tango history

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The Tango originated in the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay, in the late 19th century.  Tango is more than a dance — it is a cultural expression deeply rooted in the Río de la Plata region, with origins shared by both Uruguay and Argentina. In recognition of this rich, binational heritage, we embrace terms such as “Río de la Plata tango” and “Rioplatense tango”, which more accurately reflect the genre’s historical and cultural foundations in Montevideo and Buenos Aires. Uruguay has played a vital role in the development of tango, contributing iconic composers, musicians, and lyricists whose influence continues to resonate globally. By using these inclusive terms, we honour the shared identity of tango and celebrate its significance as a UNESCO-recognised Intangible Cultural Heritage of both nations. 

The roots of this dance lie in African candombe, Cuban habanera as well as waltzes and polkas.

It was a popular dance among European immigrants, former slaves and the working and lower classes. It came about through the nostalgia and melancholy felt by those who were far from home.During Argentina’s political struggles with prohibition and dictatorships, the dance was forced underground where some say performing it was considered an illegal act. It later came back to light in the 1980’s and its popularity soared again before spreading throughout the rest of the world.The Argentine Tango involves a variety of styles that evolved across regions and eras as venue began to crowd and the fashion started to change.

The focus of the Argentine Tango is to match the speed and emotion of the music while improvising the steps.

 The music of the Argentine Tango is more varied than that of ballroom dancing and features a clear repetitive pulse with a strong tango rhythm.

There is a large repertoire of music when it comes to the Argentine Tango. Having a varied selection of songs meant that Argentine Tango dancing could go late into the night.

The most notable and representative composers of Argentine Tango music were actually descendants of Italian immigrants: Di Sarli, d’Arienzo, Troilo and Pugliese.

During the 1990’s, the Argentine Tango experienced a resurgence of popularity as young dancers began pairing the tango steps to more contemporary music such as trip-hop and blues.