Tango dance of which country. Types of tango

Marchuk Valentina Alexandrovna
Teacher argentine tango Camito studios

"History of the development of Argentine tango"

Report at the 39th World Dance Congress, CID UNESCO

Russia, St. Petersburg, 2015

The history of Argentine tango is as colorful as the dance itself. And as mysterious as the history of ancient civilizations.
The joint presentation of Argentina and Uruguay at the IV session of the UNESCO intergovernmental committee on the recognition of tango as an intangible heritage of mankind reads:
“Tango was born among the lower classes of both cities (Buenos Aires and Montevideo), as an expression derived from the fusion of elements of Afro-Uruguayan and Afro-Argentine culture, as well as genuine Creole and European immigrants. As a result of artistic and cultural process hybridization. Today, tango is considered one of the main identity marks of the Rio de la Plata.”
It is said that the essence of a thing is contained in its name. So before we look at the history of tango, let's stop briefly and focus on the word tango itself. Although there are no proven origins of the word, there are a huge number of theories as to how this concept appeared. Here are some of them.

• A word from Africa meaning closed space or reserved area.
• A derivative of the word tambo, used by slave traders to indicate the place where slaves were kept.
• In his book Tango: TheArtHistoryofLove, Robert Farris Thompson identifies a list of additional African derivatives related to tango or including tango (meaning a festival or ceremony to mark the end of mourning), tangadungulu (to walk or show off), tangala (to walk heavily or stagger ), tangala-tangala (walk like a crab), tangama (jump) and taganana (walk).
• The sound of the Candombe drum roll.
• Derived from an African dialect in which tango meant to touch, feel or be close.
• Derived from the Latin verb tangere, meaning to touch.
• Music historian Carlos Vega wrote that a dance called the tango existed in 18th century Mexico and was danced individually rather than in pairs.
• The archives of the Holy Inquisition in Mexico refer to the old tango as a song in 1803.
• In the early 1800s, tango developed in Brazil in the horinho style.
• A derivative of the name of the Yoruba god and lightning, Shango, which sounded like "tango" in Cuba.
• Derived from the word tangonette, meaning a special kind of castanets used in the dance.
• Vernon and Irene Castle, in their book Modern Dance, argue that tango is not actually from South America, but a gypsy dance.
• In 1914, the Milford post wrote that the tango was of Japanese origin.

