrangement and under a new name - "Fiery Kiss" - entered the American charts for a long time.

Thanks to the deep, sonorous voice of the bandoneon, the tango became firmer, more intense, wider, and sometimes - although not always - melancholy. The words that accompanied the melody expressed the concern of people weary of life. The poets who wrote the words for the tango, as a rule, spoke of fate, fate, trials, loneliness. They also had nostalgia for their distant homeland. the greatest singer tango for all time is considered Carlos Gardel. A handsome brown-eyed man, a typical hero-lover, Carlos Gardel tragically died in a plane crash in the hot summer of 1935. His grave in the La Chacarita cemetery in Buenos Aires remains a place of pilgrimage for hundreds of admirers to this day.

Tango at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The last years of the nineteenth century. Europe is overcome by hunger and devastation. Young people deprived of work, deprived of hope for better life, leave their homes and move in search of happiness across the ocean, to South America. Thousands of such destitute people disembark from ships on the piers of Buenos Aires, the new pillar of Argentina, or disembark on the dirty marina of the Rio de la Plata.

Although in those years life in Argentina was easier than in Europe, young people who arrived here found themselves in the position of strangers and settled in impoverished, dirty neighborhoods on the outskirts of cities. Despite everything, the number of immigrants steadily increased and by 1914 already exceeded the number of native residents of Buenos Aires by a ratio of three to one. Approximately half of those who arrived were from Italy. About a third of the immigrants came from Spain. La Boca, the old port area of ​​Buenos Aires, became the place where most of the visiting Italians settled. And it is with La Boca that the brightest pages in the history of tango are connected.

Immigrants from Europe tried to keep the community, although it often did not save them from despair and collapse. All this was reflected in the songs, where sadness, loneliness and longing were mixed with hope and the desire for happiness. It was from these songs in the narrow port areas of Buenos Aires that tango was soon born. With the arrival of immigrants from La Boca, the Argentine cowboys who lived here before disappeared soon. called "gauchos".

The vast majority of immigrants from Europe were young people - there were fifty times more of them than immigrant women. These young people were frequent visitors to the so-called "academia" - dance schools and "pregundines" - cheap cafes where you could dance with the waitresses for an additional fee.

The ability to dance well became vital - after all, it was in this way that a young man could impress a girl, attract her attention. Having discarded the traditions of European dance, young immigrants actively sought their own ways of self-expression, creating a new dance style designed to win a woman's heart.

The law on universal suffrage, adopted in 1912, not only brought the long-awaited freedom to the people, but also gave a new impetus to the development of Argentine tango. Very soon, tango ceased to be a dance of the poor from the outskirts and began to conquer elite. In all the fashionable districts of Buenos Aires, Tango parlors sprang up like mushrooms after the rain. Then the dance conquered North America and reached Europe. Tango sounded in New York, and in London, and in Paris. Tango dancers quickly became fashionable.

Tango in the 20s

During the First World War, despite all its horrors and suffering, people did not forget about tango. The air of war was saturated not only with the smell of gunpowder, but also with the wind of change. Tango perfectly met the expectations of people who dream of freedom, and therefore its popularity continued to grow. Finally the war ended and tango entered its golden years in the 1920s. And if tango was so popular in Europe and North America, then what to say about Buenos Aires? Here, tango literally went crazy.

It should be noted that at that time most The population of Buenos Aires was made up of men. They say that a young woman had the opportunity to choose her chosen one from 20 applicants! Therefore, the tango became a dance of duel and confrontation, and therefore the men of Buenos Aires were very lonely. Therefore, if you listen to the lyrics of tango, it will always be a woman, sadness and longing for her. For a man - a tailor, there were only short minutes of rapprochement with a woman. This happened when he held her in his arms, dancing the tango.

Heroes of the tango era.

