This amazing dance was born in late XIX century, when in search of happiness and a better life In Buenos Aires began to arrive immigrants from Europe, tormented by famine and war. And, as a reminder of their homeland, in addition to musical instruments, they brought with them the musical traditions and dances of their countries.
Since ancient times in Argentina there was a style of song, and after the dance, called milonga. These were cheerful or ironic songs of wandering musicians. So did the dance, which later, paradoxically, had the most important influence on the birth of tango. In the 19th century, from the dances brought by immigrants from Europe, individual movements began to be selected and adapted to the milonga, paving the way for the first version of the tango. This dance fully embodied all the emotional intensity, all the strength of the experiences of people who, by the will of fate, left their homeland.
Milonga, according to José Gobelo (founder of the Accademia del Lunfardo, considered an authority on the subject of tango), is a word from the African Quimbunda language, being the plural form of mulonga. "Mulonga" in this language means "word". So "milonga" means "words". In 1872, when José Hernandez published his most famous book"Martin Fierro" (where the life of a "gaucho" - an Argentine cowboy is described in verse), the term milonga has already acquired the meaning of a certain meeting where you can dance. A decade later, in 1883, Ventura Lynch wrote: “On the outskirts of the city, the milonga is so common that it is danced at all meetings of the people, it can be heard performed to the music of guitars, accordions, combs and paper, and street musicians play it with a flute orchestra, harps and violins. It is also danced in cheap casinos around the markets in September 11 and Constitution squares, during other dance events and funeral processions.
Today milonga has several meanings: style of music, dance, public place where you can dance, as well as its original meaning (many words, or a long story). For example, in the phrase "no me vengas ahora con esa milonga" ("do not start all this chatter now").
As for the term "tango", there is no consensus on its origin. If you turn to the prehistory of tango, then everything is covered with a thick fog. The word "tango" appeared much earlier than the dance with that name. The word first appeared outside of Argentina, in one of the Canary Islands, and in other parts of America, with the meaning of “a gathering of Negroes for dancing, for playing drums; also, the African name for this drum." The Dictionary of the Spanish Royal Academy of Letters, 1899 edition, defines Tango as "The fun and dance of the Negroes or the lower classes in America", and also gives the second meaning of the word: "Music for this dance." It must be remembered here that for the Spanish world, America is a whole continent, and not just the USA. In this case, the dictionary was talking about the Spanish part of America, excluding the US and Canada.
The dance itself (dance technique) is built in such a way that without the impulse of a man, a woman will not take a step. It really takes two to tango, because this dance does not fit into the concept of "the man leads, the woman follows."
By the beginning of the 20th century, the Argentine tango was already ready to conquer Europe. At first he was "sheltered" by France. This happened thanks to the rich Argentines who regularly visited Paris - their receptions were regularly attended by the nobility. From Paris, the dance immediately "moved" to other European capitals. Conservative Europe began to actively learn and be interested in Argentine tango, organize parties with the participation of orchestras from Argentina. The daring and uncompromising nature of the dance caused constant irritation and prohibitions from those in power, but attempts to stop the popularity of this sensual dance with its touching of the hips and interlacing of the legs, had no success. Even women's fashion had to change in order to adapt to the movements of the tango - very bulky dresses of that time were replaced by lighter and freer ones.
All over the world, Argentine tango salons and schools began to appear one after another, and in Europe the aristocracy arranged the so-called "tang o tea" - tango tea parties. Seductive and frank dance provoked a real tangomania. In the 30s and even in the early 40s of the last century, tango remained the number one dance. And in the 50s, faced with new forms of pop music, tango was forced to give way and move into the category of "classics", which was treated more with respect than with pleasure. Young people were carried away by new musical trends ...
But today the tango returns to us in the original style, as it was danced and danced in Argentina, when a man and a woman rediscover the charm and pleasure of dancing together. Adult mature people who already know a lot about themselves and the world come to tango. "Calm masculinity", "elegant femininity" - this is said about men and women in Argentine tango. And adjusting themselves “to tango” (including by mastering the technique of dance), men and women really develop these qualities in themselves.
Tango does not stand still, it is developing dynamically. This finds expression in the styles of this dance. Usually there are four groups of styles of Argentine tango: milonguero, tango salon, tango nuevo and tango fantasy. Milongueros are danced at milongas; nuevo and fantasy require more space, they are danced most often in the show; the salon is more versatile, it can be successfully danced both on a crowded dance floor and in a show.
