TANGO
There are essentially three types of Tango - -Argentine, American, and Continental or International Style.
Argentine Tango: (arrabalero) A dance created by the Gauchos in Buenos Aires. It was actually an attempt on their part to imitate the Spanish dance except that they danced it in a closed ballroom position. The Tango caused a sensation and was soon to be seen the world over in a more subdued version.
American Tango: Unlike the Argentine Tango, in which the dancer interprets the music spontaneously without any predetermined slows or quicks, the American Tango features a structure that is correlated to the musical phrasing. The dance is executed both in closed position and in various types of extravagant dance relationships that incorporate a particular freedom of expression that is not present in the International style.
International Tango: This is a highly disciplined and distinctively structured form of the Tango which is accepted worldwide as the format for dancesport events. The dancers remain in traditional closed position throughout and expresses both legato and staccato aspects of the type of music appropriate to this style.
EVOLUTION OF THE TANGO
The history of the Tango can be traced surprisingly enough to a country dance of 17th Century England. The English country dance became the Contre danse in France, and this in turn was called the contradanza in Spain or later simply Danza. When imported by the Spaniards into Cuba, it became the danza habanera. During the Spanish American War, a popular dance called the Habanera del Cafe appeared that was the prototype of the Tango. The whole genealogy is presented in the following chronological table:
|
Country Dance |
|
England1650 |
|
Contredanse |
|
France1700 |
|
Contradanza |
|
Spain1750 |
|
Danza |
|
Spain 1800 |
|
Danza Habanera |
|
Cuba1825 |
|
Habanera |
|
1850 |
|
Habanera del Cafe |
|
1900 |
|
Tango |
|
1910 |
TARANTELLA
In this Italian folk dance, a single dancer gets up and spins alone until a partner joins in. Sometimes several couples stand up
together, like a country dance set, although pairs dance individually. Girls use tambourines.
TRUCKIN’
Truckin evolved from an African American form of shuffling along while shaking the index finger of the fight hand above the head. Popular in 1937.
TURKEY TROT
The Turkey Trot was a danced to fast ragtime music popular in the decade from 1900 to 1910, including tunes such as Scott Joplin's
Maple Leaf Rag, etc. The basic step consisted of four hopping steps sideways first on one leg, then the other. It achieved popularity chiefly as a result of its being denounced by the
Vatican. The dance was embellished with scissor-like flicks of the feet and fast trotting actions with abrupt stops.
TWIST
The Twist was written by an African American musician in Georgia in 1958. He and his band members made up some twisting
movements for the musicians to do while playing the music. Then in 1960, Chubby Checker made his first twist record, and made the Twist famous in Philadelphia. The Twist came to New York via
Philadelphia and New Jersey and then spread throughout most countries.
TWO-STEP
The Two-Step is a simple dance, more or less double quick march with a skip in each step done as rapidly as a couple can go
forward, backward and turning. It is quite popular in many areas of the country. See also Country Western Two-Step.
U
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M - N | O - P - Q | R | S | T - U | V | W | X -Y - Z
Home | Sign Up | Specials | Contact Us | Calendar
CALENDAR
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
last updated Monday, October 31, 2005