In the 1920s, some musicians switched entirely to perfecting the tango as a musical form. Every resident of Buenos Aires knew these people, their names became common nouns. The accordionists bathed in gold. Dancers became another heroes of the tango era.

by the most famous dancer- the legendary El Cachafas (Jose Ovidio Bianquet) was considered a tango performer. Speaking in tandem with Carmencita Calderon, he led the audience into ecstasy. Another outstanding pair of dancers were Juan Carlos Coles and Maria Nueves. They were deservedly considered the living embodiment of tango, and those who saw them on stage could not forget this until the end of their days.

Tango in the 30s.

Immediately after the military coup that took place in Argentina in 1930, a period of persecution of tango began. The new government, preoccupied and unsure of itself, saw this dance as a danger to itself. The tango seemed to the military seized power to be an overly freedom-loving and rebellious dance.

In Europe, tango was undergoing a period of transformation. The classic Argentine tango did not fit into the new musical forms and ideas, and therefore his style quickly and violently began to change. The track was replaced by circling around the entire perimeter of the ballroom, the very nature of the dance became faster, more angular, the tango music acquired an aggressive character. Percussion began to come to the fore in the orchestra, which had previously been used extremely rarely, and then only in large orchestras. From modern European dances, tango was introduced with unusual jerky movements head. A certain average international dance standard began to take shape, more and more departing from the original.

Tango in the 1950s.

In Buenos Aires itself, in the 1950s, the decline of tango was taking place. The aging President Peron was unable to manage the country, and the economy remained unstable. And the former immigrants no longer felt like such - they became 100% Argentines. Thus, important components of the tango - nostalgia for the homeland, sadness, loneliness - left.

In a collapsing country, there was no time for tango orchestras. Their golden 1940s have sunk into oblivion. Tango continued to be played by small groups of musicians, but now the audience only listened to the music - and did not dance.

In 1955, a military regime began in Argentina. Tango is still not pleasing to the upper and middle strata of society, since tango is a dance of the poor, a dance of the people, a dance of free feelings.

It is not surprising that with such an attitude, musicians and composers began to develop "El nuevo Tango" in the 1960s, a style designed primarily for the listener, and not for the dancer. "Nuevo Tango" listened to many. Units danced. Tango continued to be played - already as concert music - by many orchestras, including the orchestra of Oswald Pugliese, not only in Argentina, but also abroad.

In the 1980s, this orchestra made a world tour, after which a new interest in tango arose. The new generation rediscovered both this music and this dance.

World "tangomania"

Tango turned out to be so viable that it quickly escaped not only from the ports and streets of the poor quarters of Buenos Aires, but also beyond the borders of Argentina. At the beginning of the XX century. tango and its music came into life European countries. This was the golden age of tango. Paris at the beginning of the century fell in love with tango at first sight, thanks to a few dancers from Argentina.

There was even a new word - "tangomania", a fashion for tango dancing and everything connected with it: tango parties, tango drinks, cigarettes, tango-style clothes and shoes (a tuxedo for a man, a skirt with a slit for a woman) and even a salad -tango. From Paris, the tango spread all over the world - to England, the States, Germany and Russia, although not without hindrance.

Tango in Russia.

In Russia, the dance also found its audience, although it was officially banned. But no matter how the Argentine tango was banned, it became even more popular and loved by people. Russia also had its own tango. It became very popular in St. Petersburg at the beginning of the 20th century, although it was officially banned from dancing. In 1914, a decree of the Minister of Public Education appeared, prohibiting the very mention of "a dance called tango, which has become widespread" in Russian educational institutions. And if you remember, the fate of the tango was shared by the waltz, the mazurka, and the polka. And in the 20-30s. in Soviet Russia it was also banned as a dance of "declining" bourgeois culture. Although the predecessor of tango in Rus' by all criteria of dance criticism, technical specifications, manner of performance, musical accompaniment (harmonica, balalaika, tambourine) and much more, is a native Russian square dance. The only difference can be considered emotional fullness, because the quadrille carries the idleness and gaiety inherent in the Russian people.

