Tango is a
partner dance
Partner dances are dances whose basic choreography involves coordinated dancing of two partners, as opposed to individuals dancing alone or individually in a non-coordinated manner, and as opposed to groups of people dancing simultaneously in a ...
and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata (, "river of silver"), also called the River Plate or La Plata River in English, is the estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River at Punta Gorda. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean and f ...
, the natural border between
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, t ...
and
Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combination of Rioplatense
Candombe celebrations, Spanish-Cuban
Habanera, and Argentine
Milonga. The tango was frequently practiced in the brothels and bars of ports, where business owners employed bands to entertain their patrons. The tango then spread to the rest of the world. Many variations of this dance currently exist around the world.
On August 31, 2009,
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. I ...
approved a joint proposal by Argentina and Uruguay to include the tango in the
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists
UNESCO established its Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage with the aim of ensuring better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance.Compare: This list is published by the Intergove ...
.
History
Tango is a dance that has influences from
African and
European culture. Dances from the
candombe ceremonies of former African enslaved people helped shape the modern day tango. The dance originated in lower-class districts of
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the Capital city, capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata ...
and
Montevideo
Montevideo () is the capital and largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2011 census, the city proper has a population of 1,319,108 (about one-third of the country's total population) in an area of . Montevideo is situated on the southern ...
. The music derived from the fusion of various forms of music from Europe. The words "tango" and "tambo" around the River Plate basin were initially used to refer to musical gatherings of slaves, with written records of colonial authorities attempting to ban such gatherings as early as 1789.
Initially, it was just one of the many dances, but it soon became popular throughout society, as
theatre
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perfor ...
s and street
barrel organs spread it from the suburbs to the working-class slums, which were packed with hundreds of thousands of European
immigrant
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, ...
s.
When the tango began to spread internationally around 1900, cultural norms were generally conservative, and so tango dancing was widely regarded as extremely sexual and inappropriate for public display. This led to a phenomenon of
culture shock
Culture shock is an experience a person may have when one moves to a cultural environment which is different from one's own; it is also the personal disorientation a person may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life due to immigration ...
. Additionally, the combination of African, Native American and European cultural influences in tango was new and unusual to most of the
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West, primarily refers to the various nations and states in the regions of Europe, North America, and Oceania. .
Many neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires have their particular tango histories: for example
La Boca,
San Telmo and
Boedo. At Boedo Avenue,
Cátulo Castillo,
Homero Manzi and other singers and composers used to meet at the
Japanese Cafe with the
Boedo Group.

In the early years of the 20th century, dancers and orchestras from Buenos Aires travelled to Europe, and the first European tango craze took place in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...
, soon followed by
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
,
Berlin
Berlin is Capital of Germany, the capital and largest city of Germany, both by area and List of cities in Germany by population, by population. Its more than 3.85 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European U ...
, and other capitals. Tango historian
Nardo Zalko
Nardo Zalko (October 1, 1941June 2, 2011) was an Argentinian-French journalist, author, researcher, and historian of tango.
Early life
Zalko was born in October 1941 to a Lithuanian Jewish couple, Frida and Abrasha Zalko, who migrated to Arge ...
, a native of Buenos Aires who lived most of his life in Paris, investigated the mutual fertilization between the two cities in his work, ''Paris – Buenos Aires, Un Siècle de Tango'' ("A Century of Tango"). Towards the end of 1913, it hit
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...
as well as
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bo ...
. In the
U.S., around 1911, the word "
tango
Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
" was often applied to dances in a or rhythm such as the
one-step. The term was fashionable and did not indicate that tango steps would be used in the dance, although they might be. Tango music was sometimes played but at a rather fast tempo. Instructors of the period would sometimes refer to this as a "North American tango", versus the so-called "Argentine tango". The tango was controversial because of its perceived sexual overtones and, by the end of 1913, the dance teachers who had introduced the dance to Paris were banished from the city. By 1914, more authentic tango stylings were soon developed, along with some variations like Albert Newman's "Minuet" tango.
In Argentina, the onset in 1929 of the
Great Depression, and restrictions introduced after the overthrow of the
Hipólito Yrigoyen government in 1930, caused a temporary decline in tango's popularity. Its fortunes were reversed later in the 1930s, and tango again became widely fashionable and a matter of national pride under the first
Perón government, which in turn had a major effect on Argentinian culture overall.
Mariano Mores played a role in the resurgence of the tango in 1950s Argentina. Mores's ''Taquito Militar'' was premiered in 1952 during a governmental speech by President Juan D. Perón, which generated a strong political and cultural controversy between different views of the concepts of "cultured" music and "popular" music, as well as the links between both "cultures".
Tango declined again in the late 1950s, as a result of economic
depression and the banning of public gatherings by the military
dictator
A dictator is a political leader who possesses absolute power. A dictatorship is a state ruled by one dictator or by a small clique. The word originated as the title of a Roman dictator elected by the Roman Senate to rule the republic in ti ...
ships; male-only tango practice—the custom at the time—was considered "public gathering". That, indirectly, boosted the popularity of
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...
because, unlike tango, it did not require such gatherings.
However, in the late 1980s the tango again experienced a resurgence in Argentina, partly due to the endeavors of
Osvaldo Peredo
Osvaldo Peredo Leigue (also Osvaldo Peredo Leigh, ''nom de guerre'': Chato) (1941 – 12 January 2021) was a physician and a Bolivian revolutionary leader. He lived in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, where he was an alderman on the Municipal ...
.
In 2009, the tango was added to the
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists
UNESCO established its Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage with the aim of ensuring better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance.Compare: This list is published by the Intergove ...
.
Etymology
There are several theories regarding the origin of the word ''tango'', none of which has been proven. An African culture is often credited as the creator of this word; in particular, it is theorized that the word derives from the
Yoruba
The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba consti ...
word ''
shangó'', which refers to
Shango, the God of Thunder in traditional
Yoruba religion
The Yoruba religion (Yoruba: Ìṣẹ̀ṣe), or Isese, comprises the traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practice of the Yoruba people. Its homeland is in present-day Southwestern Nigeria, which comprises the majority of Oyo, Og ...
