[Column] Tango - From the margins of society to world culture, its meaning and trajectory of revival
Column en Argentina DanceCulture MusicHistory Tango![[Column] Tango - From the margins of society to world culture, its meaning and trajectory of revival](/../assets/images/column-tango.webp)
Prologue Tango was society before it was “music”
Text: mmr｜Theme: Tracing the social meaning of tango, from its birth on the fringes of society, to being forgotten, to its revival as a global culture
Tango was not born as an art from the beginning. It was the result of translating the distortions and tensions of the social structure of the Argentine port city of Buenos Aires into sound.
From the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, Buenos Aires was formed by a rapid influx of immigrants and became a multi-ethnic city unique in the world. Centered around Spain and Italy, Eastern European, African, and indigenous cultures were mixed together, and work, poverty, and loneliness existed on a daily basis.
Tango grew up on the “underside” of this city. It was performed not at the balls of high society, but in the courtyards of dockworkers’ taverns, boarding houses, and brothels. Physical distance, line of sight, and improvisation were more important than musical sophistication.
Tango is a culture that has always started from the periphery, not the center of society.
Social background of the birth of tango
Argentina in the late 19th century was experiencing rapid economic growth and at the same time serious social divisions. The country prospered through agricultural exports, but only a small portion of the landowning class benefited.
As large numbers of immigrant men flocked to cities in search of work, the male-female ratio collapsed. As a result, a culture where men dance with each other and competitive dance styles naturally form.
The lyrics of early tango were very different from today’s romantic image. Crime, poverty, betrayal, unemployment, and the isolation of immigrants were told in direct terms.
The instrumentation was also improvised. The guitar, flute, and violin were the main instruments, and the bandoneon later became a symbol.
Tango was an aggregation point for the loneliness created by urbanization.
Moral rejection and social exclusion
At first, tango was strongly rejected by mainstream Argentine society. The reason for this was not the musical value, but the place where it was danced and the physical expression.
Close postures, impromptu physical contact, and movements with sexual connotations were considered “vulgar.” Many newspapers and educational institutions denounced tango as a symbol of depravity.
As a result, tango is excluded from formal settings and survives only in informal spaces. This exclusion created a unique sense of unity and pride within tango.
Excluded cultures often deepen their own language.
European acceptance and reimportation
In the early 20th century, tango gained social status in an unexpected way. It happened not in Argentina, but in Europe.
Tango was introduced mainly to Paris by performers and dancers who traveled to Europe from Buenos Aires. It became popular in upper-class social circles as an exotic and sensual dance.
This success in Europe completely changed Argentina’s reputation within Argentina. Tango, which was once rejected, began to be reinterpreted as a ““national culture.’’
Tango was accepted in one’s own country through the gaze of others.
Golden Age and Popular Culture
From the 1930s to the 1950s, tango entered its “golden age.” With the spread of radio, records, and movies, tango became a staple of urban popular culture.
During this period, large orchestras called Orquesta Typica became mainstream, and music became highly sophisticated. Dance, while retaining its improvisational nature, became standardized.
The lyrics also change. Its poetic depictions of personal sadness, nostalgia, and lost love have gained widespread sympathy.
Tango has gone from being a shadow of society to a spokesperson for national sentiment.
The distance between politics and tango
Tango has also had a complicated relationship with political power. Although they rarely supported a particular political party directly, they were used to shape the nation’s image.
On the other hand, there were times when it was affected by censorship and cultural control. Particularly under military rule, expression in public spaces is restricted and tango culture is forced to be curtailed.
During this period, many performers moved their base of activity overseas. This served as the basis for a later international reevaluation.
There was a time when tango survived by remaining silent.
Decline and rupture
From the 1960s onwards, with the rise of rock and folk, tango fell out of the center of youth culture. Urban dance halls declined and generational disconnection increased.
Tango came to be seen as ““the music of the past” and ““the culture of our parents’ generation.” This evaluation temporarily broke the cultural continuity.
Decline is often incubation rather than extinction.
Conditions for revival
From the 1980s onwards, tango once again attracted attention. There are multiple factors.
One is to rebuild it as an international performing art. The other issue is the re-evaluation of cultural heritage within Argentina.
Dance is liberated from formalism, and emphasis is once again placed on improvisation and physical dialogue. There is a growing movement among younger generations to reinterpret traditions.
Revitalization is not a reproduction of the past, but a renewal.
Social meaning of modern tango
Tango in modern times is not just a nostalgic hobby. It functions as a place for physicality, distance from others, and impromptu communication in urban life.
Gender roles are also becoming more flexible, and rigid lead-follow structures are being reconsidered. Tango has once again become a ““mirror that reflects society.’’
Tango continues to change along with society.
Chronology
Tango history timeline
The history of tango is not linear, but more like a cycle.
Conclusion Tango never ends
Tango is not a completed culture. It is a living social phenomenon that changes shape every time the city and human relationships change.
What its resurgence means is not a return to the past, but a response to the present.
Every time tango is danced, society is rewritten.