Now it is difficult to say which of the researchers was closest to the truth. Argentina was colonized by Spain in 1542. Millions of African slaves were brought to North and South America, and more than two-thirds of them came from the regions of East and Equatorial Africa called the Bantu. The drum-based music and dance that originated in Bantu is called candombe. The slaves used the word tango for both the drum used to perform the candombe, the venue in which they performed the music, and the dances themselves. Later, in the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America, the word tango gradually came to be applied to black dances in general - and eventually to modern tango.
The Spanish Royal Academy, often criticized for being somewhat slow in reflecting the development of the language, defined tango in 1899 as "a fiesta and dance of the Negroes or low socio-economic class in America". And in the 1925 edition, this definition was changed to a high society dance imported from America at the beginning of the century. Until 1984, there was no official definition of tango as an Argentine dance at all.
But, there is also earlier written evidence. The first written use of the word tango in its modern form is in a 1786 document signed by the Spanish governor of Louisiana, which contains entries about lostangos, o bailoesdenegros meaning tango, or black dances.
Even among Argentine scientists, there are disputes about the time of the origin of tango, and about the place of its appearance (either in Argentina, or in Uruguay), and, in fact, about the word itself and the concept of "tango". With a greater degree of probability, we can only say that tango, as a musical genre and dance, originated at the end of the 19th century. The fusion of Spanish, African, Italian and many other ethnic cultures of emigrants from Europe with the culture of gauchos (shepherds, who were mostly mestizos), remnants of Indians and descendants of black slaves gave rise to this unique phenomenon. There are several studies that are aimed at determining how accurate the geographic point of origin of tango is. Some sources claim that tango first appeared in Buenos Aires, others that it was in the countryside of Montevideo and even Rosario or surrounding towns of Buenos Aires such as Aveganeda and Sarandi, which are now integrated into the suburb known as the Southern Barracks and also recorded in old stories of tangueros (tango dancers).
It is also indisputable that this is a dance of the outskirts. A suburb of Buenos Aires, the concept is not so much geographical as qualitative. It is not yet a city, but it is not a village either. This relation refers to everything - life, culture, and the very consciousness of the "suburb man". One of the most characteristic features of the suburb is its cosmopolitan character. Argentine tango, in this sense, is a “child of the world”, because it was in the suburbs, in the years of the origin of tango, that immigrants from all over the world lived, who brought their culture to this musical and dance genre.
The time when tango appears, the second half of the nineteenth century, the time of large migration waves from the most various countries and parts of the world.
Thousands of peasants from the Argentinean hinterland (gauchos) and immigrants - unemployed from Europe poured onto the banks of La Plata. In search of work, they left their homes, families and beloved women on the other end. the globe. Newcomers settled on the outskirts in apartment buildings-dormitories, and Babylonian confusion of languages ​​reigned on the streets. The male population exceeded the female population by at least three times.
Also, immigrants from all over the world arrived in Argentina during the Silver Rush. Adventurers who came in search of easy money did not find silver on the banks of the Rio de La Plata and settled in the capital of Argentina, working in the port during the day and gathering in numerous bars, cafes and gambling houses in the evenings.
From the natural need to communicate with each other in an immigrant environment, a special jargon "lunfardo" was born - a rude mixture of different languages. In this street language, verses were composed about the harsh male life away from home and beloved, to which they began to dance tango. And for women's affection they went to brothels. But with all the abundance of such establishments, there were not enough girls for everyone. While waiting for their turn, the men passed the time by dancing with each other. According to one version, this is how tango was born.
Tango music was written in suburban slums, ports, brothels, prisons, immigrants, Indians and African slaves. Not surprisingly, tango was rejected by the wealthy and banned by the Catholic Church.
Jorge Luis Borges, an Argentine writer, poet and tango researcher, said: "Without the streets and evenings of Buenos Aires, one cannot write tango" - and presented the world with his version of the origin of the "dangerous dance". On the outskirts of the Argentine capital at the end of the 19th century, a criminal spirit reigned. Immigrants and gauchos often started quarrels, ending in a Creole duel - a duel with knives, during which opponents danced eye to eye. It is clear that often at the heart of such quarrels was the struggle for the right to possess a woman. From the Creole duel, according to the writer, and was born
tango.
The classic composition of the first orchestras that played the Argentine tango was considered a trio: violin, flute and guitar. Bandoneon came later. In the 1910s The bandoneon was brought by Heinrich Bandom from Germany. And since then, he has been inextricably linked with tango music. In 1912 Juan "Pacho" Maglio became very popular with his tango recordings, which featured a bandoneon in the title role, accompanied by flute, violin and guitar.
But it was also not always so. The orchestra was usually formed at random, i.e. of the musicians at hand at the time, including harpists, accordionists, mandolin players, percussionists, and others. It was quite common to see all these musicians playing in all kinds of orchestras. They played with those who hired them, and when the term of the contract came to an end, they dispersed into different sides. It follows that there were no permanent compositions.
Sometimes, the orchestra as such was in its infancy. Some kind of duet consisting of a comb with a piece of tissue paper for the melody and a guitar for the rhythm - and that was quite enough. In other words, as soon as two instruments (one of which was homemade) formed a group, people already called it an orchestra. “The bandoneon and guitar orchestra was a real highlight. This was not often seen, ”the old milonguero testifies. And it often happened that there was no need for the services of one or another orchestra.
For many years tango was not a dance. The tango sang about the working-class neighborhoods of the Barracas; about consumptive working girls who crossed the line of despair. Those in power anathematized the tango, branded it for immorality. And the song of the working quarters made its way further and further, overcoming the fierce resistance of seniors from wealthy families. It expressed the feelings and emotions of a man and a woman on the theme of love, longing for the Motherland, hopelessness and much more. Enrique Santos Discepolo, one of the greatest poets, defines tango as "sad thoughts that dance."
