Argentine Tango Dance Classes Jupiter FL (Palm Beach County)

Like many other styles of dance, the history of Argentine Tango is not completely known or agreed upon, however, there is a general shared theory of the dance’s beginnings. There are many legends and stories about the origins and development of tango. Tango is a dance and music that originated in Buenos Aires at the turn of the century, developed in the melting pot of cultures that was Buenos Aires. The word Tango was used at the time to describe various music and dance. The exact origins of Tango—both the dance and the word itself—are lost in myth and an unrecorded history. The generally accepted theory is that in the mid-1800s, African slaves were brought to Argentina and began to influence the local culture. 

The Argentine Tango developed in working-class neighborhoods of Buenos Aires throughout the 18th century. It was not a high-society dance, but instead was a social dance for cowboys (“gauchos”) and the girls who worked in the saloons. It’s most probable that the beginning forms of Tango dance were developed in African-Argentine venues that were patronized by young men, mostly native born of poor and mixed ancestry. These “compadritos” brought the dance to the slaughterhouse district of Buenos Aires known as Corrales Viejos. There tango dancing was introduced to bars, brothels, and dance halls. It was in these establishments the African rhythms met Argentina Milonga, a fast-paced polka music. Before long, new steps were invented and a new dance form was born that combined dance from many cultures. The worldwide spread of the Tango came in the early 1900s when wealthy sons of Argentine society families made their way to Paris and introduced the Tango into a society eager for innovation and not entirely averse to the risqué nature of the dance or dancing with young, wealthy Latin men. By 1913, the Tango had become an international phenomenon in Paris, London and New York. The Tango spread worldwide throughout the 1920s and 1930s and came to be a fundamental expression of Argentine culture, and the Golden Age lasted through the 1940s and 1950s.

Argentine Tango dancing is done all over the world and throughout the United States. The Argentine Tango style differs a bit from Ballroom Tango. Ballroom Tango travels dramatically around the dance floor with long progressive steps, whereas Argentine Tango is suited for more intimate spaces and the focus is on rhythms and connections.

Today, the Argentine Tango is a popular social dance that is performed in night clubs and dance studios all over the world. There are a variety of styles of Argentine Tango that are recognized by dancers today. Argentine tango dancing is a prominent dance style all over the world. It’s rich history and culture are recognized and celebrated internationally. It is currently practiced by millions of people from all around the world, who have learned to love not only a traditional tango style which was popularized in late 19th and early 20th century but also many of its other modern tango dance variations created in Argentina and many other countries.

The core concept of the tango dance revolves around leader and follower, where leader through their embrace gives openings to the follower what to do, and follower then chooses how he will respond. The end result of this cooperative process can be a highly improvisational dance that fully captivates the attention of both the dancers and spectators.