Louis Armstrong once said: "If you ask what jazz is, no one will answer you." Argentine tango has a lot in common with jazz music in the sense that there are no set rules for improvisation, but there are common practices and ways. people studying jazz music or Argentine tango, learn improvisation options. And in this sense, the properties of the Argentine tango determine the widespread practices of improvisation.
Argentine tango is always an improvisation, often by people who don't even know each other. They do not agree on anything in advance, do not prompt each other to move.
Tango is a special language that a man and a woman speak without words.
Tango- one of the most mysterious dances in the world. After all, restraint of characters, severity of lines and unbridled undisguised passion coexist in it at the same time. Modern tango has many varieties. Among them are strict ball direction, and passionate Argentinean and unusual Finnish. But they all differ from other types of dances in their special unique character. After all, only in tango it is possible to combine such anatomical features as restraint and passion, strictness and frivolity, tenderness and aggression. Maybe that's why, despite its complexity, both in performance and in understanding, this dance has a huge number of fans around the world.
History of Tango
Tango is a unique fusion of traditions, folklore, feelings and experiences of many peoples, which has more than a century of history. It appeared at the end of the 19th century in the poor emigrant quarters of Buenos Aires, where emigrants gathered in search of happiness, they met here cultural traditions countries around the world. Happiness was not enough for everyone, it was replaced by a dance accessible to everyone. It contains Argentinean milonga, Havana habanera, Spanish flamenco, ritual dances Indians, Polish mazurka, German waltz merged into a dance of longing for abandoned homeland, unhappy love, passion and loneliness. At first, tango was a dance of a man. It was a confrontation, a duel, mostly of course over a woman. They say that a lady could choose from 10-15 men. Later, the tango became the dance of a man and a woman. In many ways, to this day, tango has retained its opposing force and rules of the game: the man leads, the lady follows him. 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 20th century, tango and its music came into life European countries. It was the golden age of tango, the period of tangomania. Paris at the beginning of the century fell in love with tango at first sight. This illegitimate child of African rhythms, Italian songs and mazurkas came to Paris thanks to a few dancers from Argentina. A new word has emerged tangomania, the fashion for tango dancing and everything connected with it: tango parties, tango drinks, cigarettes, tango clothes and shoes. From Paris, the tango spread all over the world, to London, New York, Germany and Russia, although not without hindrance. Pope Pius X himself spoke out against the new dance, and the Austrian emperor forbade soldiers to dance it in military uniform. And the Queen of England said she refuses to dance "this". But in 1914, a couple of Romanians, students of the Argentine Casimir Ain, danced "it" in the Vatican, and the Pope lifted his ban. We also had our own tango in Russia. Tango became very popular in St. Petersburg at the beginning of the 20th century, although its dancing was officially banned. So in 1914, a decree of the Minister of Public Education appeared, prohibiting educational institutions In Russia, the very mention of "a dance called tango that has become widespread." And if you remember, the waltz, the mazurka, and the polka shared the fate of the tango at one time... And in the 20-30s it was also banned as a dance of bourgeois culture. They banned it, but 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 sweet melodies by Oskar Strok, soulful tango performed by Vadim Kozin, Petr Leshchenko, Konstantin Sokolsky, Alexander Vertinsky... And then wartime tango and tango from Russian films. It was our native 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 is a new wave of tangomania. This is 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. 