The battle for the right to be called a porteño (a resident of Buenos Aires) began from the port. The dockers wondered: why on the central respectable streets of Buenos Aires, a working guy does not even dare to show himself? After all, dockers communicated with foreign sailors and learned many strange things from them. And the working guys stepped over the forbidden line with a facon knife in their belt and a guitar in their hand. Their anthem was the tango, the song of the working suburbs, simple as life itself, and just as true.
The rapid development of Argentina from 1880 to 1930, the establishment of trade relations with Europe, led to the fact that the local rich once or twice a year traveled to the Old World, where they made acquaintances with people from high society. The sons of these people often stayed in Europe to study. It was they who introduced the Parisian nobility to the Argentine tango, which immediately became a general hobby.
Between 1903 and to 1910 more than one third of the output vinyl records with a circulation of more than 1000 copies were with tango music. Sheet music collections of tango music sold in huge quantities. In the period from 1910. to 1920 is characterized by the largest release of vinyl records.
In 1902, the TeatroOpera began to include tango in their balls. Initially, tango was known only in narrow circles, but soon it became popular throughout society, incl. and secular, because theaters and organ grinders in the streets distributed it from the suburbs and working-class districts throughout the city.
In 1912 dancers and musicians from BA arrived in Europe and the first place of mass insanity of tango was Paris.
Paris was not chosen by chance, since in the field of ballroom dancing France has long been a trendsetter for the whole of Europe - it’s not for nothing that, created in the 60s of the 17th century, the Paris Academy of Dance regulated the style and manner of performing “ballroom choreography” for many years. Paris fell in love with Tango at first sight. It was the golden age of Tango, the period of tangomania. There was a fashion for everything related to Tango - tango parties, tango drinks, cigarettes, clothes and shoes in the style of tango (tuxedo for a man, a skirt with a slit for a woman) and even salad tango. Then the craze was picked up by London, Berlin and other European capitals. By the end of 1913, tango had hit New York in the US and Finland. The version of the tango that was taken out of BA was modified. Salon tango appeared. But still the dance shocked many.
In 1922, manuals (manuals, instructions) established the "English" international style of salon tango. But it lost its popularity in Europe, gave way to new dances: foxtrot and samba. In addition, there was a general decline in all dances, as a result of the development of cinema.
As soon as the Tango dance became widespread among the aristocracy and middle class around the world, the top of Argentina's society adopted the hitherto unworthy dance as their own.
In 1913 tango has moved from the backyards of the city to elegant dance palaces.
In 1916 Roberto Firpo, the incredibly popular bandleader of the period, creates an arrangement for a standard tango sextet.
March of RodriguezJ.M. (composed by students during the riots in Montevideo) was adapted for tango, thus creating the most popular cult tango La Cumparsita.
In 1917, folk musician Carlos Gardel recorded the first tango song MiNoche Trisrte, and since then tango has been associated with the experience of a love tragedy expressed in verse.
It is Carlos Gardel who is considered by many to be the founder of the "old guard" style.
Until 1920, the Cangengue style of tango was popular. The fashion for long tight dresses of that era limited the movements of the follower. Therefore, the style involved short steps. The dancers tended to move with their knees slightly bent, slightly offset from each other, and in a closed embrace. The style is usually danced to a two-quarter beat.
Tango was never considered classical music until the 1920s. JulioDeCaro, violinist, did not form an orchestra and made the tango more elegant, whole and noble. Also, he slowed down. Together with PedroLaurenz, the bandoneonist, the Caro orchestra has been popular for decades.
In the 1930s and 1940s, tango flourished in Buenos Aires. Tango becomes the national dance. a significant role this one played songs sung by Carlos Gardel. He was the darling of the whole country. Sentimental love songs touched the hearts of Argentines. His concerts were sold out and tango records with his songs entered the homes of many residents of Buenos Aires. Affordable prices on records made possible the widespread dissemination of tango music for the middle class. Bandoneon musicians also played tango in small-town salons. Professional tango orchestras appear. Tango becomes a folk dance. Residents of Buenos Aires dance tango in small salons, where there is very little free space for the dance floor. Visiting milongas becomes a way of communication for the local population and tango is actively developing as a dance.
Juan Peron, who came to power in 1946, encouraged the people's popular culture, including the tango, for which the days of an unprecedented rise have come.
This time has been called the "Golden Age" of tango. At this time the most popular style the tango that was danced up to and during the Golden Age became the Tango Salon. Milongas (tango evenings) were held at large dance floors to the performances of full-fledged tango orchestras.
Tango Salon is characterized by slow, measured and smoothly executed movements. It includes all the basic tango steps and figures plus sacadas, barridas and boleos. The emphasis is on precision, fluidity and musicality. The couple dances in a close embrace, but the embrace is flexible, opening slightly to make room for various figures and closing again for support and balance. The gait is the most important element and the dancers usually walk around 60%-70% of the tango tune.
During these years, a huge amount of tango music was created. A large number of music, and the wide stylistic differences between the orchestras allowed the dancers to dance through the night with ease. Four bright schools define the style of tango: DiSarli, d`Arienzo, Troilo and Pugliese. It was during these years that they talk about the musical classification of tango. About melodic, rhythmic and dramatic tango.
However, in the 1950s, tango again had to go underground in Argentina itself due to a change in the political regime in the country. The economic stagnation and the establishment of a military dictatorship that persecuted any gathering of more than 7 people, as it considered them to be political rallies and meetings, led to the closure of many places where tango was danced.
1976 ... Guerra Sucia en la Argentina ... "Dirty War" in Argentina. In March 1976, as a result of a coup d'état, the military seizes power in Argentina. Arrests, torture, mass disappearances, murders. Economic instability. If a group of more than 7 people gathered together, the authorities considered it as a political rally. The police or the military did not bother with the appearance of lawsuits. People were thrown into dungeons and tortured. The bodies of the dead were secretly buried in mass graves or thrown into the sea.
Tango, like the people of Argentina, was repressed. The invasion of foreign music began. Clubs closed, many places stopped hiring musicians. The time of underground milongas has begun. And, tango was banned for a long seven years.