Despite the limitations, tango became more and more loved. Played gramophone records with "Cumparsita" by Rodriguez, "Champagne Splashes", "Burnt Sun" were passed from hand to hand. There were melodies by Oscar Strok, soulful tango performed by Vadim Kozin, Petr Leshchenko, Konstantin Sokolsky, Alexander Vertinsky .. And then wartime tango and tango from Russian films. It was Russian tango.

More recently, tango has been treated as a retro dance, culture and style that has long since outlived its golden age. But today tango returns to us at the beginning of the new century in the original style, as it was danced and danced in Argentina. This new wave tangomania, a new direction of neo-romanticism, when a man and a woman rediscover the charm and pleasure of dancing together. Argentine tango is danced all over the world, and it fascinates everyone who touches it.

Conclusion

Tango has come a long way, but this way is far from the end. The history of this dance is full of legends, romance and nostalgic memories of bygone times. The tango remains an amazingly bright dance today, conveying the whole gamut of human feelings and experiences, hopes and disappointments. As they say in Argentina, "Esto es Tango". Tango is Tango.

The main varieties of tango:

Tango Salon:

Tango Salon is distinguished by a more open position of the dancers in a couple compared to the "close hug". This space allows for more varied steps, figures, turns and tango poses. This is a more refined and sophisticated style of tango performance and, like the Milonguero tango, is based on the principles of improvisation, leading-following, etc.

Tango Liso:

Tango Liso is very similar to simple steps, walking or walking (cominade), as they are called in tango. This style uses only the most basic tango steps and figures, not many turns, figures and spins.

Tango Nuevo:

Tango Nuevo is a new direction of tango, these are inventions younger generation dancers in terms of originality of steps. They seek to find their own in the tango unique style, inventing original rotations with interlacing and displacement of the legs, exquisite poses and supports. Tango Nuevo requires a lot of space to perform, it is often danced in shows and never in milongas. Moreover, it is considered bad form to dance complex figures next to couples dancing Milonguero.

Tango Fantasy:

Tango Fantasia is the name of the staged tango, which is performed in the show for the audience. This tango most often has completely different laws, in contrast to the club (social) styles - the laws of the staging and stage genre. This is a show in which steps, character and feelings are dictated by music and director. The tango "fantasy" is characterized by a virtuoso performance technique, spectacular movements and figures.

Finnish tango:

The style originated in Finland in the mid-40s. XX century. Finnish tango gained the greatest popularity in the 1950s - 1960s, after the birth of musical composition Unto Mononen "Satumaa" (" Dreamland”), which became known in the performance of Reyo

Most famous performers Finnish tango - Olavi Virta, Reijo Taipale, Eino Grön, Esko Rahkonen, Veikko Tuomi, Taisto Tammi, Rainer Freeman and others. Tapio Rautavaara, Henri Thiel, Georg Ots, women's vocal ensembles metro tyt

- An old Argentinean folk pair dance of free composition, characterized by an energetic and clear rhythm. Initially developed and distributed in Argentina, then became popular throughout the world.

Tango was previously known as tango criollo(tangocriollo).

History of tango

The tango was introduced from African communities in Buenos Aires based on ancient African dance forms.

The word "tango" is also of African origin, derived from the language of the Nigerian Ibibio people, where it meant dancing to the sound of a drum, and applied to melodies resulting from the synthesis of various forms of music from Europe, Africa and America.

Jorge Luis Borges V " Elidiomade los argentinos” writes: “Tango belongs to La Plata and is the “son” of the Uruguayan milonga and the “grandson” of the habanera. The word "tango" appears to have first been used in relation to dancing in the 1890s. Initially, this dance was just one of many, but it soon became popular throughout society.

In the early years of the 20th century, dancers and orchestras from Buenos Aires and Montevideo traveled to Europe, and the first European tango performance took place in Paris, and shortly thereafter in London, Berlin and other capitals. By the end of 1913 the dance had reached New York, the USA and Finland.

In the USA in 1911, the name "" was often used for dances in the rhythm of 2/4 or 4/4 "one step".

