1389  Ball-room and Argentine Tango

Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2003 13:47:38 -0400
From: Sergio <Cachafaz@ADELPHIA.NET>
Subject: Ball-room and Argentine Tango

Tango guy says:

"Actually, Ballroom Tango has had a longer history then the modern Argentine
Tango. Argentine Tango as we know it today did not even exist when modern
Ballroom Tango began in the 1910's. (At that time, it wasn't called Ballroom
Tango but just Tango) In the teens, Argentine Tango was the Canyengue which
is very different then what we dance today. "

****Tango was born in the suburbs of the cities of Buenos Aires (Argentina)
and Montevideo (Uruguay) 1860 -1880.
The contradanza was the most popular dance at the time. It had an open hold,
the dancers moved in line, touching their hands an exchange places from side
to side. The minue (mee-nuh-e`h) with accent on the last syllable was
popular during colonial times in the Argentinean salons. There also were
'round dances'. The Habanera (one of the tango ancestors) was a
contradanza. (The name contradanza comes from English Country-Dance). The
Viennese waltz and the Polka were the first dances requiring the scandalous
close hold (the same one we use today). They displaced contradanza and
Quadrille from the dancing halls.

Going to the point, Tango traveled this way: Born in poor neighborhoods,
bars, brothels, gambling houses. Initially performed by male clients in
those places with hired women. They entertained themselves imitating 'black
people dances, the Candombewho danced open in free style'. People adopted
the new close hold, embrace.

1880-1910 Men had to practice with each other because decent women would not
do this sinful dance. There was no homosexuality involved at all.
Next it moved to the "Patio de los conventillos" (Boarding houses common
areas). Here started the depuration of the lyrics and the dance from
lewdness so that it could be accepted by decent families.

Next boys belonging to middle and high class took the habit of traveling to
the suburbs looking for adventure and excitement.
They returned home with the a lot of that mostly their lecherous
experiences.
They further depurated this most unusual new dance so that it could be
taught and practiced with their sisters, sister's friends, cousins, aunts.

1906 Saborido sold more than 100.000 copies of the music sheet of "La
morocha", this can give an idea that by then tango was being played in many
homes.

The Argentinean wealthy had homes in Paris and London. Their children were
sent there at the end of their studies to complete their education. They
socialized with the European nobility and the very rich. They started to
play and dance tango at the social gatherings.
Fairly soon they had to start teaching tango to lots of people. Women
changed the fashion, making their dresses lighter and with an opening at the
side (Argentinean/French style) or in front (Italian style), so that they
could move the legs with freedom.

Argentinean musicians and dancers traveled to Paris, London, Berlin, Rome
and Philadelphia to make recordings of tango music, first on cylinders and
later on metallic disks. Some theatrical musical groups started to tour
Europe.

***Once in England and Paris the dance was rapidly Standardized. The
representative dancing masters of the continent selected the steps and moves
"most suitable" for the ballroom and started to teach those moves all over
Europe.

Tango became extremely popular in Europe before WWI. It returned to
Argentina as a very distinguish son wearing tuxedo and drinking champagne.

I will continue later, in the mean time please read the History of Tango
summaries written by me and published by Keith Elshaw from Montreal at
www.totango.net.