.
This theory suggests that the word “shangó” was morphed through the dilution of the Nigerian language once it reached South America via
slave trade
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
. According to an alternative theory, ''tango'' is derived from the
Spanish word for "
drum", ''
tambor
Tambor can refer to:
* Tambor, Costa Rica, a town in Costa Rica
** Tambor Airport, an airport that serves Tambor, Costa Rica
* El Tambor River, river in Guatemala
* Jeffrey Tambor (born 1944), American actor
* Tambor (dance), Afro-Venezuelan mus ...
''.
This word was then mispronounced by Buenos Aires’ lower-class inhabitants to become ''tambo'', ultimately resulting in the common ''tango''. It is also sometimes theorized that the word is derived from the
Portuguese word ''
tanger'', which means "to play a musical instrument". Another Portuguese word, ''
tangomão'', a combination of the verb ''tanger'' ("to touch") with the noun ''mão'' ("hand") meaning "to play a musical instrument with one's hands", has been suggested as the etymon of ''tango''.
According to some authors, ''tango'' is derived from the
Kongo word ''ntangu'' which means "sun", "hour", "space-time".
Styles
The tango consists of a variety of styles that developed in different regions and eras of Argentina as well as in other locations around the world. The dance developed in response to many cultural elements, such as the crowding of the venue and even the fashions in clothing. The styles are mostly danced in either open embrace, where
lead and follow
In some types of partner dance, lead and follow are designations for the two dancers' roles in a dance pairing. The leader is responsible for guiding the couple and initiating transitions to different dance steps and, in improvised dances, for cho ...
have space between their bodies, or
close embrace, where the lead and follow connect either chest-to-chest (Argentine tango) or in the upper thigh, hip area (American and International tango).
Different styles of tango are:
*
Tango argentino
*
Tango canyengue
Argentine tango is a musical genre and accompanying social dance originating at the end of the 19th century in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. It typically has a or rhythmic time signature, and two or three parts repeating in patterns such as ABA ...
*Tango fantasia
* Tango liso
*Tango oriental
* Tango orillero
*Tango salon
* Tango camacupense (Angola)
*
Tango milonguero
Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
(tango apilado) (see also "
Milonguero
A milonguero is a person who spends time dancing social tango. The word comes from the term ''milonga'' referring to a tango dance event.
The term was used from the 1870s to mark a man who spent much of his time dancing tango of any style. Since ...
")
*
Tango nuevo
Nuevo tango is both a form of music in which new elements are incorporated into traditional tango music, and an evolution of tango dance that began to develop in the 1980s.
Dance Origins
Prior to the 1990s, Argentine tango was taught with a didac ...
(new tango)
* Tango vals (Tango waltz)
*
Milonga
*
Ballroom tango
*
Finnish tango
*
Uruguayan tango
*
Maxixe (Brazilian tango)
These are danced to several types of music:
* Tango
* Electronic tango-inspired music (Tango electronico)
* "Alternative tango", i.e. music that is an alternative to tango, or non-tango music employed for use in tango-inspired dance
The milonguero style is characterized by a very close embrace, small steps, and syncopated rhythmic footwork. It is based on the or style of the crowded downtown clubs of the 1950s.
In contrast, the tango that originated in the family clubs of the suburban neighborhoods (Villa Urquiza/Devoto/Avellaneda etc.) emphasizes long elegant steps, and complex figures. In this case the embrace may be allowed to open briefly, to permit execution of the complex footwork.
The complex figures of this style became the basis for a theatrical performance style of tango seen in the touring stage shows. For stage purposes, the embrace is often open, and the complex footwork is augmented with gymnastic lifts, kicks, and drops.
A newer style sometimes called ''
tango nuevo
Nuevo tango is both a form of music in which new elements are incorporated into traditional tango music, and an evolution of tango dance that began to develop in the 1980s.
Dance Origins
Prior to the 1990s, Argentine tango was taught with a didac ...
'' or 'new tango' has been popularized in recent years by a younger generation of dancers. The embrace is often quite open and very elastic, permitting the leader to lead a large variety of very complex figures. This style is often associated with those who enjoy dancing to jazz- and techno-tinged "alternative tango" music, in addition to traditional tango compositions.
Tango de salon (salon tango)
Tango canyengue
''Tango canyengue'' is a rhythmic style of tango that originated in the early 1900s and is still popular today. It is one of the original roots styles of tango and contains all fundamental elements of traditional Tango from the
River Plate region (Uruguay and Argentina). In ''tango canyengue'' the dancers share one axis, dance in a closed embrace, and with the legs relaxed and slightly bent. ''Tango canyengue'' uses body dissociation for the leading, walking with firm ground contact, and a permanent combination of on- and off-beat rhythm. Its main characteristics are its musicality and playfulness. Its rhythm is described as "incisive, exciting, provocative".
The complex figures of this style became the basis for a theatrical performance style of Tango seen in the touring stage shows. For stage purposes, the embrace is often very open, and the complex footwork is augmented with gymnastic lifts, kicks, and drops.
Tango nuevo
A newer style sometimes called ''
tango nuevo
Nuevo tango is both a form of music in which new elements are incorporated into traditional tango music, and an evolution of tango dance that began to develop in the 1980s.
Dance Origins
Prior to the 1990s, Argentine tango was taught with a didac ...
'' or 'new tango' was popularized after 1980 by a younger generation of musicians and dancers.
Ástor Piazzolla, composer and virtuoso of the
bandoneón
The bandoneon (or bandonion, es, bandoneón) is a type of concertina particularly popular in Argentina and Uruguay. It is a typical instrument in most tango ensembles. As with other members of the concertina family, the bandoneon is held b ...