Old dancers remember:

"We were threatened because we were teaching the Tango...anonymous threats, but we were young, we didn't care, we didn't want the Tango to be lost."

Gloria&RodolfoDinzel

“We were detained on the streets for identification purposes. Me more often than him, because of the bright makeup and clothing, which for that era was scandalous, although I always dressed discreetly. After interrogation, they let us go, but it was still unpleasant. The police did not understand what we were doing on the street at such a late hour. The thing is, we usually worked in more than one place during the night, and we had to drive around the city, or we had to take a break and grab something at the bar.”

Maria Rivarola

The government, supported by US policy, tried in every possible way to eradicate the cultural heritage of Argentina. Instead of old cafes, discos with American music and rock and roll were opened. As a result, rock and roll became more popular. In the 60s and 70s, tango was forgotten and Argentine youth preferred other dances and forms of communication.
Milongas moved to small cafeterias in the city center, resulting in the birth of the milonguero style. Originally originated as the "petitero" (small Spanish) style in the 1940s and 50s in extremely crowded dance halls and cafes. It is danced in a close embrace, chest to chest, with partners reaching out to each other to make room for legs and movement. AT original style The milonguero does not have many decorations or elaborate figures due to the lack of space. But in our time, these figures are present in the dance of this style, which only at first glance seem impossible in a close embrace. In fact, many complex figures can be performed even in milonguero. While the rhythmic style of close hugs has been around for decades, the term "Milonguero Style" only came into existence in the mid-90s. The name was given to him by Susanna Miller, who assisted Pedro "Aunt" Rusconi. Many of the older dancers who represent this style (including "Tete") prefer not to use this name.
This continued until December 10, 1983, when a constitutional government headed by Raul Alfonsin came to power. The new government restored democratic freedoms and the operation of the constitution. With the end of the military dictatorship, tango dancers all over the country finally felt again what it means to be a real Argentine. Every radio station played Argentine tango hits around the clock, and dance clubs popped up here and there.
The era of the revival of the Argentine tango begins. In Paris, the show "Tango Argentina" is staged, on Broadway the musical "ForeverTango" and in Europe "TangoPasion".
After the end of the Argentine military dictatorship in 1983, this style was revived by the dancers of the Golden Age:

• El Turco Jose Brahemcha
• GerardoPortalea
• Luis "Milongita" Lemos
• "Finito" Ramon Rivera
• "Lampazo" José Vazquez
• Virulaso
• Miguel Balmaceda
• at the milongas at Sin Rumbo, Sunderland, and Canning.

One of the most famous examples of the elegant Salon style is the Villa Urquiza style, named after the northern suburb of Buenos Aires where the clubs SinRumbo and Sunderland are located. The dancers who currently lead the Villa Urquiza style are:

• Carlos Perez and Rosa
• Jorge Dispari and La Turka
• Miguel Angel Zottoi Milena Plebs
• OsvaldoZottoiLorenaErmocida
• El ChinoPericho
• Javier Rodriguez and Andrea Misse
• Alejandro Aquino
• Andre Laza Moreno and Samantha Dispari
• Fabian Peraltai and Natasha Poberage
• The Misse family (Andrea, Sebastian, Gabriel and Stella).