History of Argentine Tango
This story began in Argentina. They say that in the beginning the tango was danced by blacks, former slaves who lived in Argentina. This dance was accompanied by the rhythms of drums. At the end of the 19th century, the Argentine port city of Buenos Aires became extremely popular among emigrants. People from different countries of Europe came here in search of a better life. These people brought with them various musical instruments from their native countries: violins, guitars, flutes, and of course they carried the musical traditions of their countries. And in Buenos Aires, as a mixture of different cultures and trends in music, a previously unknown dance, tango, is being formed and developed. At first he was cheerful, light, at times even vulgar. For a long time it remained the music and dance of the lower classes. The middle and upper classes did not recognize him. In those days, tango was danced in taverns, in the yards of barracks, in brothels and just on the streets in the poorest neighborhoods of the city. At the beginning of the 20th century, the bandoneon appeared among the tango instruments, an instrument resembling an organ in its sound. He added a touch of drama to tango music. With his appearance, Tango became slower, new tones of intimacy appeared for him. In the 1920s, an economic crisis began in Argentina. A huge number of people lost their jobs and the people of Buenos Aires became very sad people. It should be noted that at that time the majority of the population of Buenos Aires were men. And so the men of Buenos Aires were very lonely. The lyrics of tango will always be a woman, sadness and longing for her. For a male porteño, there were only brief moments of rapprochement with a woman. This happened when he held her in his arms, dancing the tango. At these moments, the man was embraced by love, and this feeling somehow reconciled him with life. 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. When you dance the Tango, don't get carried away with the steps, because the steps are the less important part of the dance. The most important part of Tango is the music and your feelings.
Reflections on the origin of tango
Tango is first and foremost dance genre, which has its own rhythm and structure that distinguishes it from other genres. The origin of tango was strongly influenced by the socio-cultural context of the late 19th century. The conditions that shaped the tango between 1890 and 1920 were unique. They will be gone when new musical genres start to emerge to fight for the right to be popular.
The social conditions in which tango was born are Buenos Aires in the 1880s with an indigenous population of 210,000 and then a large influx of emigrants from Europe. In 1910, the population reaches 1,200,000 people and that is when the tango flourishes. These historical events are very important for our analysis. It was this mixture of European bloodlines with Spanish and native Latin American populations that gave impetus to a new way of expressing oneself through music. This unprecedented event of fusion of different nations gives tango the character of a universal dance. Buenos Aires in 1880 was like a big village where you could only dance or watch dancers in dance halls or theaters. These academies hired only women who had a special work permit. As a rule, there were dance halls on the outskirts of the city or in the suburbs. On dance evenings the rhythms of the habanera (Havana dance), polka, corrido, waltz, Scottish song and other genres were mixed. From all these rhythms, tango was born, quickly becoming popular in the growing Buenos Aires. At that time, it was common practice for actors to sing and dance on stage in comedies, operettas, and other small genre plays. Even before the beginning of the 20th century, tango music began to sound at these shows. Street musicians spread the tango melody to all corners and quarters, and very often you could see people on the street, dancing tango especially the men who danced with each other. At that time, women were rare, as emigrants, as a rule, left their wives and girlfriends at home and rushed alone in search of their fortune. Another misconception about tango is that it has been rejected and forbidden in high society. Beginning in 1902, the Teatro Opera held balls where the tango, along with other dances, was included in the repertoire. And ordinary workers or people from the provinces hardly went there. With development wealthy people who have at home, in addition to a record player, a piano to play from the notes. The average salary of a police officer at that time was 60 pesos. Between 1903 and 1910 
technologies and
With the advent of gramophone records and players, tango began to take root more and more in the life of the city. The price of one plate then varied between 2 pesos and 50 cents 5 pesos. A gramophone then cost between 150-300 pesos. One sheet of music cost from 1 to 3 pesos. Who could buy these things at such prices? Of course, wealthy people who have at home, in addition to a record player, a piano to play from the notes. The average salary of a police officer at that time was 60 pesos. Between 1903 and 1910, more than a thousand records were released, 350 of which were devoted to tango, and a huge number of sheet music. In the next decade, the volume of records increased to 5,500, of which half were tango recordings. Doesn't that mean there's a lot of demand? How could poor people buy a gramophone? Who could buy records?
In conclusion: the culture of tango was born from a mixture of Spanish and Latin American culture with what European immigrants brought with them. Its origin was influenced on the one hand by milonga, habanera, Scottish dance, and on the other hand by operetta and pop song. Tango was born on the outskirts of the city and in the provinces. Then, it became popular in dance halls, which were then called academies. Street musicians spread the tango throughout the neighborhoods, and theaters included it in their productions. He had to get along with other dances, but in the end it firmly won its place in the city center. Tango was accepted, to a greater or lesser extent, by all sections of society and was recognized first in Europe, later in the United States, and then in the rest of America. 
