Visit Argentina - Argentine Tango

With the world at its feets

The old tangueros say that the tango is not danced, but felt. When one understands this, all that remains is to surrender the soul and let oneself be carried away. In that moment, possessed by the rhythm, one senses how the bodies intertwine and express a single and profound sentiment: passion.

There is a reason for affirming this, and it is precisely because tango did not originate as a dance of the upper classes but, on the contrary, from the working class neighborhoods, and in secret.
There has been a revival of sorts recently in Buenos Aires, in which tango has been revaluated as the alma mater (bountiful mother) of the city. Among other things, an FM radio station dedicates itself exclusively to this music, there is a University of Tango, and thousands of shows have joined existing ones.

Some of them have found success outside the country, as did "Tango Argentino," which played at the Theatre Chatelet in Paris and later in the United States, or "Tango X 2," another great show which will resume in September in New York. The world has experienced a boom: dance academies and schools have been created, cafes with a porteña feel to them, and even pages on the Internet in which one is invited to learn how to dance the tango.

In Greece when couples marry they play La Cumparsita, and it would be impossible to ignore that in Finland it is akin to national music. Interestingly, the United States is one of the countries most involved in this resurgence.
El Firulete, a monthly magazine containing the latest news in these circles, and if one pays a visit to the international section at DiscosVolver, she or he will marvel at the unbelievable selection of tango CDs.

Not all countries welcome the tango in the same way, however. The Japanese, for example, are the biggest fanatics and admire the traditional tango, without a great deal of choreography. Fervent followers have been found to own over 3,600 records, and there are even concertina collectors who, ironically, own some of the best in the market.

When an Argentine musician's instrument breaks, he or she knows that the replacement must be sought in Japan, where one can pay up to US$ 30,000 for it. Tango clubs exist in every city, groups in which members not only dance but analyze the music in detail. Japan also has its own tango stars: Ranko Fujisawa, now retired, is world famous for the sentiment transmitted through her singing, even though she did so using phonetics.

There are great international orchestras such as "Tango Cristal," an entire family dedicated to the tango. Its lead singer is a young Japanese man who goes by the name of Roberto, for Roberto Goyeneche, and he performs his extensive repertoire to perfection. Argentines, too, have met with success in this country, with shows such as "Buenos Aires Tango," a steady success since 1990. The craze embraces every age, and a karaoke bar for tango was recently opened in the center of Tokyo.

In the United States, on the other hand, people prefer a more spectacular and acrobatic, but fundamentally agile (almost dizzying), show. They also appreciate the tango in its simpler form, but with extreme attention to detail. The Argentine show "Forever Tango," a success on Broadway, has conquered New Yorkers, who exit the theater imitating cortes and quebradas in the middle of the sidewalk. The countries of South America —Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia— are moved by the energy of the dancer; they do not demand special steps or musical solos. Their blood, however, screams for that passion. Different cultures have adopted this passionate way of life, manifesting all the senses, immersed in a sort of postmodern nostalgia.

Source RondaAustral