To this day, tango classes that teach the Villa Urquiza style are held at the Sunderland Club every Monday and Wednesday around 8pm.
Music in the modern world has not stood still. And Argentine tango is no exception.
A real phenomenon was the work of the Argentine musician and composer, whose compositions significantly enriched the tango genre, presenting it in a modern key, which absorbed elements of jazz and classical music; the founder of the style called tango nuevo (Spanish) tango nuevo) Astor Piazzolla. At home in Argentina, he is known as “E lGran Ástor” (“The Great Astor”). However, representatives of the classical Argentine tango or the so-called “old guard” did not accept Piazzolla’s music to such an extent that they even gave him the nickname “tango killer”. His experiments were not well received by most tango players.
Man is not easy fate, an ambiguous figure in history and creativity, a story about him requires a lot of time and a separate report.
Astor Piazzolla started experimenting with the old classical tango. In addition to mixing music, mixing of instruments and electronic interpretations began.
But, such an update happened not only in music, but also in the style of dance and teaching.
Tango Nuevo as a teaching style involves a structural analysis of the dance. It is the result of the work of the "Tango Research Group" (later transformed into the "Cosmotango" organization), first developed by Gustavo Naveira and Fabian Salas in 1990 in Buenos Aires. Taking tango as the physics of movement in a systematic way, they created a method of analysis with a full set of possible movements in tango, defined by two bodies and four legs moving in steps or circles.
In steps, their research led to what are now called "changes of direction" or "cambios". In turns, they focused mainly on where the axis is located (of the following / at the leader / between them). This gave rise to the “fluid style”, where partners rotate around each other with the axis constantly changing position, or constantly changing direction in the dance.
Many of the latest popular words in the tango lexicon, such as colgades, owe their appearance in tango to the popularity of Gustavo and Fabian's approach.
Out of this teaching style, a new and unique dance style has developed, called by many the Tango Nuevo style. The most famous representatives of Tango Nuevo are Gustavo Naveira, Norberto "El Pulpo" Esbre, Fabian Salas, Esteban Moreno and Claudia Codega, Chicho Frumboli, and Pablo Veron. It is interesting to note that all these dancers possess extremely individual style, which cannot be confused with each other, but, at the same time, can be easily recognized as Tango Nuevo.
Tango Nuevo is often mistaken for a tango show because a large percentage of today's show dancers have adopted tango nuevo elements for their choreography.
While Argentine tango was danced historically to the tango music of the leading orchestras DiSarli, d`Arienzo, Troilo, Pugliese, in the 1990s, a younger generation of tango dancers began to dance tango steps to alternative music: "worlddance", electro-tango, experimental rock, "trip -hop" and blues.
Today Tango again covers us with the third wave. Before our eyes, the transformation of the classic Argentinean urban dance into special genre. Tango takes the stage. Millions of people around the world applaud the productions famous dancers Tango.
Russia also has its own professionals. Tango is no longer new to Russian television either. Tango sounds from the speakers in mall and in advertising on TV, they write about Tango business weeklies and told by elegant presenters on the night air. Tango enters Russian modern life very confidently.
A few years ago the number dancing tango in Moscow and St. Petersburg it was measured in dozens. Now the number is in the thousands. Modern Tango is a highly developed industry, in Russia the first school of Argentine Tango was opened in 1998, seminars and master classes are held by famous dancers and teachers, milongas and international festivals are held. And all this together - at Tango festivals. Many Tango lovers from Russia participate in these festivals. Their number is huge, the participants come from all over the world. You can travel around Europe for a whole year, moving from city to city, from country to country, following the schedule of festivals. You can just fly to any major European city for the weekend to “dance”. You can go to Argentina to "fall back to the roots" and be inspired by the atmosphere of Buenos Aires - the birthplace of Tango. The amazing vitality of melodies, dance, style is amazing. Tango has become relevant again. it new wave tangomania, a new direction of neo-romanticism.
The Argentines themselves, of course, consider tango to be true national dance and music. But today Tango is just a very European and absolutely urban dance. Tango is movement, rhythm, melody, sadness, hope, passion, love, despair, memory, tenderness, struggle, erotica, sex, life, freedom and something else ... Argentine tango is danced all over the world, and, of course, in Russia. Thousands of people have found themselves in tango or tango in themselves.
Together with Argentina, tango has gone through all the joys and sorrows of this country. Upheavals, crises, ups and downs, a new revival. And, now, the Argentine tango is again "walking" around the world and winning new fans of this dance.
Since 1977, on December 11, the birthday of the singer, "king of tango" Carlos Gardel and composer, conductor Julio de Caro, is celebrated in Argentina as "National Tango Day".

Bibliography:

• Tango: The Art History of Love by Robert Farris Thompson
• Dragilev, D. Labyrinths of Russian tango. - St. Petersburg: Aletheya, 2008. - 168 p. - ISBN 978-5-91419-021-4
• Kofman, A. Argentine tango and Russian bourgeois romance // Literature in the context of culture. Moscow State University, 1986, p. 220-233
• Around the World, 03/31/2015
• Tango article. URL:http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tango
• Article "Argentine tango". URL:http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_tango
• Article "History of tango". URL:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_tango

To one of the most romantic and incendiary dances one can safely attribute the tango, whose irrepressible passion and energy can turn the head of any viewer! A huge variety of species will easily satisfy even the most demanding wishes of future dancers who decide to discover this direction. Among them there are classical ballroom styles, full of passion and ardor Argentine tango, unusual and memorable Finnish…. However, regardless of style, tango surprisingly combines rigor and passion, extraordinary tenderness and ardent aggression, playing on contrasts.

The most famous varieties of tango

Without a doubt, Argentine tango today enjoys extraordinary popularity among both beginner dancers and professionals in their styles. The abundance of its varieties opens up an extraordinary scope for imagination and combinations, improvisation and expression of feelings and emotions.

• The Milonguero tango appeared more than half a century ago. Its characteristic feature is the connection of the shoulders of the partners and the inclined position during execution. This style can be called very intimate, as the woman is very close to her partner. The Milonguero has the constant top contact and tight hugs needed for bright turns. The style is ideal for lovers, as its performance is based on mutual respect and inner harmony.
• Tango Salon assumes a certain vertical position of the dancers, with the partner shifting from the center during hugs. The left shoulder of the partner is closer to the right shoulder of the man than her right to his left. To perform certain elements, it is customary to relax the hugs.
• The club style of tango bizarrely combines the styles of Salon and Milonguero. It maintains close hugs during turns.
• The new tango, or tango Nuevo, is a more technical approach to creating the structure of a dance that introduces a number of new combinations of steps and movements. It contains open arms and individuality of each partner, they keep their own axes during movements.
• Tango Orillero is distinguished by its maneuverability, in which a large distance is maintained between the partners, there are steps beyond the embrace. There are some playful notes in the atmosphere of the style, the general look delights with its attractiveness and luxury.
• Kazenga refers to historical forms tangos, which are characterized by bending the knees as they move, close hugs and thoughtful, precise steps.
• Tango Liso may seem the simplest when viewed from the side. The clarity and lack of complex style elements appeals to beginner dancers who ideally want to master the basic figures and steps.

