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Tango Culture

TANGO SOCIETY OF MINNESOTA GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL DANCING

Inclusion at Tango Society of Minnesota (TSoM) means we are striving to make all people feel valued and respected. TSoM dancers may choose to lead or follow, and TSoM embraces each dancer’s choice to lead or follow.

TSoM seeks to create events that are safe, welcoming, and inclusive for everyone, regardless of age, race, gender, sexuality, ability, experience, or background. Sexual harassment will not be tolerated by the Tango Society of Minnesota. Discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin or religion is similarly prohibited.

To ensure our commitment to honor this statement, we ask all members and attendees at TSoM events to respect your partner, your partner’s level of dancing, your partner’s body space comfort level, the people around you, the music and band, and the culture and heritage of tango. Respect includes consent, which means ensuring you have received consent to dance.

Health, Hygiene, and Attire

For a positive joyful experience for all TSoM event participants, please consider the following:

Follow public health guidelines and if you feel unwell or exhibit symptoms, please stay home.

Practice good hygiene including showering before a dance, using deodorant, monitoring body odor, bringing a sweat towel if appropriate, brushing teeth, using mints or chewing gum as needed, and no or very minimal body sprays or perfumes.

Thoughtfully select clothing for personal comfort and safety as well as that of others. Wear dance appropriate shoes preferably with soft, non-marking soles.

For a deep dive on this topic, check out Yelizaveta’s Tango Banter Podcast: Top 10 Complaints Followers have about Leaders and Top 10 Complaints Leaders have about Followers

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FEEL THE CODE OF BEHAVIOR HAS BEEN VIOLATED

Self-advocacy is a powerful tool, and here are some simple tips and examples to aid in providing kind feedback regarding tango safety and boundaries.

Make observations rather than judgements such as: “I noticed, I felt, I saw.”

Express feelings such as: “I felt off balance in the back ocho, can we do it again and look at our embrace?” (but remember not to give feedback at a milonga-only at classes and practicas).

Identify needs, rather than strategies to immediately solve the problem in order to allow your tango partner to participate in the solution(s).

Make requests, rather than demands or directives.

Example:

HOW TO GET HELP

If you encounter inappropriate behavior and cannot resolve it on your own at an event/milonga/practica, etc. you can always alert the host of the event. If that is not a viable solution, we are here to help. You can let us know you are experiencing a problem by FILLING OUT THIS FORM. Your information will go to a small group of board members who will hold it confidential. Please consider including your name and contact information so the Code of Behavior Incident Team can follow up with you. You may choose to submit this form anonymously, but that choice will limit the team’s ability to follow up and take action on the information you provide.

TANGO ORIGINS - A BRIEF HISTORY

Tango originated in Buenos Aires in the late 19th century (about 1870). It is a dance—and also the music for the dance—resulting from the convergence of various musical styles brought to Argentina by African slaves and European immigrants. The word “tango,” some say, is derived from the Latin word “tangere,” which means “to touch.”

In its infancy, tango was the cultural expression of lonely immigrants and societal outcasts in slums and the bordellos of Buenos Aires, but by the turn of the new century, tango became a staple of the city’s larger society—moving to the barrios or middle-class neighborhoods, and then to the Argentine upper class. From 1900-1920, tango took Paris by storm. And in no time, the dance—and the music—developed a worldwide following.

Today, in the Twin Cities alone, tango is danced somewhere nearly every night of the week.

A PLAY ON WORDS

If you are fluent in Spanish, but still find it difficult to decipher some lyrics in tango—especially tango from the early days—the reason could be “Lunfardo.” Lunfardo is a slang dialect that originated in the late 19th century in prison populations and the lower classes of Montevideo and Buenos Aires. By the 20th century, it had disseminated to the larger, Spanish-speaking social strata of the region. Given the origins of the tango, it’s not surprising to find Lunfardo frequently peppering tango lyrics, coloring the saga with double-entendres and nuance. Word-play is a characteristic of Lunfardo. For example, reversing the syllables in the word “tango” results in “gotán.” “Café con leche” becomes “feca con chele.”

AN ICONIC INSTRUMENT

The bandoneon is the most emblematic instrument of the Argentine tango. It was invented in Germany by Heinrich Band and arrived in Buenos Aires in 1865. Before the arrival of the bandoneon, tango was played with a guitar, harp, flute, and sometimes accordion. The bandoneon looks like an accordion, but instead of piano-like keys, the bandoneon has buttons resembling those on an old typewriter. The sound from a bandoneon is produced as air flows past a vibrating reed in a frame.

Sources:

Argentine Tango: A Brief History by Susan August Brown

history-of-tango.com

Latin Roots: The Trajectory Of Tango

THREE REASONS TO TANGO

It’s good for you!
We’re a friendly bunch.
Our shoes are cool—and you’ll soon be wanting your own. (Yes, we’re talking about women’s AND men’s shoes!)

If you’ve read this far, well then, you’re ready to jump in!

For times and venues, see our Events page.