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Time to Tango!
Wed, Jul 7, 2010 2:08 PM by Paul Escalante
A sudden silence swept across the crowded nightclub as the door swung open and in walked the silhouette of a man. He stood with his hands on his hips, head cocked a little to the left. His face, wet with sweat from the hot sun, flickered in the candlelight and his heavy trousers and boots were caked with dirt. Embedded in the man’s thick dark skin were scratches and scars from a hard day’s work. Upon entering the room he brushed the dirt off his clothes and removed his wool hat.
“José!” shouted a voice from the corner of the room. “It’s good to see you, hombre. You want a drink?”
“No gracias, Umberto” José replied in his thick Argentinean accent as he weaved through the tables toward a woman across the room. “Tonight, solo quiero bailar.”
With that he thrust the woman into his arms, the music began, and they danced into the night.
If only life actually happened like that. But who knows, maybe long ago in the slums of Argentina it did. The history of the tango is not clearly defined, but one story says that it began with the gauchos of Argentina. Ironically, the dance that today is the quintessence of elegance and wealth, with women in glittering gowns and men in tuxes, actually started with the working class. After a long and hot day on horseback in the fields the gauchos would enter crowded nightclubs hoping to dance. (Good luck with that guys.) They had to dance with flexed knees because their pants were stiff due to the sweat of the horse and the women held their heads back to avoid the stench of their foul smelling partners. In exchange for dancing with such a disheveled date, the women placed their hands on the man’s left hip looking for money. Together they would weave through the crowded nightclub, which is why the path of the Argentinean Tango is curvy.
How much of the story is true is hard to tell, but it is fact that the dance began in the lower class and worked its way up. The name “tango” even means “a place for slaves to meet”. It was first danced to the flute, guitar and violin, probably in the courtyards of tenement blocks in Buenos Aires. People would get together and play the popular music of the time, savoring the moment of peace from a life of hardship. The dance became more than a pastime. It became a language that weaved together the styles of many different cultures, castes and countries. Gradually the various threads joined to create a fierce tapestry of passion and seduction that we know today as the tango.
This Thursday, get ready to learn the secrets of seduction as the Ordway’s third week of Summer Dance continues with the tango! For those of you that haven’t heard, Summer Dance is the place to be every Thursday night. It’s an eight-week program that begins at 5:30 with food and drinks, continues at 6:30 with a free dance lesson from local professionals, and at 7:30 it’s time to show off your new moves to live music! But don’t worry; you really don’t need to be a “good dancer” to come. All levels of skill and experience are welcome, and that includes you. See you Thursday!
Written by Arielle Melum
For more information on Summer Dance visit http://www.ordway.org/summerdance/
Posted in Summer Dance, Dance, Tango
This blog is a group effort by Ordway staff, actors, artists, musicians, dancers and all those involved in the creative process of performances, programs and events at the Ordway to provide a behind the scenes look at what happens onstage, backstage and in support of the work presented at the Ordway. We also hope to discuss pertinent topics in our industry.
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