Argentine Tango first gained its hold on the
US in the 1920s, when screen idol
Rudolph Valentino appeared in
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It originated in the
West Indies, where it was brought to the
ranges of
Argentina, which is where it gained much of its distinctiveness and individual
character.
Tango is very much a "dancer's dance", as its unique rhythms offer excellent training in timing and footwork. Contrary to popular belief, tango is not considered a
latin dance because it doesn't include
Cuban motion.
It's considered a
smooth, or
ballroom, dance because dancers hold themselves
erect, and swing their legs from the hip.
American Social tango differs from true
Argentine tango because in social tango dancers use a normal dance hold, while in Argentine, the dancers are often cheek to cheek, enabling a more complex interacting involving their legs.
You can be a
star in the
United States-- but if you ever get into
Buenos Aires-- you'd be lucky if you can hold your own.
It's impossible to describe the tango as other than the expression of the soul of
Argentina. A concept called the 'Pinta' is very important-- It means the way that one stands or walks, or 'attitude'. This is the hardest thing to learn. Friends tell me that in
Argentina, the quality of dancing doesn't depend on how many steps you know-- because everybody knows so many-- but on your
individuality, steps you invent, and your attitude.
Efficiency in movement, doing more with less is
important, and the finishing touch is very tiny movements of the feet, called
chiches, which embellish a step and can fill a moment of stillness with a musical flutter of controlled
passion.
Done well, it's not just a
dance-- It's an emotion that cannot be expressed in
words.