Sometimes the tango was performed at a fairly fast pace. During that period, it was sometimes referred to as "North American Tango", in comparison to the "Rio de la Plata Tango". By 1914, authentic styles of tango were more common, as well as some variants, like the Minuet Tango. Albert Newman.

Despite the Great Depression, the period 1930-1950 was the "golden age" of tango. Many ensembles were created, which included outstanding composers and tango performers who have become classics of style today: Annibal Troilo, Osvaldo Pugliese, Astor Piazzolla and many others.

The tango revival began in 1983 after the New York show " Forever Tango". These shows made a revolution all over the world and people everywhere started taking tango lessons.

December 11, the birthday of the Argentine singer and film actor, the famous "King of Tango" Carlos Gardel, is celebrated in the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires as "Day of Tango".

Tango styles

There are a number of styles of tango:

• Argentine tango
• Uruguayan tango
• ballroom tango
• Finnish tango
• Argentine tango

Argentine tango combines many different styles that have developed in different regions and eras of Argentina and Uruguay.

The different styles of Argentine tango include:

• Cangengue
• Salon
• Orillero
• Milonguero (Apilado tango)
• Nuevo
• Fantasy

According to the type of music, tango is divided into several types:

• Tango
• Waltz (tango waltz)
• Milonga (corresponding dance, which is usually faster paced)
• Cangengue
• Tango Electronico

Alternative tango (music of other styles converted for use in tango dance)

Tango Salon

Tango Salon is distinguished by a more open position of the dancers in a couple compared to the "close hug". This space allows for more varied steps, figures, turns and tango poses. This is a more refined and sophisticated style of tango performance and, like the Milonguero tango, is based on the principles of improvisation, leading-following, etc.

Tango Liso

Tango Liso is very similar to simple steps, walking or walking (cominada), as they are called in tango. This style uses only the most basic tango steps and figures, not many turns, figures and spins.

Tango Nuevo

Tango Nuevo is a new direction of tango, these are the inventions of the young generation of dancers in terms of the originality of the steps. They strive to find their own unique style in tango, inventing original rotations with interlacing and extension of the legs, exquisite poses and supports. Tango Nuevo requires a lot of space to perform, it is often danced in shows and never in milongas. Moreover, it is considered bad form to dance complex figures next to couples dancing Milonguero.

Tango Fantasy

Tango Fantasia is the name of the staged tango, which is performed in the show for the audience. This tango most often has completely different laws, in contrast to the club (social) styles - the laws of the staging and stage genre. This is a show in which steps, character and feelings are dictated by music and director. The tango "fantasy" is characterized by a virtuoso performance technique, spectacular movements and figures.

Finnish tango

The style originated in Finland in the mid-40s. XX century.

Finnish tango gained its greatest popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, after the appearance of Unto Mononen's musical composition Satumaa (Fairytaleland), which became famous performed by ReyoTaipale.

The most famous performers of Finnish tango are Olavi Virta, ReyoTaipale, EinoGren, Esko Rahkonen, VeikkoTuomi, TaistoTammi, Rainer Freeman and others. TapioRautavaara, Henri Thiel, Georg Ots, female vocal ensembles Metro-tyt?t and HarmonySisters also turned to this style.

ballroom tango

A sports dance participating in the programs of international competitions along with the foxtrot, the Viennese waltz, etc. The difference from the Argentinean is the lack of improvisation. All movements correspond to certain rules, starting with the position of the head, the body of the body and ending with the step elements.

The rhythm of the melody also distinguishes ballroom tango from Argentinean - in the rhythm of ballroom tango there are percussion instruments which adds more definition to it. By the nature of the sound of the melody ballroom style tango can be a bit like an imperial march. Argentine tango is more fluid and melodic.