Roots of tango - dance and music
The origin of dance, music and the very word "tango" is disputed by the most fantastic theories, stretching all the way to the country. rising sun. Eduardo S. Castillo believes that the word "tango" is Japanese, since the dance itself was allegedly invented by the Japanese living in Cuba. Even though we realize that this theory is too far from being real, the not so distant origin stories of tango cannot be considered more reliable and remain the subject of fierce debate to this day. There is already a debate about where the word "tango" comes from. Some believe that it is based on the Latin verb "tangere" - to touch, others consider it to be derived from the Spanish word "tambor" - drum - through an intermediate stage - "tambo" or "tango" to "tango". More likely is the theory published by Vincente Rossi in 1926 in his book "Cosas de negros" (The Cases of the Blacks). Rossi was the first to point out that the word "tango" may come from one of the African dialects. 
His suggestion seems all the more likely since Buenos Aires and Montevideo were for many years important staging posts for the slave trade. Ricardo Rodriguez Molas, another tango researcher, confirmed Rossi's thesis in his etymological studies, proving the African origin of the word "tango". The dispute is actually about what served as the basis: the Congolese dance "lango", the god of the Nigerian Yoruba tribe "shango" or the word of the "Bantu" people "tamgu", meaning dance in general. According to Molas, "tango" comes from the Kongo, where it means "closed place", "circle". Later, this word began to refer to the places where slaves were collected before being loaded onto a ship. 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, which form the basis of candombe, has never been used in tango. The tango and candombe are united by a rhythmic formula that basically underlies all African-influenced Latin American music, from Uruguay to Cuba. This rhythmic formula also influenced three musical style considered the immediate predecessors of the tango: the Afro-Cuban habanera, the Andalusian tango and the milonga.
Habanera, which originated around 1825 in the suburbs of Havana, is both a pair dance and a form of 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 contact between the colony and the mother country, the habanera penetrated the Spanish kingdom and, around the 1850s, became popular throughout the country, mainly through popular theaters. In the port taverns of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, the habanera was distributed by Cuban sailors. She instantly became competitive with the most fashionable dances of that era, with 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 measure, which in turn is composed of one percussion eighth, one sixteenth, and two further eighths. Tango Andaluz, which arose around 1850 in Cadiz, refers to classical forms flamenco and is performed with guitar accompaniment. This is both a song form and a dance, which was performed at first only by a woman, later 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 Creole predecessor of the tango, is in itself "part of cultural history", and there is also no consensus on the original meaning of this word. Dieter Reichardt believes that this word is plural the words mulonga ("word") of the Kimbundu language. While the Negro population of Brazil retained the original meaning of the word milonga - "words", "conversation", in Uruguay "milonga" meant "city singing" (payada pueblera), in contrast to the songs of the rural population, simply payada. In Buenos Aires and its environs, milonga in the 1870s meant "festival" or "dances" and the place where they were held, and at the same time "a messy mix". In this sense, this word is used in the epic of Martin Fierro. Shortly thereafter, this word began to be used to refer to a special dance and song
forms, 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. "At this time, the milonga was interesting as a dance and song form. The rural milonga was very slow and served musical accompaniment songs. The urban variant was much faster, more agile, played and, accordingly, danced more rhythmically. If we talk about rhythmic elements, then only the elements of African candombe are most noticeable in the milonga. More obvious relationship with music folk singers pampas. While the tango is a more stylized urban music that left behind its folklore legacy no later than the 1920s, the milonga has numerous features. folk music Argentina.
The milonga, the habanera and the Andalusian tango were a significant part of the repertoire of the trios that toured the Buenos Aires area in the 1880s. These musicians were almost entirely self-taught, playing flutes, violins, and harp at dances in working-class neighborhoods, suburban eateries, and brothels. 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 primarily in rural areas 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 musical composition. But since these melodies were not recorded, today it is not known how they sounded exactly. The repertoire of such groups 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 transitions between habanera, milonga and Andalusian tango were so subtle that they were often confused. The rise of tango can be more or less accurately traced back to the time when musicians playing for dancers could read the notes and thus record the music they played. These were primarily pianists who played in elegant salons, where there was a piano. Pianists played here mostly alone. They usually had musical education unlike their anonymous trio counterparts playing in the suburbs. They exchanged notes, created their own style and - most importantly - recorded their compositions.
