, 2005. , Luna Park, Buenos Aires. The tango consists of a variety of styles that developed in different regions and eras of Argentina, as well as in other locations around the world. The dance developed in response to multiple cultural elements, such as the crowding of the venue and even the fashions in clothing. The styles are mostly danced in either open embrace, where
lead and follow have space between their bodies, or
close embrace, where the lead and follow connect either chest-to-chest (Argentine tango) or in the upper thigh, hip area (American and International tango). Different styles of tango are: •
Tango argentino •
Tango canyengue • Tango fantasia •
Tango liso • Tango oriental • Tango orillero • Tango salon • Tango camacupense (
Angola) •
Tango milonguero (tango apilado) (see also "
Milonguero") •
Tango nuevo (new tango) • Tango vals (
Tango waltz) •
Milonga •
Ballroom tango •
Finnish tango •
Uruguayan tango •
Maxixe (Brazilian tango) .These are danced to several types of music: • Tango • Electronic tango-inspired music (Tango electronico) • "Alternative tango", i.e. music that is an alternative to tango, or non-tango music employed for use in tango-inspired dance The milonguero style is characterized by a close embrace, small steps, and syncopated rhythmic footwork. It is based on the or style of the crowded downtown clubs of the 1950s. In contrast, the tango that originated in the family clubs of the suburban neighborhoods (
Villa Urquiza, Devoto,
Avellaneda, etc.) emphasizes long elegant steps, and complex figures. In this case the embrace may be allowed to open briefly, to permit the execution of the complex footwork. The complex figures of this style became the basis for a theatrical performance style of tango seen in the touring stage shows. For stage purposes, the embrace is often open, and the complex footwork is augmented with gymnastic lifts, kicks, and drops. A newer style sometimes called
tango nuevo, or "new tango," has been popularized in recent years by a younger generation of dancers. The embrace is often quite open and elastic, permitting the leader to lead a large variety of complex figures. This style is often associated with those who enjoy dancing to jazz- and techno-tinged "alternative tango" music, in addition to traditional tango compositions.
Tango de salon (salon tango) Tango canyengue Tango canyengue is a rhythmic style of tango that originated in the early 1900s and is still popular today. It is one of the original roots styles of tango and contains all fundamental elements of traditional Tango from the
River Plate region (Uruguay and Argentina). In
tango canyengue the dancers share one axis, dance in a closed embrace, and with the legs relaxed and slightly bent.
Tango canyengue uses body dissociation for the leading, walking with firm ground contact, and a permanent combination of on- and off-beat rhythm. Its main characteristics are its musicality and playfulness. Its rhythm is described as "incisive, exciting, provocative". The complex figures of this style became the basis for a theatrical performance style of Tango seen in the touring stage shows. For stage purposes, the embrace is often very open, and the complex footwork is augmented with gymnastic lifts, kicks, and drops.
Tango nuevo A newer style sometimes called
tango nuevo or 'new tango' was popularized after 1980 by a younger generation of musicians and dancers.
Ástor Piazzolla, composer and virtuoso of the
bandoneón (so-called "tango accordion") played a major role in the innovation of traditional tango music. The embrace is often quite open and elastic, permitting the leader to initiate a great variety of complex figures. This style is often associated with those who enjoy dancing to jazz- and techno-tinged, electronic and alternative music inspired in old tangos, in addition to traditional Tango compositions.
Tango nuevo is largely fueled by a fusion between
tango music and
electronica (), though the style can be adapted to traditional tango and even non-tango songs.
Gotan Project released its first tango fusion album in 2000, quickly following with
La Revancha del Tango in 2001.
Bajofondo Tango Club, a
Rioplatense music band consisting of seven musicians from Argentina and Uruguay, released their first album in 2002.
Tanghetto's album
Emigrante (electrotango) appeared in 2003 and was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2004. These and other electronic tango fusion songs bring an element of revitalization to the tango dance, serving to attract a younger group of dancers.
