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Music: Rodolfo Biagi - Lejos de ti - Vals - canta sings Teofilo Ibañez
It’s sexy, uber passionate and requires masses of flexibility, so the Argentine tango utterly deserves its iconic status. How the sultry dance started though is and perhaps always will be a mystery, but there are some facts everyone can agree on - how this dance took South America by storm and became one of the world’s most famous dance styles.
You’ll notice a lot of traditional Argentine tangos start quite slow and set the sexy scene, but you might be surprised to learn the meaning of this isn’t supposed to be all bedroom-eyes vibes, it’s actually the opposite. The Argentine tango lyrics often tell nostalgic, sad tales of lost or unrequited love, and are laments for what cannot be. Modern versions of the dance have extended beyond this of course, but the original meaning was one of despair.
The Argentine tango music is varied compared to other tango styles, and this is likely thanks to its mix of African and European heritage.
There are countless styles of the Argentine tango, but there are several moves that make it a ‘tango’ rather than just you cutting a rug at the clubs. These include the embrace (where they hold each other close and far), walking (foot placement is v.important!) and figures. Figures is where the real skill comes in, as these are all ‘improvised’ moves like leg hooks and dips, that are done in response to what the lead partner signals. That’s why it’s so important to practice and takes a long time to master the style of dance. In fact, the Argentine tango used to commonly be practiced between male partners who wanted to impress potential female partners down the line, but had to learn the moves first. Once they were ready, they’d take to the dance floor and (hopefully) find success.
As mentioned with the music, modern evolutions have seen a rise of new styles of the Argentine tango and each region in Argentina has their own version of the tango. For example Buenos Aires dancers commonly dance the Tango Nuevo. The same steps are now to different styles of music, sped up, include more tricks and mixed with other genres of dance. It truly is the dance that keeps growing and changing with the country!
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