Tango (standard dance)

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tango
Technology: default
Type: Ballroom dancing , ballroom dancing , ballroom dancing
Music: tango
Time signature : 2 ⁄ 4 cycle, ( 4 ⁄ 4 cycle)
Tempo: 31-33 TPM (124-132 bpm )
Origin: Argentina , Uruguay , France , Great Britain
Creation time: ~ 1910
List of dances

Tango , also International Tango , European Tango , Standard Tango , English Tango or Ballroom Tango ( ballroom is the English name of the standard dances ), is a ballroom dancing and ballroom dancing , the pairs dancing. It is one of the five standard dances , part of the world dance program and spread around the world.

In German usage is Tango equated with the Europeanized tango. The original tango comes from Argentina and Uruguay. This original form of Tango Argentino was only established in Europe 20 years ago. In the classical dance schools, too, the Europeanized form is increasingly being replaced by the Tango Argentino. The two tango forms differ considerably in their character, expression and forms of movement. In order to avoid confusion, the term International Tango is preferred here .

Origin and history

Tango dance ban in Uetersen , 1913
Roman nobles dance the tango in January 1914 in front of Pope Pius X. The episode, which is still widespread today, is probably an invention of the French journalist Jean Carrère, who was then the Italian correspondent for Le Temps ; the illustration comes from L'Illustration from February 7, 1914 and was published despite a now well-known Vatican denial.

Note: Here only the origin of the International Tango from the Tango Argentino is described; for the history of the Tango Argentino and its cultural origins see there.

The International Tango originated in Europe around 1910 . Travelers of the upper social classes brought the Tango Argentino to Paris in France from their trips to Buenos Aires , Argentina . The conservative upper class there found the dance “wild” and “offensive” and wanted to prevent it from spreading further. British choreographers finally took on the Tango Argentino and stylistically adapted it to the socially accepted standard dances. The result was the International Tango , which has not undergone any significant changes since then. Between 1910 and 1916, Vernon and Irene Castle contributed significantly to the development and spread of international tango , including by running a dance school in New York City in the USA . But the tango was also spread in other places during this time, for example in 1912 by Emil and Wilhelm Richter in Munich . From 1958 to 1960 tango was counted among the Latin American dances in Germany , in 1963 it was accepted as a standard dance in the world dance program and has since been part of the standard repertoire of European dance schools .

In the 1990s, the Tango Argentino together with its related forms, the Milonga and the Vals , as well as the Latin American dances Salsa , Merengue , Bachata and Cuban Cha-Cha-Cha became a fashion dance and found followers all over the world. This is mainly thanks to the composer, conductor and music teacher Nadia Boulanger , who taught Astor Piazzolla , who was still unknown at the time, in Paris in the 1950s : Piazzolla initially wanted to become a classical composer and was ashamed of his roots, which also included the tango, the Back then it was still notorious as "brothel music". Nadia Boulanger recognized Piazzolla's potential, encouraged and motivated him to concentrate fully on tango music. Due to his successful performances, the tango or tango music got a completely new stage and became more attractive. In Europe and especially in Germany, a large argentine tango scene has since established itself. The trend went hand in hand with a back-to-the-roots mentality: the dancers strive to dance the dances in their "original" form. This has led to the fact that the international tango is now often perceived negatively as "falsified" and "artificial". Some dance schools have reacted to this development by including Argentine Tango in their standard repertoire and in return teaching less International Tango . Many classical tango dancers also changed their dance style by adopting dance figures and characteristics of Tango Argentino . However, since the international tango as a tournament dance is laid down in a detailed set of rules, these changes were minor and did not have a lasting effect on the appearance.

Some choreographers deny the statement that the International Tango arose from the Tango Argentino . Around 1910, when the international tango was born in Europe, the term “tango” was still not very common in Latin America. The popular dance form that later became Tango Argentino was the Canyengue , which, according to these choreographers, was much more similar in technology and character to today's International Tango than today's Tango Argentino . Since the current form of Tango Argentino emerged from the Canyengue clearly after 1910, one must correctly say that the International Tango originated before the Tango Argentino . However, this interpretation is controversial.

Characteristics and technology

The International Tango is called "passionate" as "fiery" and, thus sometimes restrained sexual desire is to be indicated. The tango is the most serious and saddest of the standard dances. It is still considered tolerable even in situations in which funny jumping and indulgent swing dances would be forbidden.

The Tango Argentino , on the other hand, is more associated with tenderness .

The sometimes brutal character of the international tango is deliberately brought about by abrupt changes in tempo and form of movement, which is reinforced by determined, distant looks and rapid head movements. Hesitantly applied but rapidly accelerating long and creeping steps suddenly alternate with short, quick steps; flowing with timed movements. The smooth gliding of the upper body forms the opposite pole to the jerky turns of the heads. A special feature of the tango is its even step structure. The upper body remains calm during the dance, all effects are only created from the couple's posture to each other.

