Origins of the Tango

Originally a light spirited dance from Spain, the Tango became very popular in the Slums and bordellos of Buenos Aires, “Tangano”, a dance imported with the Negro slaves, and the “Habanera” from Havana in Cuba were merged in the late 1800’s and became known as the “Milonga.” In the early 1900’s the “Tango” was demonstrated in Paris, then London, and New York. Rudolph Valentino further popularized this dance in 1921 with the making of the movie “The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse”. Although evolving in a different direction in Europe and America, the Tango has remained a firm favorite.