The black-and-red gamma in clothes, the languid look of the partners and the proximity of the bodies - the dance has not yet begun, but it already makes the hearts beat faster. This effect produces a passionate and fiery tango. The history of this genre is full unexpected facts and secrets. What do Africans have to do with the origin of dance? Why in Paris he was associated with orange? And what are the most popular tango melodies? Find answers to these questions in our article.

What is tango?

If we turn to encyclopedias, then the answer to the question posed sounds very one-sided: tango is a paired Argentine dance. But if we dig deeper into the etymology of the word, then we will see Interesting Facts. There are several versions of the origin of the term:

African. In Tanzania, located in East Africa, there is an area called "tanga". In addition, with the help of this word, Africans used to designate a closed, special space;

latin. Linguists believe that the term is based on the Latin verb tangere, which means to touch, to touch. The French verb tangier has a similar meaning;

Spanish. The option is less plausible, but has the right to exist. According to him, the word comes from the Spanish taner - to play a musical instrument.

Speaking of tango, you can not ignore it peculiarities. The dance is characterized by:

fast rhythm;

a variety of movements that involve all parts of the body;

sharp turns, in large numbers;

close contact between partners, due to which the passionate character of the genre is created.

The best tango

We offer you to listen to famous melodies in tango rhythms.

"Por una cabeza" Carlos Gardel. The melody, whose name translates as "Lost his head", was written in 1935. But the composition gained general fame after it sounded in the film "The Smell of a Woman". The magnificent dance performed by Al Pacino and Gabrielle Anwar to the dreary violin playing captivates and remains in memory forever.

"Por una cabeza" (listen)

"Snuffbox" Goran Bregovic. This melody is considered one of the most famous among all the compositions of the musician, who became famous for his work for various films. The lyrics belong to the pen of the Polish singer Kaya, who managed to pick up touching and sensual words.

"Tabaker" (listen)

"Espuma de Champagne" José Maria de Luquesi. This melody is very well known to Soviet citizens. True, the name “Champagne Splashes” is more familiar to them. A record with this composition appeared in the Soviet Union in 1937 and won the love of the public. Unfortunately, very little is known about the author of the melody. José Maria lived and worked in Argentina. His whole life was connected with music: at first he taught at school, and then led the orchestra. "Espuma de Champagne" he wrote in 1935. This is the author's only known melody.

Champagne Splash (listen)

"La cumparsita" Gerardo Hernan Matos Rodriguez. This composition is recognizable from the first chords. Its author was only 19 years old at the time of writing and professional music he had nothing to do with it. Gerardo Hernan was preparing to become a diplomat. And tango was the passion that made the Uruguayan native famous.

"La cumparsita" (listen)

Hernando's Hideaway Jerry Ross and Richard Adler. Tango, known to many from films and television shows. The melody was written in 1954 and still does not lose its relevance.

Hernando's Hideaway (listen)

History of tango

1857, Buenos Aires. Construction is in full swing railway, which was assigned big hopes. It was planned to export local agricultural products along the rails. True, the labor force to provide the required volume of raw materials was not enough. So, Buenos Aires opened its gates to a large number of emigrants. Italians, Spaniards, Germans, Poles, Africans and other nationalities flooded into the rich port city of Latin America, making tango possible.

Historians are still arguing: where and when exactly this passionate dance originated. There is no exact documented information in this regard. But according to the majority, the first tangos began to be danced in the poor segments of the population, which were emigrants of all stripes. They lived in the port quarters and on the outskirts of the city, where crime and poverty reigned.

The streets, occupied by visiting Europeans, looked more like slums. Runaway convicts, impoverished artists, soldiers and blacks walked along the streets filled with the stench of the local slaughterhouse. They spent their time in shabby taverns and brothels, where music flowed, woven from the sounds of various instruments. It was tango.

Initially, the dance was performed exclusively by men. Women were not allowed to see him. On the one hand, the machos showed off in front of each other, on the other hand, they simply learned to dance. There was no talk of any passion or love.

