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Tango in New Zealand
By: Ramnish Gupta
Origin:
Tango originated in Buenos Aires in Argentina in the mid-19th century. Over the years, a few variations of Tango have emerged and so the original variation is aplty known as Argentine Tango. The working class in Buenos Aires developed Argentine Tango as a way of identifying themselves as a group.
Music:
Tango music is played in 2/4, at walking speed. The music and lyrics (if any) usually have a sad theme. Tango Nuevo is changing all this. The music is getting faster and "happier". It's possible to hear hints of Waltz in the music at times.
Dance:
Tango is a very structured dance, unlike a lot of other Latin American forms of dance. The upper body stays straight with a ballroom hold. The leaders lead with their arms like ballroom dancing but the frame is a bit closer. The feet move on the first beat and the other foot usually drags and "catches up" on the second beat. There are a lot of variations, but Angentine Tango is the most common form.
Latinos NZ Popularity Scale: 7/10
Tango is fast gaining popularity in New Zealand, but a vast majority of Tango dancers are in their 30s, 40s and over as the younger generation seems to prefer other Latin American dances over Tango. Having said that, Tango Nuevo is starting to gain popularity with it's faster and more modern music and dance.
Article taken from Latinos.co.nz (http://www.latinos.co.nz) |