The tango is without doubt one of the most popular and most famous dances all over the world. It originated in Argentina, which is why it is often also referred to as tango Argentino.

When talking about its history, you should point out that it is thought that this dance began to develop between 1850 and 1880 in La Boca, a neighborhood south of Buenos Aires, and in other poor areas. As this is where the old ports were located, these areas were popular with migrants. When describing the origins of tango, you should definitely stress the fact that, in the beginning, tango was a dance developed by these migrants: to them, tango was a way of coping, as they tried to express their sadness and difficulties through the medium of music and dance. The fact that tango originated in the areas around the old port also explains the reason why the bandoneon is the musical instrument which is mostly associated with tango: it was a musical instrument traditionally played by sailors.

As you can see, the tango was originally only the dance of the poor people in Argentina. In fact, it was very much frowned upon by the conservative social elite, particularly because of its sexual nature. However, with the help of sailors, merchants and travelers, the popularity of tango began to spread to other countries. When it suddenly became really fashionable in Paris at the beginning of the twentieth century, the bad reputation of this dance finally began to change in Argentina: tango was no longer solely associated with migrants and poor working class areas. Instead, it became socially acceptable and popular across all social classes within the country. Some people even argue that it has since become a symbol for nationalism and patriotism in Argentina. It definitely plays a big part in the Argentinian identity today.