This is almost an existential question: what is tango? There are people who you could bet your granny on that they dance tango, like they were bred for it, and then those who will come as a big surprise. This is the great thing about tango: you meet so many different personalities.

For this reason, it is difficult to define what tango is, but being brave and all, we’ll give it a go, starting with the dance styles that are more mainstream in Europe and a little different from traditional Argentine tango salón (which is what we teach at Tanguito) and ending with what tango is to us…

If you want to learn more about Argentine tango, have a look at our extensive blog. Call us mad but over the course of the years, we have published over 500 articles on Tango.

And if you are tempted to join us, why not try our Argentine tango classes in London or browse our library of online classes?

Tango

on stage

Youtube and the web is filled with great examples of what is called ‘stage tango’. It pretty much does what it says on the tin. It’s danced by professional dancers on stage to an audience and it is not for the faint hearted. ‘Stage tango’ is a gravity defying, risqué, exhibitionist kind of tango. Do not try this at home, unless of course you’re a natural gymnast ;-)

2019 stage tango world champions – Andrés Uran & Estefanía Arango

Argentine tango

also called tango salón

The main difference between the different types of tango lies in whether the dance is choreographed or improvised. Screen and stage tango is choreographed – there is no leading and no following – and is meant to be viewed by an audience. On the other side, the ‘original’ tango salon from Buenos Aires is improvised and is danced in a social setting – parties called ‘milongas’. This is what we teach at Tanguito.

For Argentines, tango is a way of life. It is an expression of their culture and it represents their heritage. By keeping tango alive, Argentine people are paying homage to their ancestors, as well as enjoying themselves in the process. Tango is a monument, the symbol of a nation’s creativity, expressivity, individuality and identity. It also is a source of deep pride and who can blame them – what a great thing to be known for.

This is a video taken in Los Angelitos. People invite one another for several songs and couples all share the same dancefloor. All dancing is improvised to the music.

Tango on the screens

(small and large)

You’re probably aware of a few tango scenes from mainstream movies: True Lies, Scent of a Woman or Take the Lead (ring any bells? Nope? No bells? Don’t fret, the links below are here to refresh you memory).

True Lies: a bit over the top?

But then again, would you expect Terminator to dance tango?

Scent of a woman: a moving performance by Al Pacino
A sexy performance by Banderas in Take the lead

What is tango

to us?

And to us, Tango is poetic, disciplined, addictive, unpredictable, passionate, authentic… Forget about the stereotype that pretends that men lead and women follow. Tango is a two-way dialogue. It is about a physical, emotional and spiritual encounter between two people who can communicate wholly without words

To us, tango is perfection

To us, Argentine tango at its finest is sheer perfection. It is a moment where time itself seems to stop or bend in order to allow two people to connect and express themselves in complete unity with the music and with one another.

Tango is sharing

Tango is the joy of sharing a beautiful, peaceful moment with someone else. It is about sharing the same beat, whether it is a music beat or heart beat and moving together in harmony. It is the joy of establishing a wordless but powerful dialogue where silences and pauses can say more than words and moves.

Forget about the stereotype that pretends that men lead and women follow. Tango is a two-way dialogue. It is about a physical, emotional and spiritual encounter between two people who can communicate wholly without words.

Tango is sincerity

This encounter of course is facilitated by the music, at turns melancholic, at turns lively, but always sincere and true to itself. Because the music is so sincere and so grounded in real life situations and real people, dancing tango is also grounded in sincerity – sincerity of the embrace, sincerity of the interpretation of the music, sincerity to oneself and to one’s partner in order to dance ‘from the inside out’, to express one’s feelings and emotions and not to cheapen the experience by just robotically mimicking a routine.

Tango is uniqueness

We might rate seasoned tango dancers and envy their style but we all are unique, have unique bodies, unique personalities and so, unique ways of holding ourselves, moving and dancing. We teach all sorts of people and want to continue doing that because we strongly feel everyone can dance Argentine tango and contribute towards the development of this beautiful dance.

No matter how many times you dance to the same tune, every time is unique. No matter how many times you dance with the same partner, every time is unique. You might see people (including myself) jump to their feet when they hear their favourite tango, milonga or waltz melody, as if it were the very last time they would dance to this tune. In a way, it’s true because next time it will be a different night, a different mood, a different milonga, a different partner. It will be a different dance all together.

Tango is addiction

In a society that is becoming increasingly anonymous and indifferent, tango is a beautiful (and highly addictive) way to spend time with one another and to embrace another person (who doesn’t like a hug?) This alone has the potential to bring amazing amounts of happiness.
Don’t be fooled: you might think that tango is something you pick. Think again. Tango picks you.