Later, when the music was filled with the sound of the accordion, girls of easy virtue began to be attracted to the dance. From here comes the traditional woman suit for the performance of tango: a tight dress with a provocative cut on the thigh, mesh stockings and stilettos. Male dancers dressed more modestly: the costume was loose-fitting, their hair was neatly combed and covered with a narrow-brimmed hat. The local population specially gathered in brothels to have another glass and admire passionate dance to the sounds of a bandoneon, a small harmonica.

What dance is considered the progenitor of tango?

A mystery that is still being answered to this day. The origins of the genre can be traced to:

a Cuban habanera, very close in tempo;

Spanish contradance;

candombe, which was danced by the black population, having moved to Latin America;

the Creole milonga that grew from street song into dance;

mazurka, popular among Poles.

It turns out that tango is a mixture cultural traditions that merged into one incredibly beautiful dance.

Interesting Facts

• The first attempts to "bring" tango to Europe date back to the beginning of the 20th century. But the popularization of the dance was unsuccessful. An epidemic called "tango" swept the Old World around 1921 thanks to the film "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse", where passion was shown in Latin American style.
• Not only the Parisian beau monde went crazy for tango. He earned the approval of the doctors, who saw in the dance an opportunity to strengthen the body and cultivate the harmony of movements.

• In 1990, the National Tango Academy was opened in Buenos Aires, the task of which was to preserve the dance as a cultural value of the country. After 6 years, a law was issued to give tango the status of a national treasure.
• Chacarita Cemetery is a significant place for tango fans. Here are buried the most famous people in the history of this area. Main character- singer Carlos Gardel, the idol of millions of Hispanics. His role in the development of tango is so great that UNESCO declared his voice a cultural heritage. Arriving at the cemetery, Gardel's fans always light a cigarette in the hand of his bronze article. This is the custom of the singer's admirers.

In 1899, a "Dictionary of Spanish Words" was published, in which the tango was designated as a celebration and dance of the Negroes. In the 1925 reprint, the meaning of the word was expanded to include the dance of the Spanish high society.

One well-known French designer used the popularity of tango in his own country to his advantage. The fact is that he had a large amount of unclaimed tissue for a long time. orange color. He decided to name the shade in honor of the dance and in just a couple of days he sold out all the material. I even had to order an extra batch.

Russian politician Lev Aristidovich Kasso, who was in charge of public education Russian Empire, opposed the tango. One statement on his part was not enough. The minister sent out a circular to the school districts forbidding even mentioning the name of the obscene dance aloud.

Tango and cinema - compatible things? Quite. It is enough to watch the films "Frida", "Mr. and Mrs. Smith", "Smell of a Woman" or "Let's Dance" to be convinced of this.

Argentinian or Uruguayan?

Heated disputes over the country of origin of tango do not fade away. The fact is that the dance originated on the banks of the Rio de la Plata. It unites the territories of both Uruguay and Argentina, in particular Buenos Aires. It is in this cultural space where two nations united and tango was born. Therefore, all disputes are groundless.

Types and styles of tango

They can be listed endlessly - spreading over the globe, the direction absorbed the features of a particular local culture. So, French, English, Finnish and other varieties of the genre are known. We will focus on the styles of Argentine tango.

Liso is one of the simplest dance options, since it is based on elementary steps. Complex movements are not used.

Nuevo is beautiful combination graceful poses, all kinds of rotations with the plexus of legs. The style is considered an innovation of young people, therefore it is filled with original movements and a constant search for oneself in dance.

Fantasy is performed exclusively in the productions of show programs. He attracts attention with slightly eccentric figures, staged according to the script and storyline. In essence, fantasy is a play told through dance.

Kanyang stands out ancient origin. The time of its appearance is attributed to 1870. The variety is distinguished by complex choreography and elements taken from African culture.

Modern salon - a classic in the world of tango. The style gained its distribution in the 40s of the last century and attracted the attention of the public with measured movements, accuracy and sophistication of their execution.

Tango is an old Argentinian folk dance, it is danced in pairs. The rhythm is clear and energetic. The very word tango comes from the Nigerian language, the dance was created on the basis of ancient African dance forms.

