The Argentine tango has a rich and fascinating history, and it has always been inspired by its beautiful music. It is the most elegant, innovative and passionate of all the social dances.

Its origins are not entirely clear and are subject to some contention, but most sources agree that it originated in Argentina in the 1880s, and was originally danced in the drinking houses and (it is claimed) the brothels of Buenos Aires, which gave it a seedy reputation.

Because of the huge numbers of male immigrants to Argentina at that time, men outnumbered women by about fifty to one in the poorer parts of Buenos Aires, and so attracting a mate became somewhat competitive! One of the things that the men did to increase their chances was to work hard at their dancing, hoping to impress the women. The tangueros (male tango dancers) frequently practised with each other, honing their dancing, before venturing out on the dance floor with a tanguera (female dancer).

Of course, given such a huge disparity in numbers, many men remained lonely tangueros - and this sense of hopeless desire, of urgent longing, has remained within the spirit of the dance.

Argentine tango has diversified and developed with extraordinary pace and success over recent years. There has been a proliferation of different schools and styles of tango, the development of tango nuevo, and a growth of interest in the dance all over the world. To read more about the many contemporary styles of tango, go to our page Tango dance styles.

Page updated August 2008