Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries from a combination of Argentine Milonga, Spanish-Cuban Habanera, and Uruguayan Candombe celebrations. It was frequently practiced in the brothels and bars of ports, where business owners employed bands to entertain their patrons. It then spread to the rest of the world. Many variations of this dance currently exist around the world.
El Tango by Uruguayan painter Pedro Figari
Tango postcard, c. 1919.
Choreographed stage tango in Buenos Aires, 2005.
Tango Dance World Championship 2011, Luna Park, Buenos Aires.
Partner dances are dances whose basic choreography involves coordinated dancing of two partners, as opposed to individuals dancing alone or individually in a non-coordinated manner, and as opposed to groups of people dancing simultaneously in a coordinated manner.
Ballroom dancers performing the tango.
Partner dance, Dance at Bougival by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1883
Gaskell Ball
Students participating in a group class for double partner dancing.