Passionate and sensual, fiery yet tender, tango is one of the most quintessential cultural representations of Buenos Aires, a tradition with a history as tumultuous and interesting as that of its beloved Argentina. It is a tradition that began in the brothels and lower-class districts of the capital city, and, in its 120 or more years of existence, has grown into a world phenomenon. In fact, it was declared a part of the world’s “intangible cultural heritage” by UNESCO in 2009.

1. Passionate and sensual, fiery yet tender, tango is one of the most quintessential cultural
representations of Buenos Aires, a tradition with a history as tumultuous and interesting as
that of its beloved Argentina. It is a tradition that began in the brothels and lower-class
districts of the capital city, and, in its 120 or more years of existence, has grown into a
world phenomenon. In fact, it was declared a part of the world’s “intangible cultural
heritage” by UNESCO in 2009.
While nobody knows exactly when tango originated, most speculate that it was in the early
1880s. At this time, Buenos Aires was a thriving city, burgeoning with immigrants from all
over the world. The Buenos Aires of the 1880s was quite full of brothels, sustained mostly
by immigrant women trying to make their way in their new country. Similarly, their
clientele was mostly immigrant men who had recently left their entire lives — and wives —
behind to find new opportunities in the Americas.
It was in these brothels that tango was born. Initially, it was simply instrumental music,
played with a guitar, a violin and a flute. Eventually, the brothels’ management started
hiring different musicians and groups to entertain the clients, and thus began the dancing.
Shows became more frequent, as did the dancing. Eventually, a sort of standardization of
the dance developed, and tango academies opened, holding organized tango ballroom
dances, but for men only.
At this time, the closed hold (couples
dancing together, not just facing each
other) was still somewhat new in the
world, and even a structured, separated
embrace was considered scandalous by
many. We can only imagine the scandal
of this new dance, made up of flirtatious
looks, interlocking legs, dancing cheek-
to-cheek, chest-to-chest, suggestive of a
lustful, passionate, tender love affair. As
well-reputed women did not want any
part in this outrageous new dance, and the
women in the brothels had to be paid,
men had no choice but to dance with each
other. It was in this fashion that new steps
were developed, each man looking to
develop his own style so he could attract
the attention of women, surprising them
with his grace and skill.
Although the music was initially
improvised, with the growth in popularity and organization of the accompanying dance,
musicians started composing music, as well. Juan Perez is said to be the first composer,
although other men were surely writing music at this time, as well. The music was purely
instrumental at first, but lyrics were soon added. Considering the birthplace of the music
and dance, it is not surprising that the original lyrics were obscene and lewd, full of sexual
references. As popularity grew, however, many lyrics were changed, or their euphemisms
began to lose meaning.

2. Tango music and dance grew hand-in-hand in the lower-class suburbs, and the tango culture
made its way to the streets, to the slums, and eventually, to the cafes. It was in these cafes,
that women were added to tango shows — the cherry on top. As more women started
performing in public, it became more socially accepted, and so more women started dancing
in public, as well, finally allowing the passion of the dance to be fully expressed between a
man and a woman. Check in a Buenos Aires travel guide for places where to practice tango
and/or for tango shows.
By the beginning of the twentieth century, tango had made its was to Europe in the hands of
traveling dancers and musicians from Buenos Aires, and it soon took the continent by
storm. In 1913, the United States caught the tango fever. Two different styles began to
develop, both of which are still alive today: North American Tango, and International
Tango. International Tango is most accepted in competitive dance, but both are well
respected styles in the tango world.
With various economic crises and dictatorships in Argentina, tango has seen quite the
tumultuous history, being suppressed for the majority of the twentieth century, save a brief
revival under Juan Perón’s government. While the culture lived on a smaller scale, 1983
brought new life to it with a show called Tango Argentino in Paris. Tango has continued to
grow since then, worldwide.
Buenos Aires is the birthplace of this incredible dance, and remains the ultimate place to
study and see the dance and music. Milongas (tango dance halls) thickly populate the city,
as do academies and shows. As the worldwide love affair with tango swells, so does the
pride for its beauty felt in Buenos Aires.