Finnish tango has a pronounced ballroom character. It has a tight contact in the hip area, the absence of sudden head movements and following a clear and straight lines. Do not forget the ballroom tango, which is one of the most recognizable styles which have become obligatory in international competitions. This is a strictly sustained dance without the improvisation typical of Argentine tango. It has a set of specific rules and regulations.

The choice of the type of tango directly depends on the preferences of individual dancers and their wishes. A variety of options will allow everyone to choose the perfect option for their own taste!

The musical style that existed in Argentina gave rise to a new type of dance called milonga. Traveling musicians played cheerful songs, and the audience danced to the beat to this music. In the 19th century, emigrants, dancing the milonga, added the dance movements of their country, forming the first elements of tango, the very one that expresses the emotional intensity, inner anguish and feelings of people who left their homeland. In which country did the tango dance originate? Let's talk about this in our article.

What is Argentine Tango?

Louis Armstrong once said: "If you ask, no one will answer you." Also Argentine tango. It has a lot in common with jazz. in which there are no rules, but there are practices and ways. When studying dance, first of all, variants of improvisations are learned.

Spectacularly and passionately dancing tango in the movies Richard Gere with Jennifer Lopez ("Let's dance") or the charming Al Pacino ("Smell of a woman").

Tango professionals - Sebastian Arce, Javier Rodriguez - dance just great. But this is a show, staged dances. Real Argentine tango is a simple dance ordinary people. It is deep and sensual, not for the audience. It is for two, or rather for three: two dancers and music. in which hugs are more important than steps, we can say that this is the body language that partners speak.

The beauty of the dance is that the partners do not know each other. However, if you started dancing with one partner, you need to go through four blocks with him, into which the milonga is divided. To dance one or two dances with a partner and then leave is indecent. Here, all events unfold, as in life. In the first dance, the partners get to know each other, in the second they “get used to each other”, in the third, when they have already met enough, the relationship culminates, and the fourth dance is a farewell.

Birthplace of dance

The birthplace of tango is Buenos Aires. In the slums of this city, which has become a haven for immigrants, a dance was born that combines elements and motifs of flamenco, African rhythms, Cuban habanera and milonga performed by itinerant musicians. Thus, the tango, which appeared between 1860 and 1880, became a complex interweaving of musical and dance traditions. different countries Europe, where emigrants came from in search of a better life.

It should be noted that the first wave of emigrants are mostly men. They came to earn money in order to subsequently transport their families. Among them were singles who came to Buenos Aires to get rich. Work took up most of the day. In the evening it was time for fun and relaxation. Everyone chose for himself what to do. Many went to clubs where there was alcohol, music, dancing. It was there that there was fertile ground for the birth of tango - a symbiosis of many cultures and dance traditions. Since that time, the history of tango dance begins.

Initial reputation of the dance

The place where emigrants who arrived from all over the world lived was on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. The area was called Arrabal (suburb). Here, right on the street, beggars lived, thieves and women of easy virtue - prostitutes - hunted. This audience danced tango both in gambling clubs and brothels, and just on the street, or in cabarets and bars.

Over time, the idea of ​​dance and its emotional background acquired a wide variety of shades: from unhappy love and longing to sarcasm. But dancing people have never transmitted their own through tango good mood or euphoria.

Argentine tango was danced by men in places of entertainment with their buddies. There was even an opinion that this was only a male dance. For them, he was a way to show themselves, demonstrate talents and please a woman. But at the end of the 19th century, women entered the world of tango for the first time. They were prostitutes from brothels. The dance of machos and prostitutes - this is how tango was called in the middle of the last century, and in connection with this they considered it indecent.

How did dance get to Paris?

Until now, some find out in which country the tango dance originated: in Argentina or Uruguay. But, wherever he appeared, he was still brought to Europe. Young people from wealthy Argentine families were sent by their parents to study in European countries. Enterprising maestros, who did not hesitate to receive life lessons in brothels in their homeland, where they mastered the tango, brought it to Paris, infecting the local youth with tangomania. The Parisians liked the dance. It was performed at all city events. Soon the whole of Europe got acquainted with this dance, but in the homeland of tango, in the Argentinean society, the dance was accepted only after recognition in Paris.

Prohibitions and persecution

However, not everyone liked the closeness of partners in the dance. Not without persecution from the church. Pope Pius X was going to impose a ban on dancing indecent dance to Christians. The situation was saved by Romanian dancers, who danced tango in the Vatican without emotion and passion. The trick and calculation worked, the ban was lifted.

