A History of the Argentine Tango:

More popular than its counterparts (see history section) – swing, salsa, flamenco, merengue – argentine tango has been revived in Vancouver, in part the result of visits made by these inspiring teachers from Buenos Aires.

Enthusiasts who want it to find argentine tango (or Tango Argentino) are almost never satisfied with merely learning the movement of the dance – they eventually seek to understand its pulse, how it came to fruition. The origins of the Argentine Tango have been interpreted widely and in contradictory ways: it began in Buenos Aires, Argentina; it began in Spain with the emergence of flamenco; it was initially danced only between men; it was initially danced only between men and prostitutes; it was a dance that was created by the lower classes in response to upper class tyranny; it was a dance that the upper classes enjoyed in private; it was influenced by Tango Habanera; it was influenced by Condombe, another type of dance that involves deep flexing of the knees.

Not withstanding such varied opinions about the evolution of the dance, most agree that tango began in Buenos Aires, Argentina, around 1870. Around this time, so one of the stories in currency suggests, a man who was a "compadrito"* laid the foundations for the choreography of the dance that evolved into what we now recognize as Argentine Tango. Around  the turn of the twentieth century, the music of the Argentine Tango became popularized worldwide because of two figures: Rudolph Valentino, who made Tango a hit in 1921, and Carlos Gardel, a French-born singer whose interpretation of the sensuality of the music was pivotal to the rise of Tango’s eventual success and acceptance. His travels around the world – from Argentina, to Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, Puerto Rico and Venezuela – corresponded with the recordings he made of approximately 515 tangos. Having also done two films for Paramount Pictures, he brought visibility and attention to the Argentine Tango and might have accomplished more, but his life was foreshortened by his untimely death in an airplane crash. By this time and shortly threafter, however, interest became widespread: recording studios in the 1940s and 1950s – what is now referred to as the "Golden Age" of Tango – sought to record other Argentine Tango singers and orchestras.

By the Second World War, however, the intrinsic quality of the music had also altered. In part, the change may be attributed to the introduction of the bandoneon, an instrument that bears resemblance to the accordion and that was used to replace the organ for communities that could not bear the expense. Its melancholic sound was reflected in the new tangos being created and consequently changed from the more light-hearted tangos of the turn of the century to music that was more forlorn and sorrowful in nature. The change in its audience may also have had a bearing on its evolution – no longer a dance that was practiced covertly by a select few, tango inevitably changed to reflect its new participants.

In the 1950s, the Argentine Tango saw another resurgence as the result of the composer, Astor Piazzolla. Trained in both jazz and classical music, he employed his background to introduce new instruments to tango and thus created sounds that were considered uncharacteristic. Although many Argentines believed such intermingling created an adulterated or inauthentic form of tango, his work successfully drew attention to both the music and the dance.

Since then, tango has had periods of decline and resurgence. In the past few years, it has been growing again, in part the result of the number of Argentineans traveling abroad to pass on the riches of their skills and knowledge about the dance to others. Here, in BC, the Vancouver argentine tango community has grown and, within the past 4 year, doubled to its current size. We are delighted to be part of the argentine tango community in Vancouver and hope to see its growth continue over the next few years.

* A "compadrito" was a term applied to men who were descended from "Gauchos," those who opposed the political establishment in Argentina, who were deserters of the Argentine army, or who were Black runaways.

Tango in Vancouver. Here you'll find information about Tango music and dancing in Vancouver: information on upcoming events', special events, latin dance instructors, classes, and workshops' instructors, places tango dancing, information about dance lessons and instructors, special upcoming events such as workshops by visiting instructors and dancers, and upcoming performances and concerts by local and international Tango music artists. BC Tango provides information to enhance the dance experience of everyone in Vancouver's tango community.

Find the most up-to-date information on events, performances, dance classes and workshops for beginners and advenced tango dancers alike.

There is much going on in Vancouver's tango dance scene - great events, bands and djs, world renown tango dancers and excellent dance instructors. Check out tango website regulary for music and dance in Vancouver. Find the tango mood and partners at our events and mostly find the South American culture, including dance performances, events and parties, workshops with reknown performers from Argentina, local dance instructors, etc.