(so-called "tango accordion") played a major role in the innovation of traditional tango music. The embrace is often quite open and very elastic, permitting the leader to initiate a great variety of very complex figures. This style is often associated with those who enjoy dancing to jazz- and techno-tinged, electronic and alternative music inspired in old tangos, in addition to traditional Tango compositions.
''Tango nuevo'' is largely fueled by a fusion between
tango music
Tango is a style of music in or time that originated among European and African immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay (collectively, the " Rioplatenses"). It is traditionally played on a solo guitar, guitar duo, or an ensemble, kn ...
and
electronica
Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to ...
(), though the style can be adapted to traditional tango and even non-tango songs.
Gotan Project released its first tango fusion album in 2000, quickly following with
La Revancha del Tango in 2001.
Bajofondo Tango Club, a
Rioplatense music band consisting of seven musicians from Argentina and Uruguay, released their first album in 2002.
Tanghetto's album ''
Emigrante (electrotango)'' appeared in 2003 and was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2004. These and other electronic tango fusion songs bring an element of revitalization to the tango dance, serving to attract a younger group of dancers.
New tango songs

In the second half of the 1990s, a movement of new tango songs was born in Buenos Aires. It was mainly influenced by the old orchestra style rather than by Piazzolla's renewal and experiments with electronic music. The novelty lies in the new songs, with today's lyrics and language, which find inspiration in a wide variety of contemporary styles.
In the 2000s, the movement grew with prominent figures such as the Orquesta Típica Fernandez Fierro, whose creator, Julian Peralta,
would later start Astillero and the Orquesta Típica Julián Peralta. Other bands also have become part of the movement such as the Orquesta Rascacielos, Altertango, Ciudad Baigón, as well as singer and songwriters Alfredo "Tape" Rubín,
Victoria di Raimondo,
Juan Serén,
Natalí de Vicenzo
and
Pacha González.
Ballroom tango
Ballroom tango, divided in recent decades into the "International" and "American" styles, has descended from the tango styles that developed when the tango first went abroad to Europe and North America. The dance was simplified, adapted to the preferences of conventional ballroom dancers, and incorporated into the repertoire used in
International Ballroom
Ballroom dance is a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world, mostly because of its performance and entertainment aspects. Ballroom dancing is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television.
...
dance competitions. English tango was first codified in October 1922, when it was proposed that it should only be danced to modern tunes, ideally at 30
bars per minute (i.e. 120
beats per minute
Beat, beats or beating may refer to:
Common uses
* Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area
** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols
** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men
* Battery ( ...
– assuming a measure).
Subsequently, the English tango evolved mainly as a highly
competitive dance, while the American tango evolved as an unjudged
social dance
Social dances are dances that have a social functions and context. Social dances are intended for participation rather than performance. They are often danced merely to socialise and for entertainment, though they may have ceremonial, compe ...
with an emphasis on
leading and following
In some types of partner dance, lead and follow are designations for the two dancers' roles in a dance pairing. The leader is responsible for guiding the couple and initiating transitions to different dance steps and, in improvised dances, for cho ...
skills. This has led to some principal distinctions in basic technique and style. Nevertheless, there are quite a few competitions held in the American style, and of course mutual borrowing of technique and dance patterns happens all the time.
Ballroom tangos use different music and styling from the tangos from the River Plata region (Uruguay and Argentina), with more staccato movements and the characteristic ''head snaps''. The head snaps are totally foreign to Argentine and Uruguayan tango, and were introduced in 1934 under the influence of a similar movement in the legs and feet of the tango from the River Plate, and the theatrical movements of the
pasodoble. This style became very popular in Germany and was soon introduced to England. The movements were very popular with spectators, but not with competition judges.
Finnish tango

Tango arrived in Finland in 1913. The tango spread from the dominant urban dance form to become hugely popular across Finland in the 1950s after
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
and
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. The melancholy tone of the music reflects the themes of Finnish folk poetry; Finnish tango is almost always in a
minor key.
The tango is danced in very close full thigh, pelvis and upper body contact in a wide and strong frame, and features smooth horizontal movements that are very strong and determined. Dancers are very low, allowing long steps without any up and down movement, although rises and falls are optional in some styles. Forward steps land heel first except when descending from a rise, and in backward steps dancers push from the heel. In basic steps, the passing leg moves quickly to rest for a moment close to the grounded leg. Dips and rotations are typical. There is no open position, and typically feet stay close to the floor, except in dips the follower might slightly raise the left leg. Unlike in some Argentine-Uruguayan tango styles, in Finnish tango there is no kicking of any kind, and there are no aerials.
The annual Finnish tango festival ''
Tangomarkkinat
The Tangomarkkinat is the world's oldest tango festival. It is held early every July in Seinäjoki, Finland. As well as competitions to find the country's best tango singers, composers, and dancers, the festival features public dancing to live mus ...
'' draws over 100,000 tango fans to the central Finnish town of
Seinäjoki
Seinäjoki (; "Wall River"; la, Wegelia, formerly sv, Östermyra) is a city located in South Ostrobothnia, Finland; east of Vaasa, north of Tampere, west of Jyväskylä and southwest of Oulu. Seinäjoki originated around the Östermyra b ...
; the town also hosts the Tango Museum.
Comparison of techniques
Argentine
Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish ( masculine) or ( feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines ...
-
Uruguayan
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while borderi ...
and
ballroom
A ballroom or ballhall is a large room inside a building, the primary purpose of which is holding large formal parties called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions and palaces, especially historic ma ...
tango use very different techniques. In Argentine and Uruguayan tango, the body's center moves first, then the feet reach to support it. In ballroom tango, the body is initially set in motion across the floor through the flexing of the lower joints (hip, knee, ankle) while the feet are delayed, then the feet move quickly to catch the body, resulting in snatching or striking action that reflects the staccato nature of this style's preferred music.
