History of the Tango
Originally a light-spirited dance from Spain, the Tango became very popular in the slums and bordellos of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Spanish Tango, together with the African “Tangano,” and the “Habanera” from Havana in Cuba were merged in the late 1800s and became known as the milonga. It is important to note that there are three very different Tango dances; American Style Tango, International Style Tango, and Argentine Tango.
About the Dance
The American Tango has many walking patterns that have a stalking or sneaking character. The stealthy actions found in Tango can create quick, sticatto actions that are unlike the walks of the rest of the Smooth dances. Tango has the same counter-clockwise flow of movement around the dance floor, but with a lesser sense of urgency in comparison to the smoother and more continuous ballroom dances. American Tango, especially at high skill levels, makes great use of open and alternate dance positions to showcase dramatic positions.
Recommended Music List for Beginners
- Tango D’Amore, Eino Grön
- Nouveau Tango, Acoustic Alchemy
- En Orsai, Demarco Electronic Project
- La Prueba Fácil, Carlos Ortega
- Tango Eljana, Orchester Werner Tauber
- Dark Eyes, Stanley Black Orchestra
- Volvio Una Noche, Klaus Hallen
- Libertango, Premium Standard Orchestra
- Felicia, Columbia Ballroom Orchestra
- Dejame en Paz, Dance Mania