One of the most famous establishments of that time was cafe Restaurant, opened by the German Juan Hansen in 1877 in the urban area of Palermo "Lo de Hansen" ("At Hansen's") - a kind of hybrid of a restaurant and a brothel. Here one could taste delicacies in the open air overlooking the Rio de la Plata and then dance in secluded places hidden from prying eyes.
Tango played in the most different places, on the streets, in the yards of working-class districts and in many institutions, from "dance halls to brothels: "romeria", "karpas", "baylongs", "tringets", "academies", etc. More precisely highlight the places where tango was played , difficult - at best, they differed from each other in their proximity to a brothel. José Gobello quotes a description of a certain "academy" in 1910: "The academy was just a cafe where women were served and where a hurdy-gurdy played. There one could drink and dance between two glasses with the women serving." The women in this establishment, as a contemporary writes further, were not prostitutes, but in general it was only a matter of time and - in more difficult cases - greater amount money - if the client had such a desire. 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 of their holidays between waltz and mazurka once or twice and tango, albeit without the complex figures adopted by "decent people". The Italian hurdy-gurdy is mentioned in the Argentinean national epic "Martin Fierro". The tangos "El ultimo organito" and "Organito de la tarde" are referred to as the "Voice of the Outskirts".
In all these places at that time you could hear the tango. A classic early tango was, for example, "El entrerriano" written by Rosendo Mendizabal in 1897. Unfortunately, there are no records of how Rosendo Mendizabal and his colleagues interpreted "Tangos para piano". However, the published scores give an idea of how joyful and energetic this music must have sounded. 
At the beginning of the 20th century, the sounds of the guitar, flute and violin were added to the unique husky sound of the bandoneon. There were orchestras that performed tango
In the 40s of the XX century, tango was very popular.
At the beginning of the 20th century, tango appeared in Europe. His debut in Paris was a real sensation.
Tango is one of the most sensual dances on earth, it teaches sincerity, makes men remember gallantry, women about tenderness.
Tango in the old districts of Buenos Aires, late 19th century
Tango appeared at the end of the 19th century in the poor emigrant neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, where emigrants came in search of happiness...
Tango is a unique fusion of traditions, folklore, feelings and experiences of many peoples, which has more than a century of history.
Only in tango it is possible to combine such anatomical features as restraint and passion, strictness and frivolity, tenderness and aggression.
Tango is a dance of passion...
Among the varieties of tango are strict ballroom, passionate Argentinean and unusual Finnish...
Modern tango has many varieties.
In tango, restraint of characters, strictness of lines and unbridled undisguised passion coexist at the same time.
Tango is one of the most mysterious dances in the world...
In Moscow, almost every day (and sometimes several times a day) a milonga takes place somewhere - a party where tango is danced. The number of tango schools and studios that have appeared in Russia since the late 90s is growing - more and more people want to find space to calmly and beautifully express their most difficult emotions. Gazeta.Ru decided to find out what is the secret of this magical and popular dance.
Recently, Australian scientists from the University of New England discovered beneficial effect Argentine tango on the mental health of a person. Participants in the experiment, aged 18 to 75, complaining of depression, anxiety, stress and insomnia attended tango lessons for two weeks.
As a result, the general emotional background of the majority has noticeably improved, self-esteem and the ability to enjoy life have increased. The effect persisted for about a month after the end of classes.
Theory of Passion
Tango originally appeared in Argentina at the end of the 19th century among the lower strata of society. In the 1910s, the dance penetrates the elite and quickly wins universal love. Around the same time, he ended up in Europe, where real tangomania begins, and by the beginning of the 20s - in the USA. 1935-1955 - the "golden age" of tango, the time of creating music, to which they mainly dance today - to the orchestras of Juan D "Arienzo, Osvaldo Pugliese. Since the mid-50s, the work of the composer Astor Piazzolla finally elevates tango to the rank of serious music. Formed different styles: salon, milonguero, fantasy, nuevo, moderno…
The basic elements of tango are step and turn, presented in a huge number of variations. The peculiarity of tango is that it is an improvisational dance, and it is impossible to learn it - each time, combining elements in a new way, you create absolutely new dance. In this case, the initiator is a man, and the role of a woman is to sensitively capture the direction and pulse of the dance. At the same time, this is not a game of "guessing" - a man should make it clear enough to his partner how the dance will go on, and she, in turn, should understand him.
