Argentine tango
Argentine tango grew up at the end of the nineteenth century in the working-class suburbs of Buenos Aires and in Montevideo, shaped by European immigrants, descendants of enslaved Africans and local criollos. UNESCO inscribed the tango of Argentina and Uruguay on its Representative List in 2009, recognising music, dance and poetry together.
It is a partner dance in close embrace, improvised at social gatherings called milongas, usually to music in 2/4 or 4/4 in which the bandoneon gives the orchestra its character. Recognised styles include salon, stage and nuevo tango. Today it is danced in milongas, festivals and shows across Europe and North America, and Buenos Aires runs a festival and a world dance championship.
Sources
- UNESCO: Tango (Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity)
- Wikipedia: Argentine tango
- Tango BA Festival y Mundial (official site, Buenos Aires City Government)
- Museo Casa Carlos Gardel (Buenos Aires City Government)
Organisations connected with this dance
- Museo Casa Carlos Gardel (Buenos Aires)
- Tango BA Festival y Mundial (Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires)
Listed as references; being listed is not an endorsement by or of the organisation.