In tango, the steps are typically more gliding, but can vary widely in timing, speed, and character, and follow no single specific rhythm. Because the dance is led and followed at the level of individual steps, these variations can occur from one step to the next. This allows the dancers to vary the dance from moment to moment to match the music (which often has both
legato
In music performance and notation, legato (; Italian for "tied together"; French ''lié''; German ''gebunden'') indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. That is, the player makes a transition from note to note w ...
and/or
staccato
Staccato (; Italian for "detached") is a form of musical articulation. In modern notation, it signifies a note of shortened duration, separated from the note that may follow by silence. It has been described by theorists and has appeared in music ...
elements) and their mood.
The Tango's frame, called an ''abrazo'' or "embrace", is not rigid, but flexibly adjusts to different steps, and may vary from being quite close, to offset in a "V" frame, to open. The flexibility is as important as is all movement in dance. The American Ballroom Tango's frame is flexible too, but experienced dancers frequently dance in closed position: higher in the elbows, tone in the arms and constant connection through the body. When dancing socially with beginners, however, it may be better to use a more open position because the close position is too intimate for them. In American Tango open position may result in open breaks, pivots, and turns which are quite foreign in Argentine tango and International (English) tango.
There is a
closed position
In partner dancing, closed position is a category of positions in which partners hold each other while facing at least approximately toward each other.
Closed positions employ either body contact or body support, that is, holding each other is ...
as in other types of
ballroom dance
Ballroom dance is a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world, mostly because of its performance and entertainment aspects. Ballroom dancing is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television. ...
, but it differs significantly between types of tango. In Tango from the River Plata region, the "close embrace" involves continuous contact at the full upper body, but not the legs. In American Ballroom tango, the "close embrace" involves close contact in the pelvis or upper thighs, but not the upper body. Followers are instructed to thrust their hips forward, but pull their upper body away and shyly look over their left shoulder when they are led into a "corte".
In tango from the River Plate region, the open position, the legs may be intertwined and hooked together, in the style of Pulpo (the Octopus). In Pulpo's style, these hooks are not sharp, but smooth ganchos.
In Tango from the River Plata, Uruguay and Argentina, the ball or toe of the foot may be placed first. Alternatively, the dancer may take the floor with the entire foot in a cat-like manner. In the International style of Tango, "
heel leads" (stepping first onto the heel, then the whole foot) are used for forward steps.
Ballroom tango steps stay close to the floor, while the River Plata Tango (Uruguayan and Argentine) includes moves such as the ''
boleo'' (allowing momentum to carry one's leg into the air) and ''
gancho'' (hooking one's leg around one's partner's leg or body) in which the feet travel off the ground. Both Uruguayan and Argentine tango features other vocabulary foreign to ballroom, such as the ''
parada Parada may refer to:
Places Portugal
* Parada (Alfândega da Fé), a civil parish in the municipality of Alfândega da Fé
* Parada (Almeida), a civil parish in the municipality of Almeida
* Parada (Arcos de Valdevez), a civil parish in the munic ...
'' (in which the leader puts his foot against the follower's foot), the ''
arrastre'' (in which the leader appears to drag or be dragged by the follower's foot), and several kinds of ''
sacada'' (in which the leader displaces the follower's leg by stepping into her space).
Famous tango singers
*
Carlos Acuña (1915–1999) was known for his deep, high and expressive voice. His foreign travels brought him success in Uruguay, Mexico, Italy and Spain, where he became a close friend of the exiled
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón (, , ; 8 October 1895 – 1 July 1974) was an Argentine Army general and politician. After serving in several government positions, including Minister of Labour and Vice President of a military dictatorship, he was electe ...
.
*
Néstor Fabián
Néstor Fabián (born 30 November 1938 in Buenos Aires, Argentina), is an Argentine tango singer and actor. Having lost his biological family, he was adopted.
At the age of twelve, he started working at a shoes factory to help his adoptive fami ...
*
Carlos Gardel
*
Roberto Goyeneche
*
Julio Sosa (1926–1964) from Uruguay was one of the most important tango singers during tango's unhappy years in the 1950s and early 1960s. His passion for poetry led to his sole published book; his passion for fast cars led to his young death.
*
Olavi Virta
Olavi Virta (originally to 1926 Oskari Olavi Ilmén) (27 February 1915 in Sysmä, Grand Duchy of Finland – 14 July 1972 in Pispala, Tampere, Finland) was a Finnish singer, acclaimed during his time as the "King" of Finnish tango. Between 1939 ...
*
Reijo Taipale
Reijo Toivo Taipale (9 March 1940 – 26 April 2019) was a Finnish pop singer since the 1950s specializing in Schlager music and tango. Many of his albums have gone gold and platinum.
Biography
Taipale was born in Miehikkälä, Finland. Thro ...
*
Tita Merello
*
Edmundo Rivero
Leonel Edmundo Rivero (June 8, 1911 – January 18, 1986) was an Argentine tango singer, composer, and impresario.
Biography
Early days
Rivero was born in the southern Buenos Aires suburb of Valentín Alsina. Joining his father in some of ...
*
Pyotr Leschenko
Pyotr Konstantinovich Leshchenko (russian: Пётр Константинович Лещенко; 2 June 189816 July 1954), a singer in the Russian Empire, and later Romania, is universally considered "the King of Russian Tango" and specifically k ...
Tango influence
Music and dance elements of tango are popular in activities related to
gymnastics
Gymnastics is a type of sport that includes physical exercises requiring balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, dedication and endurance. The movements involved in gymnastics contribute to the development of the arms, legs, s ...
,
figure skating
Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, when contested at the Figure skating at the 1908 Summer Olympics, 1908 Olympics ...
,
synchronized swimming
Synchronized swimming (in British English, synchronised swimming) or artistic swimming is a sport where swimmers perform a synchronized choreographed routine, accompanied by music. The sport is governed internationally by FINA (the ''Fédérati ...
, etc., because of its dramatic feeling and its cultural associations with romance.