In Russia, this amazing dance also became popular at the beginning of the 20th century. Although the decree of the Minister of Public Education with an official ban on tango was issued in 1914. The fate of tango was once shared by the Viennese waltz, mazurka and polka. Despite any prohibitions, the dance, as they say, went to the masses and fell in love with people. Languid and passionate at the same time, the melody was listened to from overplayed gramophone records. In the rhythm of the tango sounded "Champagne Splashes" and "Burnt by the Sun", soulful songs performed by Petr Leshchenko and Alexander Vertinsky.

Dance promotion

The unity of the two elements of dance: the world of music and dance art was able to carry through his life the Argentine singer and composer Carlos Gardel, the son of an emigrant from Toulouse. He owns significant role in the promotion of tango. In which country did dance originate? In Argentina, it was she who became the ancestor of tango. Hence the popularization of dance in the world. Juan Darienzo created a rhythmic tango using modern arrangements. Carlos Di Sarli is a classic of melodic and lyrical dance. Stage tango was created by Osvaldo Pugliese. Since the 90s of the XX century, a new wave of tangomania has begun. Tango schools began to open everywhere, in which teachers from Argentina were invited to work.

metropolis phenomenon

The tango that spectators see at ballroom dancing competitions is just a show. Real Argentine tango, as mentioned above, is improvisation, without spectacular steps. The dancers pass the music through themselves, this is a conversation between two bodies, a drama that ends with the last bars of the music. This dance needs to be felt. The Russians get it. They are considered the best dancers in European countries, and the Argentines recognized this. And no matter in which country the tango dance was born, the main thing is that it lives and develops. He has fans and admirers.

Of course, Russia is not Argentina, where every evening in dozens of cafes the doors are open for tango lovers. Dance evenings (milongas) are held even during the day. During the lunch break, Argentines run to dance. In Russia, in particular, in St. Petersburg, milongas are held several times a week. They are a real phenomenon of the metropolis, at such evenings you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Argentine streets, passion and love for several hours.

How to dance?

Argentine tango is very different from other dances. In his choreography, the sequence of steps is not memorized, it is born in the rhythm of the partner's dance to the given music.

But if we talk about learning tango, then there are several basic movements in the dance: "eight", "turn" and "transfer". Its beauty lies in improvisation and momentary inspiration of partners. Each dancing couple interprets the sounding music in its own way and expresses it with movements. It takes a little practice and you can come to the milongas - dance evenings that are organized by tango lovers around the world.

In tango lessons, they learn to feel a partner, to feel the rhythm and space, and at the same time to be able to improvise. This dance, like no other, expresses feelings without words, shows the viewer unique stories and simply gives pleasure in perfect harmony. It is very problematic if the partner begins to control herself, her legs, strain her body, be afraid of mistakes, turning into a lump of muscles. In the dance, the details should fade into the background. We can say that this dance is comparable to a trance to music, during which a huge amount of energy is pumped over in a few minutes.

Tango schools

As a rule, in schools, tango lessons are taken by people for whom dance is a need, not a pastime. Moreover, age does not matter. By learning to dance, people understand how to express the freedom of their emotions through movement. The idea of ​​the dance lies in the interaction between the partner and the partner, which is transmitted through the hands and the contact of the bodies.

Partners are taught to "drive", that is, to make such movements so that the partner takes certain steps or figures. This is, of course, a very simplified approach to dance. In a normal dance, this is actually not the case. It would be correct to say that there is a dependence of the movements of the partner on the movements of the partner. In the dance, the man does not think about the steps, he thinks about the direction of movement, where he will move the woman in the next second.

When learning tango, the partner must understand that the partner may not go in the same direction or take the wrong steps. Sometimes women try to decorate the dance by making movements with their feet, which, as it seems to them, the partner will not notice. Nothing wrong with that. Nothing stops him from following her. There is no prevailing role of the leader and the follower in the dance, the main thing in it is to feel the partner, and this is manifested both in the ability to lead the partner and follow her.

Tango is one of the most incendiary, romantic dances. Irrepressible energy, clarity of lines and rhythm, all this perfectly characterizes tango. To date, tango has many types. Among them there are both classical, ballroom trends, and ardent, passionate Argentinean. Perhaps the most unusual is Finnish. How can you characterize this dance in general? Passion and severity, ardent aggression and extraordinary tenderness, lightness of feelings and heaviness of lines are ideally combined here. Tango is a dance of contrasts, feelings that are conveyed through movement. Perhaps that is why tango has won millions of fans around the world.

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Photo gallery: Types of tango

Argentine tango and styles

The brightest tango to date is performed under different music. At its core, the dance differs in basic movements and tempo. Nowadays, many dancers do not give preference to any one type, but use different ideas, often adding new ones. The main criterion for any kind of tango is a hug. It is from its distance (open or closed, in other words - close) that is the key factor. For the open - a characteristic wide range of movements, and close - a partial touch of the partners' shoulders. The most popular types of tango today:

Tango Milonguero

It starts from 40-50 years. It is characterized by execution in an inclined position and the connection of the partners' shoulders. Milonguero is a very intimate style, here the woman is located very close to her partner, usually so that her left hand located far behind the man's neck. This type of tango is characterized by strong hugs and constant top contact for good turns or ochos. The main step, the so-called "ocho cortado". This style is very well suited for couples in love. Everything here is built on inner harmony and respect. The partner, as it were, listens to the other with the help of dance moves. Milonguero opens up many possibilities for those who are not afraid of experiments.

