Posts in Beginner Tango
5 Modern Tango Orchestras You Need To Hear

The tango dance is famous all over the globe because of its passionate charm and playful dynamics. Nevertheless, the rise of this iconic partner dance would not be possible without matching tango music. This form of music is typically played with gusto by a tango orchestra.

People need to understand tango music to comprehend how the dance has made a major impact in cultural and artistic ways throughout its rich history that spans different countries.

Read on to learn what tango music is and what its history is. Find out what a tango orchestra is and which musical instruments are typically played by this ensemble. Get to know some of the most popular modern orchestras in the tango world that you need to hear.

Read More
Why Is “Poema” Considered a Tricky Song?

The world knows many tango music classics. “Por una Cabeza,” “El Choclo,” and “La Cumparsita” are all tunes, along with other tango songs that are regularly played in tango shows and at milongas around the world. They are popular for a reason: they give dancers a great tango experience.

Then there is “Poema.”

If there’s a list of tango songs that you shall not dance to, you’ll most likely find this title.

“Poema” teaches us that while we consider all tango songs as works of art, there are some that just make us question why they were created in the first place.

Don’t get it wrong; “Poema” is a beautiful song. It’s just tricky, and you might want to know the story behind it!

Read More
Non-Verbal Communication – Can Tango Help?

Watching a tango couple on the floor allows you to see many magical details. There’s an almost ethereal quality to how they move, as if they are one entity instead of two.

What’s even more fascinating is that this level of non-verbal communication isn’t just reserved for the pros. In fact, it’s in tango itself.

Tango, to some, is just one of the many dances out there. But to others, it’s a way of connecting, growing, and communicating with a partner.

Believe it or not, tango is one of the most influential and artistic communication methods.

Read More
Is Tango More Difficult for Leaders? Specifically, Male Leaders?

One of the first things you learn about tango is that there’s a leader and a follower.

And if you’re a male dancer, you might instantly feel the pressure every tango leader in history has experienced. Male dancers are generally considered the leaders in tango.

And while both the leader and follower have individual responsibilities, many tango dancers say that the leader has more.

Some say there’s an additional element of responsibility for them, making tango more complex and generally more demanding for men.

The big question is… Is that true?

Read More
Plegaria. The Tango You Shall Not Dance

…a tango DJ played “Plegaria” during a tango festival, and an old woman came up to him. With tears in her eyes, the old woman asked the DJ to never play this song again, explaining that she was a survivor of the Nazi concentration camps and that “Plegaria” was one of the songs that Nazi officers forced Jewish musicians to play. Being made aware of this, the tango DJ never played this song again.

In many tango circles, “Plegaria” has become known as the “tango you shall not dance.”

Read More
Why Don’t People Smile While Dancing Tango? 

Tango is a dance that does not force you to smile. 

It allows you to be just you. It takes you in - in whatever mood you arrive. Tango does not care about whatever you are showing on the outside.

Tango does not care about whatever you are showing on the outside. Tango focuses internally - the outward expression such as your smile and joy can remain unexposed.

You can be happy without forcing yourself to show it to others.

  • Tango is improvised and thus requires focus. 

Tango, unlike any other dances, requires focus and presence of mind. It is a dance that relies on improvisation and adaptability.

It’s like navigating through the final stages of business negotiations. You know what to expect, yet anything can happen.

Read More
Argentine Tango in Web3, Coding, and Technology

At first, dance will control the dancers. Eventually, the dancers will know tango deeply until the dance becomes a part of them, and the dance will no longer hold them.

The same is true for Web3. With Web 1.0 and Web 2.0, we were controlled by centralized entities. After generations of learning, progressing, and building, we have now reached a point where we can create Web3.

Read More
Hugo Mastrolorenzo: Dancer, Choreographer, Researcher, Writer

One dancer who has written about tango is Hugo Mastrolorenzo, a tango dancer, teacher, and choreographer whose contributions to the genre extend beyond the dance floor.

One of his books, Tango Dance: In Search of the Method That Has Never Existed, has gained critical acclaim for diving into the fundamentals, technicalities, and contradictions surrounding the present method of teaching tango choreography. His other book, Tango Dance: The Origin of the Species, participated in the 64th International Book Fair of Frankfurt, Germany in 2012. He also wrote Tango Has Died on Stage, which reviewed traditional tango as opposed to the more modern, showy, and commercial style

Read More
Why Do We Dance Tango?

Daily challenges can cause a gradual buildup of frustration and other negative emotions in both partners.

This energy will eventually be released one way or another, which is why it is better to vent them in a positive way instead of a negative one.

Destructive channeling includes picking fights or spreading gossip about other people. In contrast, constructive energy channeling involves activities that can educate or entertain both partners.

Learning tango is one of the positive ways that a couple can release their pent-up energy.

