Time to learn something about tango. After all, it takes two. Besides the info, see the artistry in the slideshow and the videos. Any favorites? By the way, in the video, the basic rhythm of the steps goes T-A-NGO.
“The Tango is the easiest dance. If you make a mistake and get tangled up, you just Tango on.” (Al Pacino in The Scent of a Woman.)
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Tango’s origination is debatable, including to African slaves in Argentina
I associate tango as the dance of the smelly gaucho with the local lady who turns away from him because of his odor
At times in history, those condemning tango included the upper class, many Christian churches (including Roman Catholics)
Popularized from South America through Europe (especially Paris and London) and eventually to North America in the early 1900s
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Tango music is phrased in multiples of 8 (as 16 and 32)
There are different types of tango: Argentine, Ballroom, Camacupense, Canyengue, Finnish, Liso, Milonguero, Nuevo, Orillero, Salon, Show, and Uruguayan. (Some of these are earlier forms that may not be danced today)
Ballroom tango has different styles as International, European, and American (the last being the more social version)
The head snaps by dancers are most associated with American Ballroom style
Movies that featured Tango dancing include (but not limited to) The Scent of a Woman, Evita, Moulin Rouge, True Lies, and Shall We Dance.
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Many consider Carlos Gardel to be the first great champion of the Argentine Tango.
In 2009, UNESCO declared Tango as part of the world’s “intangible cultural heritage”
Today, a variety of music is acceptable tango music – thus tango’s revival continues
Tango can be hot!
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Which was your favorite video and favorite piece of art?
A Frank Angle 