The tango is an evocative dance that has its origins in 19th century Argentina. It developed on the riverside, or ribera, of the Riachuelo River in Buenos Aires in the early 1880s. At the time, Buenos Aires was a city in expansion due to large numbers of immigrants coming from Europe in search of work. The majority of the new immigrants were single men, largely sailors and artisans by profession. To mitigate their loneliness many frequented brothels or burdeles with live music for entertainment. As the atmosphere was somewhat melancholy, undertones of longing, loss and separation are present in the music. The dance that developed is a slower, more intense and restrained version of the milonga, a dance that had previously been popular in the same circles, and features very intricate footwork and partnering.
Read more 05 Sep 2012
Cultural Corner: The Tango
Tags: Bar Sur, Buenos Aires, Carlos Gardel, Dance, learning, milonga, music, Nina Schmidt, tango
Written by Learn With Nina, Posted in Cultural Corner | Leave a comment
Written by Learn With Nina, Posted in Cultural Corner | Leave a comment