Read More
How Argentine Tango Can Help You Become More Intuitive

In making sound decisions, one can then say that intuition is equally important as applying logic to find the best approach to a situation.

The problem is that not all people have developed their intuitive skills, or they might not be confident enough in their gut feeling to follow it.

Although there are various ways to develop one’s intuitive skills, one unconventional yet effective method is by learning the Argentine tango.

Read More
Dancing to Gardel - Why Don’t We Dance to Gardel?

While Carlos Gardel is celebrated for his music, why is it that one will rarely hear his songs being played and danced to in milongas?

Some will likely try to avoid the yeta of “Adios Muchachos,” but all other songs by Gardel are best enjoyed while one is sitting down so as to ride through the wave of its emotions that have stood the test of time. Even those who may not be familiar with the language can understand the profundity in Gardel’s songs, which can transport them back to an era when heartbreak, exile, homesickness, romance, and other such themes comprised the meaning of life for most porteños.

Read More
How the Tango DJ Is Manipulating You and Why You Are Enjoying It so Much

Often, when the topic of milongas arises, the discussion might typically revolve around one’s partner or the codigos that govern proper etiquette.

However, there is one aspect of the milonga that might not always be talked about but remains a crucial factor of what actually makes this event enjoyable: the music and the DJ.

The choice of songs can either save or ruin the night. Though often overlooked, a Tango DJ actually plays a crucial role in encouraging dancers to return to the dance floor despite having danced for hours already.

But how do they do it? What are the tricks up a tango DJ’s sleeve that they can make everyone dance all night long without them feeling tired?

Read More
Energy and Motion in Tango: Finding New Ways To Explain the Movements

Because of its striking combination of enthralling dance steps, thrilling music, and dazzling visuals, it’s not surprising that the tango is famous all over the globe. Each lively dance motion performed by the dancers naturally captures the attention of the audience.

Tanghost Leader Damian Esell discusses memorization, energy, and motion in Argentine tango.

Read More
Navigation: The Ultimate Tango Skill

Let's say a tanguero and a tanguera are on a packed dance floor, executing the steps so flawlessly that they look so stellar and breathtaking.

However, as they move around the floor, they hit other couples as they maintain their connection and keep time with the music. Would they still be considered good dancers?

The answer is no.

In tango, floor craft — the ability to navigate around the floor without bumping into other couples — is just as important as the dance steps.

Remember: tango is not just about the steps — it's about the connection, the music, and the floor.

Read More
Is red the color of Argentine Tango?

Before the red color became so popular that it was hailed the “unofficial color” of tango, a quick look back on history reveals that there was, in fact, a tango color that was a huge craze over a hundred years ago, and it was NOT the color red, but ORANGE!

As per popular brief history the color didn’t have any connection with meanings and sentimentality. It was a mere marketing strategy utilized by a very well-known fashion designer to sell his unsold stock of orange-colored fabrics.

By naming it Tango Orange, since the Tango was becoming more and more popular, he managed to catch everyone’s attention, and his unsold stock became sold out in an instant.

Read More
Tango Vals: On Viennese Waltz and Argentine Tango

Soft, fluid, and tender — the Tango Vals is one of the three principal forms of Argentine Tango.

When we dance to it, it’s impossible to deny that it is incredibly rich and deliciously filled with subtleties that make us immediately sway to the beat. People often mistake Vals Tango as Viennese Waltz because of their similar rhythm. Yes, the Tango Vals is an evolution of the Viennese Waltz, but it uses the tertiary rhythm differently.

Read More
10 Tango Steps You Must Know To Speak Tango

Argentine tango is often compared to a conversation — and for good reason.

While tango doesn’t necessarily use any verbal language, many of its aspects and features point to a constant state of interaction.

The dance becomes the medium of exchange, and the steps represent a dialogue not only between two dancers but also between individuals and their environment.

Read More
What Is Astor Piazzolla’s Most Famous Song?

If you've ever listened to Argentine tango, then you have Astor Piazzolla to thank.

He was a legendary tango composer and musician who changed the course of tango music for life.

His unique styleTango Nuevointroduced new elements into the genre, such as jazz and classical music. His compositions are some of the most well-known in the world and continue to be popular to this day.

Astor Piazzolla is one of the most famous tango composers of all time, but many people still don't know who he is or why his music is so special.

Read More
Finding Relationship Through Argentine Tango

To the innocent bystander, watching two people dance the Argentine tango almost feels like watching a love story unfold.

There’s the closeness of their embrace, the skillfulness with which their bodies move in sync, the passion and energy between each step, the subtle and wordless conversation between them — it is easy to assume that dance partners in tango are also life partners.

To some degree, this may be true and, in many cases, it is. After all, falling in love on the dance floor is not uncommon in tango. For some, dancing tango even becomes an avenue in which couples attempt to mend strained relationships and rekindle their partnership.

Read More