For the
1978 FIFA World Cup
The 1978 FIFA World Cup was the 11th edition of the FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial international football world championship tournament among the men's senior national teams. It was held in Argentina between 1 and 25 June.
The Cup was won by ...
in Argentina,
Adidas designed a ball and named it Tango, likely a tribute to the host country of the event. This design was also used in
1982 FIFA World Cup
The 1982 FIFA World Cup was the 12th FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial football tournament for men's senior national teams, and was played in Spain between 13 June and 11 July 1982. The tournament was won by Italy, who defeated West Germany 3–1 i ...
in Spain as ''Tango Málaga'', and in 1984 and 1988
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship, less formally the European Championship and informally the Euro, is the primary association football tournament organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The competition is contes ...
s in France and West Germany.
In society
Tango appears in different aspects of society: Regular
milongas and special festivals. A very famous festival is the Tango Buenos Aires Festival y Mundial in
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the Capital city, capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata ...
also known as
World tango dance tournament. On a regional level there are also many festivals inside and outside of
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, t ...
. One local festival outside Argentina is
Buenos Aires in the Southern Highlands
Buenos Aires in the Southern Highlands (or short BASH) is a social Tango dance event held annually in November at Bundanoon, NSW, Australia. It is supported by Tango Social Club of Canberra and Tango Synergy of Sydney.
BASH was the originally ...
in Australia.
Gender and tango
Typically the tango is performed between a man and a woman, however the two have very different aspirations within the tango. Women often looked to the tango to help them gain confidence and to help them find a potential relationship.
Men however looked to the tango for intimate reasons, and were known to be flirty and sexually willing.
[ Women, however, were primarily focused on the dance itself and became wealthy.][ As time went on and the tango culture changed, women and men often wanted to travel and compete and also teach tango classes and then both women and men are viewed as equals.][
]Gender roles
A gender role, also known as a sex role, is a social role encompassing a range of behaviors and attitudes that are generally considered acceptable, appropriate, or desirable for a person based on that person's sex. Gender roles are usually cente ...
also plays a big part in the mechanics of tango due to the tango needing a leader. But in more recent times this is being challenged due to woman not wanting to be dependent on the male for the dance. In the early 1900s, there were often more male dancers than female so the dance was performed between two men. This allowed for both men to learn the leading and following roles of tango and adapt to both lead equally in the dance. This changed the mechanics of the dance to be closer to two equally leading roles between men and women or same sex pairs.
In film
Argentine tango is the main subject in these films:
* '' ¡Tango!'' (1933)
* '' Kaatru Veliyidai'' (2017), directed by Mani Ratnam
Gopala Ratnam Subramaniam (born 2 June 1956), known professionally as Mani Ratnam, is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema and few Hindi, Telugu and Kannada films. Ratnam has won six Nat ...
with the song Tango Kelayo composed by Oscar winner A.R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman (; born A. S. Dileep Kumar; 6 January 1967) is an Indian music composer, record producer, singer and songwriter, popular for his works in Indian cinema; predominantly in Tamil and Hindi films, with occasional forays in int ...
and lyrics written by vairamuthu
Vairamuthu Ramasamy (born 13 July 1953) is an Indian lyricist, poet, and novelist working in the Tamil film industry. He is a prominent figure in the Tamil literary world. A master's graduate from the Pachaiyappa's College in Chennai, he fi ...
.
* ''Adiós Buenos Aires
''Adiós Buenos Aires'' (English language: ''Goodbye Buenos Aires'') is a 1938 Argentine musical film directed and written by Leopoldo Torres Ríos. The film starred Tito Lusiardo and a 19-year-old Amelia Bence.
The film is a musical about tan ...
'' (1938)
* '' Tango: El Exilio de Gardel/Tangos: the Exile of Gardel'' (1985), starring Philippe Léotard, directed by Fernando Solanas
* '' Tango Bar'' (1988), starring Raúl Juliá
* '' The Tango Lesson'' (1997), starring Sally Potter and Pablo Verón
Pablo is a Spanish form of the name Paul.
People
*Pablo Alborán, Spanish singer
*Pablo Aimar, Argentine footballer
*Pablo Armero, Colombian footballer
*Pablo Bartholomew, Indian photojournalist
*Pablo Brandán, Argentine footballer
*Pablo Brenes, ...
, directed by Sally Potter
* ''Tango
Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
'' (1998), starring Cecilia Narova and Mía Maestro
Mía Maestro (born 19 June 1978) is an Argentine actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Nora Martinez in '' The Strain'', Nadia Santos in the television drama '' Alias'', as Christina Kahlo in '' Frida'', as Carmen in ''The Twilight ...
, directed by Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura Atarés (born 4 January 1932) is a Spanish film director, photographer and writer. Along with Luis Buñuel and Pedro Almodóvar, he is considered to be one of Spain’s most renowned filmmakers. He has a long and prolific career th ...
* '' Assassination Tango'' (2002), starring Robert Duvall
Robert Selden Duvall (; born January 5, 1931) is an American actor and filmmaker. His career spans more than seven decades and he is considered one of the greatest American actors of all time. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, four Gold ...
, Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna (born July 16, 1948), known professionally as Rubén Blades (, but in Panama and within the family), is a Panamanian musician, singer, composer, actor, activist, and politician, performing musically most often in th ...
and Kathy Baker, directed by Robert Duvall
* ''Orquesta Típica
Orquesta típica, or simply a típica, is a Latin American term for a band which plays popular music. The details vary from country to country. The term tends to be used for groups of medium size (about 8 to 12 musicians) in some well-defined in ...
'' (2005), documentary film
A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in te ...
about typical orchestra Fernandez Fierro, directed by Nicolas Entel
Nicolas Entel (born 14 August 1975) is an Argentine filmmaker. He was born in Buenos Aires and lives in Brooklyn, NY. He has written, directed and produced shows for Amazon Studios, Netflix and HBO.
Entel created, wrote and show-run the Netflix ...
