Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Tango I

The birth of tango took place towards mid-19th century, with the formation of dwelling conglomerates around the young city of Buenos Aires. Those who lived there, peasants from inland, European and African immigrants and some disadvantaged porteños (born in Buenos Aires), poor, undereducated, underprivileged, straight white men made up a new social class. Perhaps as a way of identifying themselves as a group and of feeling they belonged in their new home; they began to create cultural expressions derived from this mixture. This was the start of tango, characterized by its extremely closed codes, which were only accessible to the working classes. It was danced in bars, cafes, gambling houses and prostitution places. Later on "dancing houses" that provided girls for dancing and entertainment appeared.


Tango is only the third dance in history done with the man and woman facing each other, with the man holding the woman's right hand in his left, and with his right arm around her, the first one being the Viennese Waltz and the second is the Polka

At the time just to dance in front of each other the right arm of the man touching the back of the lady was a little too much…now here we have a dance in which there is a close embrace, cheek to cheek, chests together, the legs invading each other's space, in a long conversation of love and passion, with amagues (threatening motion), hooks, flirtatious looks and caresses…the writing of a prologue to a love story that was soon to follow.

The original lyrics frequently were references to sex and obscenities. It represented a kind of sexual choreography or a duel, a man-to-man combat between challengers for the favors of a woman. As women of good reputation did not want to have any part of it and the women at the brothels had to be paid…so if a man wanted to practice the new dance his only chance was…another man, which helped to create new moves and new steps. It had nothing to do with homosexuality.

posted by Elegance @ 9:11 am

6 Kisses:

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