Two Tangos, Different Charms

We describe Latin dances such as rumba, cha-cha, and samba as passionate, hot, and sexy, but we no longer use these terms to describe tango. Instead, we describe tango with words like elegant, graceful, and soulful—a dance that once belonged to the Latin dance family. In its development, tango has been gradually refined and gentrified, evolving from the dance of brothels to Tango de Salon.

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

Comparing the two kinds of tango, we can observe the following differences:

1. Tango de Salon is danced at a slower pace, while earlier tango was danced at a faster pace.

2. In Tango de Salon, the steps are larger; in earlier tango, the steps were much smaller.

3. In Tango de Salon, the woman’s hip movement is moderate, remaining relatively parallel to the man’s hips. In earlier tango, the woman’s hip movement was more pronounced, often was perpendicular to the man’s hips.

4. Tango de Salon emphasizes elegance and harmony, whereas earlier tango emphasized bold gender identity and expression.

5. Tango de Salon focuses on subtle, inward feelings, while earlier tango focused on exaggerated visual impressions.

Both styles of tango have their merits—one showcases maturity and elegance, the other showcases vigor and passion.

The fact that earlier tango has largely disappeared is, to me, something of a shame, as I believe it still holds aesthetic value. Its technique, as the couple in the video below tries to replicate, is worth studying.

The evolution of human aesthetics, however, follows its own logic, transcending any individual preference. Perhaps, as a general trend, that "Elegance is the only beauty that never fades" - said Audrey Hepburn, is the underlying logic of human aesthetics and tango. Vigor may diminish over time, but elegance endures. (See Embracing Elegance.)