Argentine tango is a musical genre and accompanying social dance originating at the end of the 19th century in the suburbs of Buenos Aires . [1] It typically has a 2 4 or 4 4 rhythmic time signature , and two or three parts repeating in patterns such as ABAB or ABCAC. Its lyrics are marked by nostalgia , sadness, and laments for lost love. The typical orchestra has several melodic instruments and is given a distinctive air by the bandoneon . It has continued to grow in popularity and spread internationally,
The origins of tango are unclear because little historical documentation from that era exists. However, in recent years, a few tango aficionados have undertaken a thorough research of that history [1] and so it is less mysterious today than before. It is generally thought that the dance developed in the late 19th century in working-class neighborhoods of Buenos Aires , Argentina and was practiced by Argentine dancers, musicians, and immigrant laborers. [2] [3]
At the beginning, Argentine tango was rejected by the middle and upper classes who were engaging in ballroom dances including the Viennese waltz . Only in the decade between 1910 and 1920, Argentine tango started becoming fashionable in the major European capitals such as Paris, Berlin, Rome and Vienna. [4] [5] [6] However, within the European society, the feelings towards this new dance were mixed. In Rome, Vittorio Emanuele III of Savoy banned Argentine tango from the balls in Quirinal Palace . [6] Kaiser