New tango songs In the second half of the 1990s, a movement of new tango songs was born perner in Buenos Aires. It was mainly influenced by the old orchestra style rather than by
Piazzolla's renewal and experiments with electronic music. The novelty lies in the new songs, with today's lyrics and language, which find inspiration in a wide variety of contemporary styles. In the 2000s, the movement grew with prominent figures such as the
Orquesta Típica Fernandez Fierro, whose creator, Julián Peralta, would later start Astillero and the Orquesta Típica Julián Peralta. Other bands also have become part of the movement such as the Orquesta Rascacielos, Altertango, Ciudad Baigón, as well as singer and songwriters Alfredo "Tape" Rubín,
Other national styles Brazilian tango Brazilian tango developed simultaneously with
Rioplatense tango and from similar influences, such as
Candomblé and the African-derived
lundu, the Cuban habanera, Andalusian tango, and the European polka and mazurka. Brazilian tango evolved into the
maxixe (a style known as
Brazilian tango) and
choro, with performers such as
Ernesto Nazareth and
Chiquinha Gonzaga. Nazareth began by playing "tangos" and later transcribed his scores as
chorinho, under pressure from record companies, "which wanted to transmute Brazilian tango into chorinho and samba". Chiquinha Gonzaga, by contrast, continued composing tangos, tango-choros, waltzes, mazurkas, gavottes, polkas, and habaneras, in Brazilian style. The city has a large number of bars dedicated to the genre, as does the rest of Colombia. In the 1930s tango began to become more popular and spread throughout the rest of the national territory. A historic event was the death of
Carlos Gardel in Medellín in 1935 in an aviation accident. Today, Colombia hosts the Colombia Tango Festival, an international event devoted to the genre held in
Manizales, the
Festival Anual del Tango in Medellín, and the University Tango Festival.
Tango in Chile From the first decades of the
20th century, tango was danced both in the Chilean capital, Santiago, and—especially—in the port city of
Valparaíso, where enthusiasm for the
arrabalero style of dancing still continues. Among Chilean tango figures or those closely linked to Chilean culture are
Cátulo Castillo, who lived in Chile until the age of 16, the bandoneon player
Gabriel Clausi (
El Chula), who settled with his orchestra in
Viña del Mar between 1944 and 1953 and composed the tango "En un rincón del café". In Clausi's orchestra the tango singers
Jorge Abril and
Chito Faró stood out. The latter, author of the famous waltz "
Si vas para Chile", also composed several tangos, among them the widely known "Matecito de plata". Among the recommended works is the album
Tango/Chile, by Chula Clausi's orchestra, which brings together recordings made in Chile for RCA between 1944 and 1948.
Finnish tango at the 2004
Tangomarkkinat in
Seinäjoki, Finland.
Finnish tango began to take on distinctive characteristics in the 1930s. It differs from other variants by being performed almost exclusively in
minor keys and in themes that reflect conventions established in
Finnish folklore. One of its highlights is the
Tangomarkkinat, or tango festival, held annually since 1985 in
Seinäjoki, considered by Finnish tango enthusiasts to be the
second city of tango after
Buenos Aires. Among the leading artists are
Olavi Virta (1915–1972) and
Unto Mononen (1930–1968). According to the article "Finlandia canta el tango como ninguna", tango arrived in Finland from France and Germany beginning in 1910; according to oral tradition, a Danish dancing couple first demonstrated how tango was danced there in 1913. The Uruguayan musicologist Adriana Santos Melgarejo wrote this journalistic overview of tango in Finland, framing it with reference to the work of other researchers. Tango spread from the dominant urban dance form to become hugely popular across Finland in the 1950s after
World War I and
World War II. The melancholy tone of the music reflects the themes of Finnish folk poetry; Finnish tango is almost always in a
minor key. Tango is danced in close full thigh, pelvis and upper body contact in a wide and strong frame, and features smooth horizontal movements that are strong and determined. Dancers are low, allowing long steps without any up and down movement, although rises and falls are optional in some styles. Forward steps land heel first except when descending from a rise, and in backward steps dancers push from the heel. In basic steps, the passing leg moves quickly to rest for a moment close to the grounded leg. Dips and rotations are typical. There is no open position, and typically feet stay close to the floor, except in dips the follower might slightly raise the left leg. Unlike in some Argentine-Uruguayan tango styles, in Finnish tango there is no kicking of any kind, and there are no aerials. The annual Finnish tango festival
Tangomarkkinat draws over 100,000 tango fans to the central Finnish town of
Seinäjoki; the town also hosts the Tango Museum.
Tango in other countries •
Tango liscio, typical of Italy. •
Ukrainian tango. . It is held annually in August in Buenos Aires, with competition in two categories:
stage tango (left) and
salon tango (right). ==Comparison of techniques==