And here the most interesting thing begins: in order for the dialogue to take place, partners are forced to learn to trust and open up to each other.
“People are becoming more open to relationships. Tango teaches you to solve problems in pairs. If you want to get something from someone, you have to give him what he needs, says Gigio Giovanni, dancer and tango teacher with 20 years of experience from Argentina, living in Moscow. “Usually we hide behind words, and when you dance, you have nowhere to go. Everything becomes clear."
The non-verbal communication that takes place in tango cannot be false, unlike Everyday life. “Tango teaches a man to be a man,” Gigio continues. “Actually, this is not an easy task.
Anyone can be a man like an animal. Tango teaches you to be a gentleman, to understand what you want and how to get it.
In turn, women become more feminine, learn to listen, to feel the situation.”
Tango not only plays the story of communication from the inside, but also builds relationships between people around it. Life in the tango community is very active: new acquaintances inevitably appear, there is no need to wonder where to go in the evening. For women, this is a reason to change jeans and T-shirts for dresses and elegant shoes, for men - to feel irresistible.
“Of course, in tango, the gender imbalance is quite pronounced,” says Anna Zyuzina, tango teacher and co-founder of one of the first Moscow tango schools. - And a man who really learned to dance will be a success with women. Self-esteem is growing - for some, it even sometimes jumps over the threshold of adequacy. Of course, liking girls is already an interesting moment. And good self-esteem then helps in other areas of life.
“For me, tango is an allegory of life,” Gigio continues. — It is useless to go to tango with the aim of finding something definite, for example family happiness, if you have not found yourself first. And if you have found yourself, then everything else is possible. Tango is both suffering, and passion, and melancholy. Who dances tango overcomes these feelings more easily in life. Sadness is also a skill, you need to be able to live it.
The practice of love
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But tango is certainly not only about sadness, otherwise it would not be so popular. First of all, this dance attracts with the possibility of a truly beautiful communication between a man and a woman.
“It usually takes a long time in life before you hug your loved one for the first time,” Gigio says. “And the tango begins with a hug, and besides, it's just a hug, just a dance.
Of course, there is a game, there is flirting, but we love it, and the Russian people love it. Because they are passionate. Like us".
In addition, tango is a good occasion to deal with your psychological problems. "Tango - social dance, and this whole community works according to all the laws of society,” says Anna. “If a person sees that something is not working out for him not only “there”, but also here, he corrects his behavior, and then it becomes easier for him to communicate with people.”
Skills acquired in the classroom are practiced at training dance evenings, sometimes under the supervision of a teacher. In many schools, you can come to this practice, even if you study in another. And those who are already confident enough in their abilities can go to a real milonga - an evening where they dance tango.
The favorite venues for Moscow tangueros are the Teplitsa cafe, the Sad named after. Bauman, Catherine Park, Museum of Moscow, TIR studio, Flakon design factory, Rhythm-Blues cafe. It is customary to put music in blocks of three or four tango compositions with almost no pauses - this is “tanda”. Between the tandas are "cortinas" - short inserts of other music, such as salsa or rock and roll, when you can talk with a partner or find a new one.
Interrupt tanda - gross violation"codigos", tango etiquette. By the way, he paints the norms of behavior in the milongas before the smallest details. They are easy to remember, helping and avoiding awkward situations, and feel like you are at a real dance retro evening.
special case
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Of course, everyone's personal history of relationships with tango is unique. But we still asked two Moscow tangeros - a man and a woman - to tell us their story.
Maxim Muravyov has been dancing since 2010:
“I came to tango after graduating from university. I wanted to change my life ... To the question posed to myself “How?” a lightbulb with the inscription "Argentine tango" lit up in my head. It seemed strange to me - I didn’t know what kind of dance it was, and I never danced anything ... Six months later I noisily celebrated my birthday at the milonga, and a year later I gradually learned what “codigos” was, and finally got involved. Learning has always been interesting, and now too. I think for tango this is an obligatory endless process.
Tango brings balance - it adds softness to a tough person, rigidity to a soft person ...
Gives a man confidence own forces, the ability to realize hidden potentials, self-confidence.
Thanks to tango, I found my love and connected with it later life. There was a new environment, a lot of acquaintances. The rhythm of tango has firmly entered the rhythm of life ... Or rather, vice versa.