For the first time the word "tango" began to be applied to dances in Argentina at the end of the 19th century, and at the beginning of the 20th century they came to Europe and America. The period of 30-50 years is considered the golden age of dance, and since 2009 tango is an object world heritage UNESCO.

Many unsuccessfully try to understand the essence of tango, but it does not give in, guarding its secrets from the uninitiated. If you try to find in this dance only an expression of passion, you risk not understanding anything.

The language of tango allows you to talk about meetings and partings, love and betrayal. The whole history of this dance is permeated with idle fictions, which we will try to refute or confirm.

For real tango you need sexual attraction. This statement, by the way, applies specifically to tango. In general, every real man should have a sexual attraction. It is for this purpose that dances were created, subordinating a couple to ancient instincts. When feelings are seething between the dancers, tango becomes a real performance, winning in entertainment. In order for the dance to turn out, there is little desire to dance it. You have to want to dance it with this woman. And this one is not so simple, it was even seriously discussed at one time, which led to the emergence of a whole code of tango. In accordance with these rules, a man does not have the right to offer a woman anything but tango at the time of the meeting, and only then he can invite her to drink coffee with him, continuing the acquaintance.

Tango helps men hide complexes. Not at all. In tango, the partner does not just lead, he is responsible for the direction of movement. It is believed that a woman, trusting her partner in dancing, can dance with eyes closed. Hidden complexes do not allow people to do this. Distrust between partners will manifest itself, and it will be difficult to dance. However, it will still be possible to adjust your complexes. Pursuing for a long time tango, people change noticeably, although it is not easy and a rather long process. For some, it turns out to quickly become different and completely plunge into tango, having fun.

Real tango is danced only in Argentina. Real, or rather authentic tango, really exists only in this country. After all, there tango is not a dance, but already a subculture. And only those who have absorbed the taste of tango since childhood, who have been brought up in these traditions, can dance it primordially. It is noticed that in Argentina tango is a little different than in other countries. Abroad, they perform a dance in a different language, with a slight accent.

Tango lovers generally love other dances. It has been noticed that tango fans do not include other dances in their list of passions. These people completely surrender to tango, having neither the desire nor the strength to break out of this pleasant addiction. Many, starting with tango, continue their journey with the study of Argentine culture, language and trips to Buenos Aires. Thus dance can become like a religion. It is hard to imagine waltz fans who regularly travel to Vienna at the behest of a dance-struck soul. And tango has such an effect.

In tango, the man always leads. In fact, his concept of leadership is not at all unambiguous. It is believed that during the dance, a man shows his partner the way, offering her to take one step or another, a figure. And the woman must certainly answer him, usually with consent. The leadership of a man is manifested only in the fact that he takes the initiative, but the adequate answer still remains with the woman. These relationships last for a fraction of a second, which is sometimes not enough even for partners to understand each other. This is what is taught in specialized schools. Yes, and the true meaning of the dance all the same is for a woman to enjoy tango.

You should come to the tango club with your own partner. Tango is not only a dance, it is also a form of leisure. People go to bowling with a company or with a spouse, and usually they come to tango either alone or with friends. Rarely, rarely, established couples come to such a club, because in this case a coincidence of interests, rare and successful, will be required. But among professionals quite a lot couples, which is not surprising, knowing the ability of dancing to kindle the fire of passion.

There are no game elements in tango. In this dance, there are still elements of the game, each of the partners has its own role. Its honest performance will bring pleasure from the dance game.

There are no winners and losers in tango, just as there are no predetermined moves. In this dance there is a constant dialogue between a man and a woman in a special language of their souls, bodies, unifying music.

Tango - social dance. This statement is valid, perhaps, for some areas of Buenos Aires. There you can see how many, if not all, will dance at a regular party or home holiday.

In our concept, a paired social dance is a movement to slow music in a disco or special places.