* ''12 Tangos – Adios Buenos Aires'' (2005), directed by Arne Birkenstock
Arne Birkenstock (born 1967) is a German film director and screenwriter.
Biography
Birkenstock was born in Huettental and was raised in Cologne. He studied economy, political science, history of Latin America and romance languages in Cologne, ...
* '' Tango libre'' (2012), directed by Frédéric Fonteyne
* '' Vaje v objemu / Practice in embrace'' (2012), directed by Metod Pevec
A number of films show tango in several scenes, such as:
*''The Threepenny Opera
''The Threepenny Opera'' ( ) is a " play with music" by Bertolt Brecht, adapted from a translation by Elisabeth Hauptmann of John Gay's 18th-century English ballad opera, ''The Beggar's Opera'', and four ballads by François Villon, with music ...
'' (Die 3-Groschen-Oper) (1931), directed by G. W. Pabst, has number called Tango Ballade.
* '' The Plow That Broke the Plains'' (1936), directed by Pare Lorentz.
* '' The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse'' (1921), starring Rudolph Valentino
Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor based in the United States who starred ...
and Alice Terry, directed by Rex Ingram.
* ''L'amore in città
''Love in the City'' ( it, L'amore in città) is a 1953 Italian anthology film composed of six segments, each with its own writer or director. The anthology consists of the following episodes:
* ''Paid Love'' written and directed by Carlo Lizza ...
'' (1953), segment ''"Paradise for three hours"'' (Paradiso per tre ore), directed by Dino Risi
Dino Risi (23 December 1916 – 7 June 2008) was an Italian film director. With Mario Monicelli, Luigi Comencini, Nanni Loy and Ettore Scola, he was one of the masters of '' commedia all'italiana''.
Biography
Risi was born in Milan. He had an ...
, starring nonprofessional actors, featuring a long sequence in a ballroom, where a passionate tango of Mario Nascimbene
Mario Nascimbene (28 November 1913 – 6 January 2002) was one of the best known Italian film soundtrack composers of the 20th century. His career spanned six decades, during which time he earned several awards for the innovative contents of his ...
is played.
* '' Il Conformista'' (1970), starring Jean-Louis Trintignant
Jean-Louis Xavier Trintignant (; 11 December 1930 – 17 June 2022) was a French actor. He made his theatrical debut in 1951, and went on to be regarded as one of the best French dramatic actors of the post-war era. He starred in many classic fi ...
and Dominique Sanda, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.
* '' Last Tango in Paris'' (1972), starring Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.
* '' The World's Greatest Lover'' (1977), starring Gene Wilder
Jerome Silberman (June 11, 1933 – August 29, 2016), known professionally as Gene Wilder, was an American actor, comedian, writer and filmmaker. He is known mainly for his comedic roles, but also for his portrayal of Willy Wonka in '' Willy W ...
(who also directed), Carol Kane and Dom DeLuise.
* ''Death on the Nile
''Death on the Nile'' is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club on 1 November 1937 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company the following year. The UK edition retailed at ...
'' (1978), Peter Ustinov
Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov (born Peter Alexander Freiherr von Ustinov ; 16 April 192128 March 2004) was a British actor, filmmaker and writer. An internationally known raconteur, he was a fixture on television talk shows and lecture circuits ...
and Olivia Hussey tango whilst David Niven
James David Graham Niven (; 1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983) was a British actor, soldier, memoirist, and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Major Pollock in '' Separate Tables'' (1958). Niven's other role ...
is the unfortunate partner to Angela Lansbury
Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury (October 16, 1925 – October 11, 2022) was an Irish-British and American film, stage, and television actress. Her career spanned eight decades, much of it in the United States, and her work received a great deal ...
's rather eccentric version of the dance.
* ''Tango'' (1981), a short animation film by Zbigniew Rybczynski. Received an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film, Academy Awards 1982.
* ''Never Say Never Again
''Never Say Never Again'' is a 1983 spy film directed by Irvin Kershner. The film is based on the 1961 James Bond novel '' Thunderball'' by Ian Fleming, which in turn was based on an original story by Kevin McClory, Jack Whittingham, and F ...
'' (1983), starring Sean Connery and Kim Basinger, directed by Irvin Kershner
Irvin Kershner (born Isadore Kershner; April 29, 1923November 27, 2010) was an American film director, actor, and producer of film and television.
He gained notice early in his career as a filmmaker for directing quirky, independent drama films ...
.
* '' Naked Tango
''Naked Tango'' is a 1990 erotic drama film. An Argentinean-international co-production, it was written and directed by Leonard Schrader, and stars Vincent D'Onofrio, Mathilda May, Esai Morales and Fernando Rey. The choreography was created by Car ...
'' (1990), starring Vincent D'Onofrio and Mathilda May
Mathilda May (born Karin Haïm; 8 February 1965) is a French film actress.
Early life
May was born in Paris, France. Her father, playwright Victor Haïm, is of Sephardic Jewish ( Greek-Jewish and Turkish-Jewish) descent. Her mother is the Swe ...
, directed by Leonard Schrader.
* '' Scent of a Woman'' (1992), Al Pacino
Alfredo James Pacino (; ; born April 25, 1940) is an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Al Pacino, numerous accolades: including an Aca ...
as blind Colonel dances Argentine tango
Argentine tango is a musical genre and accompanying social dance originating at the end of the 19th century in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. It typically has a or rhythmic time signature, and two or three parts repeating in patterns such as ABA ...
.
* '' Strictly Ballroom'' (1992), directed by Baz Luhrmann
Mark Anthony Luhrmann (born 17 September 1962), known professionally as Baz Luhrmann, is an Australian film director, producer, writer and actor. With projects spanning film, television, opera, theatre, music and recording industries, he is re ...
.
* '' Addams Family Values'' (1993), Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston
Anjelica Huston ( ; born July 8, 1951) is an American actress and director. Known for often portraying eccentric and distinctive characters, she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, as well as no ...
dance a tango so passionate that it literally burns the floor and makes all the champagne bottles in the nightclub pop their corks.