Lena Shchekina, dancing since 2008:
“Shortly before I got acquainted with tango, I decided that I wanted to do pair dancing. And then a colleague offered to go with her to the closing of the Moscow tango festival. Coming out after the concert, I already knew exactly what kind of dances I would do. I started literally in a week, and after the first lesson I went to buy very expensive professional shoes. So it was love at first sight.
I went to the milonga for the first time after four months of training: it was very scary and interesting at the same time... Of course, the first months are the most difficult: you learn the movements, trying to get into the music and keep in touch with your partner. And then it becomes easier, although this is a multi-stage process, there are ups and downs. Now I am not studying, but I go to practices and milongas. Tango brings a festive atmosphere to life...
Tango helped my friend get out of her depression after her divorce, several acquaintances found their soul mates thanks to tango. I met many wonderful people.
And I became freer. Tango helps, on the one hand, to learn how to control the body, and on the other hand, to become liberated internally. After all, it is not so easy for the first time to answer an invitation to dance or to invite a man with a glance.
And tango teaches you how to hug nicely.”
Where to learn to dance tango in Moscow
ITAR-TASS/ Sergey Karpov
School of Argentine tango "TangoMio". Founded in 2004 by one of the first tangers in Moscow, Mila Vigdorova, and Anna Zyuzina. Teachers invited from Buenos Aires teach here on a permanent basis, and the world's best tango masters regularly conduct master classes.
The first Moscow school of tango Casa del Tango. Created in 1998 by choreographer and tango teacher Valentina Ustinova. The first students of Casa are tangers now known throughout Moscow.
Theater-studio of Argentine tango by Vlada Zakharova. The leader is the champion of Russia in Argentine tango, a professional teacher-choreographer, has been teaching since 2000. The school constantly organizes performances by students and teachers at various venues and even trips to Argentina.
School of Argentine tango GoTango. Exists since 2004. The forum on the website of this school is known, perhaps, to the entire Russian-speaking tango community and lives incredibly active life- here they discuss the most different questions those connected with tango find out the schedule of tango events, and also look for (and find!) a couple for classes and milongas.
Clubs "Planetango" and "La Milonga". In addition to tango lessons, these clubs organize regular practices, milongas (often themed - for example, by candlelight or on the occasion of a holiday), seminars and master classes of foreign teachers, and festivals.
The Russian tango community covers many cities: St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Voronezh, Samara, Yaroslavl, Krasnodar, etc. Yes, and having arrived in another country, you definitely will not feel lonely - in many countries there is someone to dance with.
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 from each other, dance moves, 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 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 the cramped, crowded dance halls, in which, often, there was not enough space for making 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 a certain line of 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 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.
How did Tango come about?
The history of the creation of Tango, where truth and beautiful fiction are closely intertwined, is so contradictory and vague that it is impossible to form a single idea about it.The first mention of Tango dates back to 1880. It is believed that it originated in the suburbs of the Argentine capital, presumably where the San Telmo area is now located.
IN last years In the 19th century, Europe was plagued by wars, famines, and economic uncertainty. Dubious prospects and a faint hope of a stable life forced people to leave Europe and go to South America in search of better share. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants settled in the new federal capital of Argentina - the port of Buenos Aires. A huge number of people of different social status out completely different cultures, with their orders and customs, suddenly turned out to be in one place. Most of them were young men who had left their homeland, their families and loved ones. At the same time, the ratio of men and women among them, according to various sources, ranged from 30:1 to 50:1. Despite enough high level life in Argentina at that time, the life of immigrants was by no means sweet. They were forced to live in squalid houses on the outskirts of the city, earning their bread by hard work. Difficult conditions lives have left their mark on the culture they create. Despair, disappointment, sadness, nostalgia, longing, hope and aspiration tore apart the soul and heart.
The main place of recreation at that time were taverns and brothels in the outskirts of Buenos Aires. Young men were frequent visitors to "academyas" (from "dance academy") and "pregundines" - poor cafes where waitresses could be hired for dancing.
It is impossible to say with certainty from which dance Tango takes its roots. Different sources record in the ancestors of the dance various Spanish, and African, and Cuban dances... Not without the influence of the Negro candombe - it's not without reason that the word "tango", according to many versions, comes from "tambo" - African drum, under which ritual dances were performed. From the habanera this dance took a somnambulistic fusion of bodies, from the milonga - a whimsical interlacing of legs, from the fandango - a dazzling dizziness, and, finally, from the candombe - a double stomp, echoing the beats of the African drum.