In tango as a step dance, the posture is different than in the other four standard dances, which are all swing dances. The gentleman leads the ajar lady mainly through physical contact, i. H. with the right side of his chest, with his pelvis down to his knee. As in the other standard dances, he gives the lady a firm frame with her arms in which to move.

Since people often change from a closed posture to a promenade position , the lady stands further to the left in the arm of the gentleman, whose right hand does not rest on her shoulder blade as usual, but extends to the spine and points slightly diagonally downwards. The lady does not put her arm on, but around the right arm and elbow of the man and "hooks" herself in at armpit level. This posture makes it easy to change into a promenade position in which the lady can roll her abdomen over the man's right hip. The couple stands slightly on their knees, very tight and with three lanes. Guidance impulses are also given with the knees.

Because the tango is not a swing dance, but a step dance, there is no raising or lowering. The body is moved at a constant height and across the parquet. Far more steps are taken with the heel than in the other standard dances.

Relationship between music and dance

The international tango is danced to the music genre tango , i.e. basically to the same music as the tango argentino . The dance music of the International Tango has however clearly discernible European influences: it is a simple staccato - percussion highlighted that from a drum is played and is interspersed with short drum rolls; the music sounds "hard" and "aggressive". In contrast to this, the dance music of Tango Argentino generally does without percussion instruments, and is carried by the rhythmic accentuation of the orchestral instruments; the music sounds "soft" and "melancholy". The following audio sample (in MIDI format ) is based on the classic tango La Cumparsita by Gerardo Matos Rodríguez and demonstrates the rhythm of international tango with typical instrumentation ( bandoneon , strings , bass , drums):

rhythm

Dance and music based on the 2 / 4 -Stroke . Modern pop music, which is tanzbar as Tango but has a 4 / 4 ¯ clock to (Samples: Tango Corrupti of Rain Fendrich , Neverending Story of Limahl ). The main difference between the time signatures is that in the 2 ⁄ 4 rhythm every second beat is strongly emphasized, while in the 4 ⁄ 4 rhythm only every fourth beat is strongly emphasized. Since the length in beats of a tango dance figure is always a multiple of two, but not necessarily a multiple of four, with a 4 ⁄ 4 rhythm dance figures can end in the middle of the beat or accents fall on musically unstressed beats - the result is a slight discrepancy between dance and music, which is undesirable from an interpretative point of view.

Tournament Policies

The speed of the music to which tango is danced in tournaments depends on the country and tournament association in question. In general, Tango is danced at a speed of 31 to 33 beats per minute ( TPM) or 124 to 132 beats per minute (BPM) . (The information refers to a 2/4 time.)

In Germany

The tournament and sports regulations of the German Dance Sports Association (DTV) provide for the following rules for tango: Tango is danced to 31 to 33 TPM (124 to 132 BPM), the duration of a dance is between one and a half and two minutes, Tango is in all starting classes danced, for each starting class and each starting group there is a separate dress code.

The tournament regulations of the German Amateur Tournament Office (DAT) provide for the following rules for tango: Tango is danced at a speed of 32 TPM (128 BPM), the duration of a dance is not specified. Special tournament clothing is neither required nor desired for amateur dancers.

In Austria

The tournament regulations of the Austrian Dance Sports Association (ÖTSV) stipulate: Tango is danced at a speed of 31–33 TPM (124 to 132 BPM). The technology and steps must correspond to the specifications in the latest editions of the following books:

  • Guy Howard: Technique of Ballroom Dancing. (IDTA)

In the starting classes D and C of all ages, a limited catalog of figures must be observed. The Oversway and Contra Check figures are also prohibited in these starting classes, but permitted in other classes.

Books that have not been admitted since March 1, 2006 are:

  • Alex Moore: The revised Technique.
  • The Ballroom Technique by the Imperial Society. (ISTD)

See also

Web links

Commons : Tango  - collection of images, videos and audio files
Wikibooks: Tango  - learning and teaching materials

Video

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Josef Achleitner: When the Pope in Rome forbade the "sinful" tango . In: OÖN , February 10, 2014, accessed on November 19, 2018; Rome forbids tango . In: NZZ , May 21, 2013; Retrieved November 19, 2018. George Rutler: He Spoke to Us. Discerning God in People and Events. Ignatius Press, San Francisco 2016, ISBN 978-1-58617-983-0 , chap. 24.
  2. ^ Pie X et le tango: you rififi à Rome . (French)
  3. ↑ matices.de ( Memento of the original dated November 29, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.matices.de
  4. ^ Tournament and sports regulations of the German Dance Sports Association
  5. ↑ Tournament regulations of the German Amateur Tournament Office ( Memento from May 13, 2005 in the Internet Archive )
  6. ^ Tournament regulations of the Austrian Dance Sports Association