Tango Salon

It is characterized by a certain vertical position of the dancers. Hugs are close or open, but still offset (from the center of the partner). In position V, the same trend: the woman's left shoulder is closer to the man's right shoulder than her right to his left. With a close dance, it is customary to relax the hug, so that the dancers could perform certain movements.

Club style tango

It is a striking example of the combination of two styles, namely salon and milonguero. It is characterized by close hugs during turns.

New Tango or Tango Nuevo

It is a kind of analytical approach for a detailed study of the structure of dance. He is characterized by a number of new movements, combinations of steps. Nuevo - tango with open arms, here great importance assigned to each partner. The dancers keep their own axis.

Tango Orillero

A very maneuverable form of tango, the dancers are characterized by maintaining a large distance between themselves and stepping out of the embrace. For this style some playful notes are characteristic, as well as a chic appearance. Tango Orillero can be danced both in open and close embraces.

Kazenge

Historical form of tango. It is characterized by shifting to the V position, close hugs, bending the knees when moving. Particular attention is paid to the steps.

Tango Liso

From the side it seems the simplest. A series of certain steps and something like a walk, which is called a kaminada. There is nothing complicated here. This style favors simplicity and clarity. Its basis is basic steps and figures. The fox is devoid of complex turns and figures.

Tango show "Fantasy"

This is the style of tango most often used on stage. A bright combination of different styles, additions of interesting elements, open arms, that's what is characteristic of Fantasia. Tango Fantasia requires a lot of energy, high mastery of technique, excellent flexibility and a good feeling for your partner.

One of the most interesting and unusual is finnish tango.

It originated in Finland after the Second World War. Toivo Kyarky is rightfully considered to be its creator. This style is characterized by its slowness and rhythm. It is almost always in a minor. What is most interesting, Finnish tango in the vast country of the same name is considered an art for men. The peak of popularity of this style in the vastness of Finland falls on the 60s, when Rejo Taipale recorded a tango called "Fairytaleland".

Then another rebirth of Finnish tango in the 90s gave rise to a new wave of admiration for this dance. Tango began to appear everywhere in films, TV programs, articles, etc. It is worth noting that every year a gathering of Finnish tango fans takes place in the small town of Seinäjoki.

What is characteristic of this style? First of all, it is a ball character. In Finnish tango there is a tight contact in the hips, following the clarity of the lines and the absence of characteristic sharp head movements.

ballroom tango

Perhaps one of the most recognizable styles. it sports dance, which has become mandatory in the program of international competitions and competitions. Ballroom tango is essentially a strictly sustained dance. There is no improvisation here, as in Argentinean. There is a set of certain norms and rules: following certain lines, the position of the body and head of the dancers, the strict implementation of the necessary elements, and the like. The musical accompaniment for this dance is the same - concise and clear. This tango cannot be called melodic and smooth, compared to the other styles mentioned above.

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, combining 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 the black holidays it often came to bloody fights, these events were soon banned by the administration, this confrontation persisted during the time of the Europeans' migration to Argentina. Thus, black dance parties began to take place 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 originated around 1825 in the suburbs of Havana, is both a couple 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 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 accepted by the aristocratic circles of Latin America, cultural space 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 also enjoyed great popularity in the folk theater in the form of song verses. 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 following eighths (the first measures from Bizet's world-famous opera "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 the classical forms of flamenco and is performed accompanied by a guitar. 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 the cultural history. 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 a more stylized urban music that left its folklore heritage behind even 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 Andalusia played an important part in the repertoire of trios and minstrels touring in the late 19th century. 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 simply a crest, and was subsequently completely supplanted by the guitar, which since the time of the conquest has played an important role as 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 as a musical instrument was still very 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 striking example To this - 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. Carlos Gardel is considered the greatest tango singer of all time. 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.

Last years 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 the high society. 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 the majority of the population of Buenos Aires were 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.

The most famous tango dancer was the legendary El Cachafas (Jose Ovidio Bianquet). 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. Classical Argentine tango did not fit into new musical forms and ideas, and therefore its style began to change quickly and harshly. 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 kept on playing small groups musicians, but now the audience only listened to 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 entered the life of 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 educational institutions In Russia, the very mention of "a dance called tango that has become widespread." 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 is a new wave of 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 its greatest popularity in the 1950s - 1960s, after the appearance of Unto Mononen's musical composition "Satumaa" ("Fairytaleland"), which became famous performed by Reijo

The most famous Finnish tango performers are 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