After practicing tango for a while, you begin to understand that there is no desire to dance with everyone in a row - not even all the partners from the club are suitable for a couple. On major festivals or away meetings, this feeling only intensifies. Much in general in such cases depends on luck - what kind of partners came, what mood they and you have, how well the music is chosen.

We can say that tango is not a social dance, but a word would be an artificial language, like Esperanto. On it you can talk not with everyone, only with a handful of the same fans, but all over the world.

Tango is just a show. Many mistakenly believe that tango is an occupation exclusively for professional dancers on the stage of the theater or in the cinema. But in all major cities there are clubs that are visited by dozens and hundreds of ordinary people, their own festivals are held, where dancers from other cities and countries come together. Most of these people dance not at all for the cameras or others, but for themselves. And all the most interesting in their tango takes place inside their couple. It is also believed that you can understand the movements of the dancers only after practicing for some time yourself. Then it will become clear that sometimes seemingly simple movements are insanely complex, and spectacular technique is not always appropriate.

Tango is very physiological. They say that the technique of this dance takes into account the nuances of the structure of the human body, therefore, tango is natural for a person and convenient. But the same assumption can be applied to juggling, standing on one leg on a stretched wire. Our skeleton bends only at the joints, and the shoulders cannot turn 180 degrees relative to the hips, this is taken into account. But after all, for a step you constantly need to free up space, and for rotation and circular movements you need a stable axis. All this gives such a load on the muscles that you can’t get when you usually walk, not to mention the mass of other nuances. In addition, the body in the desired position should not be tense, otherwise the muscles will tighten, and the dancer will lose flexibility, turning into a kind of log. It is no coincidence that the basic step technique has been worked out for years.

Tango can be learned by yourself. It is a mistake to try to learn dance by looking at how others are doing. Do not be like teachers, self-replacing them. It is they who will be able to give the necessary direction of training, some exercises. But then you still have to do some work yourself - to develop a sense of rhythm, balance, the ability to listen to a partner. Do not be afraid and ask questions, and the teacher will always tell you when he sees mistakes. Psychological clamps can lead to the fact that in the end, having worked out even for several years in a group, a person will dance mediocrely.

Tango is a dance more for women. This statement is partially true. In beginner groups, girls really prevail, this also applies to milonga evenings. Even here, however, there are exceptions. But in the established and older groups of partners, on the contrary, there are not enough.

Tango is for the young. This statement follows from the myth that tango is just a show. That is what a great physical form and youthful enthusiasm. Still, one cannot do without certain conditions, but perseverance, the initial desire to study, the availability of time and money also play an important role. Among the dancers there are many who began to practice tango only after 40-50 years. The advantages of tango also include the fact that it can be danced until old age, in the absence, of course, of health problems.

Tango is a dance for adults. And this statement is a reflection of the previous one. Many mistakenly believe that children have nothing to do in tango. However, babies also have nothing really to say, but they are still taught to talk. In youth, it is much easier to learn, because both stretching and muscle tone are better. As a result, young dancers dance much faster. It is these people who pay more attention in the milongas.

Tango is only Argentinean. This dance has several styles. In addition to the traditional Argentine tango, which also came from Uruguay, there are also ballroom and Finnish tango. And the Argentine tango itself has several varieties - Fantasia, Liso, Nuevo, Salon and others. Finnish tango originated in Suomi in the 40s of the 20th century. Ballroom tango - sports dance with whom they participate in international competitions. Its main difference from the traditional one is the absence of improvisation, everything here corresponds to predetermined rules.

Tango can be learned in three days. Only charlatans can give such a promise. You can really master the basics in no less than six months. For this, by the way, you do not have to strain much. Indeed, over the hundred years of its existence, the dance has not changed much in terms of technique, which is quite simple. First, the scheme is brought to automatism, then the movements accelerate and complicate the movements of the legs. Then other parts of the body will be "placed". And all the pretentiousness of the dance is passion, exaltation, it will come by itself and will depend on the partners themselves, because so much is allowed in tango...