In the face of a severe shortage of women, it was important for men to become good dancers. A man who could dance the Tango well acquired a macho image and had the opportunity to choose a woman. Residents of "orilla" - the poor outskirts of Buenos Aires - learned the Tango movements from a pimp. In the beginning, the men danced alone or with each other, thus killing the waiting time for "one's turn" in the dating houses.
Later, women in taverns joined the Tango and began to dance it with customers, among whom more and more townspeople began to appear, secretly sneaking into the coveted "aurilia".
At that time, Tango did not have strict rules, its rhythm and form were still very vague. The composition of the orchestra was also uncertain: in the outlying cafes it was most often a violin, a flute and a harp (which was later replaced by a guitar), sometimes a piano complemented the violin and flute. As for the accordion variety of the bandoneon, named after the German Heinrich Band, who invented it, this instrument, brought to Argentina by sailors, appears in tang ensembles only at the beginning of the 20th century and immediately occupies a dominant position. The sound of this instrument resembles an organ. He added a touch of drama to Tango music. His cracked timbre perfectly conveys the essence of this dance. With his appearance, Tango became slower, new tones of intimacy appeared for him.
The universal suffrage law of 1912 gave new freedom to the people and a driving force for Tango. From now on, not only the lower classes wanted to dance it. became fashionable among high society to throw parties in honor of this dance and Tango salons were quickly established in the areas of Buenos Aires, where representatives of the upper classes lived. Word of him soon spread from South America to New York, London and Paris, where Tango tea parties have become a craze.
The spread of Tango around the world has brought about certain changes in the character of the dance. Tango made its first real leap in its development in the early years of the 20th century. It is associated with the first tours of tango orchestras and dancers to Europe and America.
The first show of Tango in Europe took place in Paris, the trendsetter of the world fashion, and soon after that in other European capitals. To say that the "early" Tango in Buenos Aires is an indecent dance is to say nothing. Very provocative, close, obvious, "bodily", he was a huge success in brothels and remained marginal, unacceptable to the upper strata of society. Once in Europe, Tango changed for the better. Now this is not a wild, animal passion, but a dance that is more restrained in appearance, but just as burning inside.
Not everyone liked this daring and sexy dance. In Paris, Cardinal Amette proclaimed: "Christians should not, in their conscience, take part in this." The following year, Pope Benedict XV also complained: "It is outrageous that this obscene, pagan dance, which is the murder of family and public life, is already being danced in the residence of the Pope. "But in 1914, a couple of Romanians, students of the Argentine Casimir Ain, danced the Tango in the Vatican, and the impressed Pope lifted his ban.
In 1914, Kaiser Wilhelm II forbade his officers from dancing the Tango in uniform, describing the dance as "lascivious and offensive to public decorum". The Queen of England also said that she refuses to dance this...
Russia also had its own Tango. It became very popular in St. Petersburg at the beginning of the 20th century, although its performance was officially prohibited. So, in 1914, a decree of the Minister of Public Education appeared, prohibiting the very mention of "a dance called Tango that has become widespread" in Russian educational institutions.
However, nothing could stop the triumphal procession of the Tango. And in the early 1920s, it entered its golden era. In Buenos Aires, the popularity of Tango reached unprecedented heights.
1930-1950 became the "Golden Age" of Tango. This is a period of rapid development, the emergence of many new musical groups, which were the cradle of composers who later became classics of style: Carlos Di Sarli, Astor Piazzolla, Osvaldo Pugliese, Carlos Gardel and others. Their work still inspires millions of people around the world today.
The next surge in the popularity of Tango came in the 80s, when a number of shows were launched in America that revolutionized this dance all over the world. "Forever Tango" is one of the most famous shows- started in New York in 1983. In Argentina, revival programs are starting at the government level, documents related to the history of Tango are being restored.
At the beginning of the 21st century, UNESCO included the Argentine tango in the list of World Heritage Sites.
December 11 - the birthday of the Argentine singer and actor, "King of Tango" Carlos Gardel (Carlos Gardel) - is celebrated around the world as International Tango Day.
