Two Tangos, Different Charms

We often describe Latin dances like rumba, cha-cha, and samba as passionate, fiery, and sexy. Tango, however, has outgrown those labels. Today, we speak of tango in terms like elegant, graceful, and soulful—a dance that once shared the same Latin roots, but has since taken a different path. Over time, tango has been refined and gentrified, transforming from its origins in brothels into the polished art form of Tango de Salon.

Yet once upon a time, tango was that hot, sexy, passionate Latin dance.

When we compare the two forms, we notice some striking differences:

1. Tango de Salon is danced at a slower, more measured pace, while early tango was livelier and quicker.

2. In Tango de Salon, the steps are broad and expansive; in early tango, they were small and compact.

3. In Tango de Salon, the woman’s hips move in a moderate manner, staying relatively parallel to the man’s. In early tango, her hips moved more freely, often creating a striking contrast—sometimes perpendicular to the man’s stance.

4. Tango de Salon emphasizes elegance and harmony between partners. Early tango leaned into bold expressions of gender identity and sensual tension.

5. Tango de Salon focuses on subtle, inward feeling. Early tango emphasizes dramatic visual flair.

Both styles have their own allure—one radiates maturity and refinement, the other bursts with energy and passion.

The fact that earlier tango has largely disappeared, to me, is something of a loss. I believe it still holds aesthetic value. Its techniques—as the couple in the video below attempts to recreate—are worth revisiting and studying.

But the evolution of human aesthetics follows its own logic, one that transcends personal preference. Perhaps, as a general rule, the idea that "Elegance is the only beauty that never fades," as Audrey Hepburn once said, explains tango’s transformation. Passion may burn brightly and then fade—but elegance, it seems, endures. (See Embracing Elegance.)