* ''Schindler's List
''Schindler's List'' is a 1993 American epic historical drama film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Steven Zaillian. It is based on the 1982 novel '' Schindler's Ark'' by Australian novelist Thomas Keneally. The film ...
'' (1993), starring Liam Neeson
William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed 7th on ''The I ...
.
* '' True Lies'' (1994), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22, 1958) is an American actress, producer, children's author, and activist. She came to prominence with her portrayal of Lt. Barbara Duran on the ABC sitcom '' Operation Petticoat'' (1977–78). In 1978, she m ...
and Tia Carrere
Althea Rae Duhinio Janairo (born January 2, 1967), known professionally as Tia Carrere (), is an American actress, singer and former model who got her first big break as a regular on the daytime soap opera '' General Hospital''.
Carrere played C ...
, directed by James Cameron
James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post- New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability ...
.
* '' Evita'' (1996), Madonna and Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born 10 August 1960), known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and singer. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received various accolades, including a Cannes Film Festival ...
dance a ballroom tango.
* '' Happy Together'' (1997), directed by Wong Kar-wai.
* '' Moulin Rouge!'' (2001), featuring Ewan McGregor
Ewan Gordon McGregor ( ; born 31 March 1971) is a Scottish actor. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the BAFTA Britannia Humanitarian Award. In 2013, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British ...
and "El Tango de Roxanne".
* '' Waking Life'' (2001), directed by Richard Linklater.
* ''Le Tango Des Rashevski'' (2002).
* ''Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
'' (2002), starring Renée Zellweger
Renée Kathleen Zellweger (; born April 25, 1969) is an American actress. The recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards, she was one of the world's highest-paid ...
, Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones (; born 25 September 1969) is a Welsh actress. Known for her versatility, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Tony Award. In 2010, she was appointed ...
, and Richard Gere
Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in '' Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and a starring role in '' Days of Heaven'' (1978). He came to prominence with ...
, directed by Rob Marshall
Robert Doyle Marshall Jr.http://www.alumni.cmu.edu/s/1410/images/editor_documents/alumnirelations/getinvolved/alumniawards/all_honorees_2018june1.pdf (born October 17, 1960) is an American film and theater director, producer, and choreographer. ...
includes a song titled "Cell Block Tango
"Cell Block Tango" is a song from the 1975 musical ''Chicago'', with music composed by John Kander and lyrics written by Fred Ebb.
Description
At the Cook County Jail women's annex, six women explain their presence in the jail, all of whom stand ...
" and is accompanied with a dance.
* '' Frida'' (2002), Salma Hayek
Salma Hayek Pinault ( , ; born Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez; September 2, 1966) is a Mexican and American actress and film producer. She began her career in Mexico with starring roles in the telenovela ''Teresa'' (1989–1991) as well as th ...
and Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd (born Ashley Tyler Ciminella; April 19, 1968) is an American actress. She grew up in a family of performing artists: she is the daughter of the late country music singer Naomi Judd and the half-sister of country music singer Wynonn ...
dance a tango to the Lila Downs performed song "Alcoba Azul".
* ''Shall We Dance Shall We Dance may refer to:
Films
* ''Shall We Dance'' (1937 film), a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical
* ''Shall We Dance?'' (1996 film), a Japanese film about ballroom dancing
* ''Shall We Dance?'' (2004 film), an American remake of the ...
'' (2004), starring Richard Gere
Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in '' Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and a starring role in '' Days of Heaven'' (1978). He came to prominence with ...
, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon
Susan Abigail Sarandon (; née Tomalin; born October 4, 1946) is an American actorMcCabe, Bruce"Susan Sarandon, the 'actor'" ''Boston Globe''. April 17, 1981. Retrieved January 21, 2021. and activist. She is the recipient of various accolades, ...
, directed by Peter Chelsom.
* Madonna featured choreography inspired by the Argentine tango
Argentine tango is a musical genre and accompanying social dance originating at the end of the 19th century in the suburbs of Buenos Aires. It typically has a or rhythmic time signature, and two or three parts repeating in patterns such as ABA ...
styles for the Die Another Day
''Die Another Day'' is a 2002 spy film and the twentieth film in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions. It was produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, and directed by Lee Tamahori. The fourth and final film st ...
section of her 2004 Re-Invention Tour
The Re-Invention World Tour (billed as Re-Invention World Tour 2004) was the sixth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna, in support of her ninth studio album '' American Life'' (2003). The tour began on May 24, 2004, in Inglewoo ...
. Segments of the 2005 documentary '' I'm Going To Tell You A Secret'' show this choreography in use.
* '' Rent'' (2005) had Anthony Rapp and Tracie Thoms
Tracie Nicole Thoms is an Emmy-nominated American television, film, and stage actress and singer. She is known for her roles in '' Rent'', '' Cold Case'', '' The Devil Wears Prada'', '' Death Proof'', and the short-lived Fox television series ' ...
perform a semi-elaborate ballroom tango in the song "Tango:Maureen" to describe their emotional relations and issues over a promiscuous girl they both dated.
* '' Mad Hot Ballroom'' (2005), documentary directed by Marilyn Agrelo.
* '' Love and Other Disasters'' (2006), Jacks ( Brittany Murphy) and Paolo ( Santiago Cabrera) perform a tango together.
* ''Take the Lead
''Take the Lead'' is a 2006 American drama dance film directed by Liz Friedlander and starring Antonio Banderas as dance instructor Pierre Dulaine, the founder of Dancing Classrooms. It also stars Alfre Woodard, John Ortiz, Rob Brown, Yaya D ...
'' (2006), starring Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born 10 August 1960), known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and singer. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received various accolades, including a Cannes Film Festival ...
, directed by Liz Friedlander
Liz Friedlander is an American music video, television director and television producer.
Originally from New York City, Friedlander moved to Pennsylvania to attend the Drama Conservatory school at Carnegie Mellon University. She then moved to ...
