You’ve most likely watched at least one Hollywood movie with a scene capturing one of the most sensual ballroom dances: the Tango. Mr. and Mrs. Smith, True Lies, Moulin Rouge, and Scent of a Woman are just a few of the most memorable movies with Tango scenes. While we all recognize the quintessential Tango music popularized by these movies, the history of this classic dance is less Hollywood and more grass-roots than many would imagine.
Some dance history scholars believe that the Tango originated after immigrants to Argentina brought along with them the Viennese Waltz—one of the first dances where men and women held each other face to face for the entirety of the dance. What we recognize as Tango today seems to be an amalgamation of music and steps from many places including Cuba, Africa, and Spain.
After a troupe of travelling dancers made their way back to Europe, Tango took the continent by storm starting in Paris and moving to London and Berlin. It eventually made its way to the United States. While it began as a popular dance in lower-class areas of Argentina, Tango spread across the world encouraging upper class Argentinian society to begin including it in their operas and public dances.
Quickly afterward, professional and classically-trained musicians began to take on the Tango, morphing it into a more sophisticated and slower genre of music. During the Great Depression, the popularity of Tango took a nosedive with the economy and when rock-and-roll took over the public music airwaves.
The 1980s saw a resurgence of the Tango with Broadway productions highlighting the dance style. The current love of the Tango has increased due to television shows like Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance.
Ballroom Dance Clubs of Atlanta teaches American-style ballroom Tango. Whether you want a choreographed first dance for your wedding, are preparing for a ballroom dance competition, or are just interested in learning to dance for fun, our trained and experienced dance instructors can provide you with a personalized dance experience to ensure your ballroom dance goals are achieved.
We also offer practice parties and monthly soirées for new and experienced students to practice their technique and prepare for any competitions. Along with Tango, Ballroom Dance Clubs of Atlanta instructors also teach the Foxtrot, Waltz, Rumba and more.
For more information on Ballroom Dance Clubs of Atlanta’s two locations in Metro Atlanta and Duluth, contact us. You can also “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all our events and the latest Ballroom Dance news!
When people see that we teach both East and West Coast Swing at Ballroom Dance Clubs of Atlanta, their first reaction is often, “What’s the difference?” Because a lot a beginning dancers assume that “swing dancing” in itself is a singular dance style, they don’t realize that there is more than one type. There are in fact many types of swing including Lindy Hop, East Coast, and West Coast Swing.
The Lindy Hop was named after Charles Lindbergh’s flight (hop) to Paris across the Atlantic Ocean and originated at Harlem, NYC’s Savoy Ballroom in the 1920s. The Lindy Hop evolved as jazz music progressed during the 20s and 30s. In its current form, it’s characterized by fast music, kicks, and wild arms movements. For experienced dancers, striking aerial flips and throws are also a part of this style of swing. (more…)