.
* ''Tanghi Argentini,'' Oscar nominated short film by Guy Thys, starring Dirk Van Dijck and Koen van Impe
* '' Another Cinderella Story'' (2008), starring Selena Gomez
Selena Marie Gomez ( ; born July 22, 1992) is an American singer, actress and producer. Gomez began her acting career on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004). As a teenager, she rose to prominence for starring a ...
and Drew Seeley. Performed during the Black and White Ball in the scene where Mary drops her Zune.
* '' Easy Virtue'' (2008), in which Jessica Biel and Colin Firth dance a tango.
* '' Step Up 3D'' (2010), in which Rick Malambri, Sharni Vinson and some of the supporting characters at a ballroom dance a tango to Jazmine Sullivan
Jazmine Marie Sullivan (born April 9, 1987) is an American R&B and soul singer. Born and raised in Philadelphia, her debut album, ''Fearless'' was released in 2008. The record topped ''Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was certifi ...
's '' Bust Your Windows''.
* ''Pixilation II'' (2011), short animation film by Kambras.
* ''Tango Libre'' (2012) starring François Damiens and Anne Paulicevich, directed by Frédéric Fonteyne
* ''Two to Tango'' (2021), directed by Dimitri Sterckens
Finnish tango is featured to a greater or lesser extent in the following films:
* '' Onnen maa'' (1993), starring Pertti Koivula
Pertti is a Finnish masculine given name.http://verkkopalvelu.vrk.fi/Nimipalvelu/default.asp?L=1 nimipalvelu
Notable people
*Pertti Ahlqvist, blues musician
*Pertti Haikonen, footballer
*Pertti Hasanen, ice hockey goalkeeper
*Pertti Honkanen, v ...
and Katariina Kaitue
Katariina Kaitue (born 21 January 1967 in Helsinki) is a Finnish actress. She has been a regular actress since 1991 at the Finnish National Theatre, where she has performed dozens of roles.
Kaitue studied at the Helsinki Theatre Academyi from 1 ...
, directed by Markku Pölönen.
* ''Levottomat
''Restless'' ( fi, Levottomat) is a Finnish romantic film directed by Aku Louhimies and released in 2000. It was entered into the 22nd Moscow International Film Festival. The sex scenes in the film sparked uproar and disapproval from the audienc ...
'' (2000), starring Mikko Nousiainen and Laura Malmivaara, directed by Aku Louhimies.
* '' Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö'' (1990), starring Kati Outinen, directed by Aki Kaurismäki.
* '' Mies vailla menneisyyttä'' (2002), starring Markku Peltola and Kati Outinen, directed by Aki Kaurismäki.
* ''Varjoja paratiisissa
''Shadows in Paradise'' () is a 1986 Finnish art house comedy-drama film written and directed by Aki Kaurismäki. The film stars Kati Outinen as Ilona and Matti Pellonpää as Nikander.
''Shadows in Paradise'' was awarded the Best Film award a ...
'' (1986), starring Matti Pellonpää and Kati Outinen, directed by Aki Kaurismäki.
* ''Kuutamolla
''Lovers & Leavers'' ( fi, Kuutamolla) is a 2002 Finnish romantic drama film directed by Aku Louhimies. The film is written by Katja Kallio and Louhimies, based on Kallio's novel ''Kuutamolla: Levoton tarina rakastamisesta''. ''Lovers & Leavers'' ...
'' (2002), starring Minna Haapkylä and Laura Malmivaara, directed by Aku Louhimies.
* '' Tango Kabaree'' (2001), starring Martti Suosalo and Aira Samulin, directed by Pekka Lehto.
* '' Minä soitan sinulle illalla'' (1954), starring Olavi Virta
Olavi Virta (originally to 1926 Oskari Olavi Ilmén) (27 February 1915 in Sysmä, Grand Duchy of Finland – 14 July 1972 in Pispala, Tampere, Finland) was a Finnish singer, acclaimed during his time as the "King" of Finnish tango. Between 1939 ...
, directed by Armand Lohikoski.
In popular culture
* A ''Sesame Street
''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) and ...
'' episode features a Tango Festival being held at the Furry Arms Hotel.
* ''The Backyardigans
''The Backyardigans'' is a Computer animation, computer-animated musical children's television series created by Janice Burgess. The series was written and recorded at Nickelodeon Animation Studio. It centers on five animal neighbors who imagine t ...
'' uses the Tango genre for the episode; Secret Agent.
Gallery
File:Tango 2 - San Telmo @ Buenos Aires.jpg
File:Tango in Plaza Dorrego.jpg
File:Carlos Gardel, Argentine tango singer, portrait.jpg, Carlos Gardel
File:Tango in BA.jpg
File:Camanita Tango 06 (3395529946).jpg
File:Tango Porteño.jpg, Tango Porteño
References
Further reading
* Davis, Kathy (2015). ''Dancing Tango: passionate encounters in a globalising world'. NYUP.
* Kassabova, Kapka (2011). ''Twelve Minutes of Love, a tango story'' (English), Portobello., 9781846272851
*
*
* Nau, Nicole (1999). ''Tango Dimensionen'' (German), Kastell Verlag GmbH, .
* Nau, Nicole (2000). ''Tango, un baile bien porteño'' (Spanish), Editorial Corregidor,
* Park, Chan (2005). ''Tango Zen: Walking Dance Meditation'' (English), Tango Zen House,
* Park, Chan (2008). ''TangoZen: Caminar y Meditar Bailando'' (Spanish-English), Editorial Kier,
*Savigliano, Marta E. (1995) ''Tango and the Political Economy of Passion''. Westview Press,
* Turner, David (2006). ''A Passion for Tango'' (English), Dingley Press 2004 Revised and augmented,
External links
Argentine Tango Radio
Tango in the Movies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tango (Dance)
Tango dance
Partner dance
Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
Urban street dance and music
Articles containing video clips