El amor de tango

I've been getting really interested in tango culture here in Buenos Aires, both as a dance and the people's passion for the music. Through one of the musicians and the tango place I've been going to I met a girl from the Seattle area who is doing her post grad work in ethnomusicology on the study of tango culture here in Buenos Aires. She is super knowledgeable about all the best places to see authentic tango performances (live musicians, not necessarily dancing) and how the tango movement has changed over the years. Contrary to the exported image of tango culture in Argentina, it is not all about glittery outfitted women and sensual dance moves. Dancing is part of it, but the music itself is what seems to be at the heart of Argentina's love of tango.

I went with my Seattle friend to a tango show a few nights ago and it was incredible. It was so fascinating to see how passionate people are about tango music here and how much it brings old and young generations together. Its hard to explain, but I feel like the spirit of tango in Argentine culture is more than just a custom or societal trait. We went to this one tiny little bar that is over 100 years old--the walls were lined with high shelves of dusty alcohol bottles and tattered paintings. Two old men played guitars (and at one point an accordion) and singing tango songs for hours, occasionally taking breaks to invite others to sing or refill their glass of wine. Since the bar was so small, people leaned in to see the music from the open windows and crammed behind the bar. My friend said that she met the same two old men in this bar six years ago when she first arrived in Buenos Aires. She explained to me that tango culture began to decline around the 1960's but experienced a revival in the 1990's as it became more publicized as unique to Argentine culture to inspire tourism. As a result tango bars and shows began popping up everywhere, creating new jobs for dancers and musicians. After the crisis of 2001 tango was taken up my younger generations as an expression of patriotism and pride. The revival of tango is about the rediscovery of the most famous classical tango singers, most of which are from the 1930's. My friend said that there is a budding movement for the integration of new tango songs written by current generations, but the majority of songs are well-known classics. Although one can experience tango culture in ritzy expensive tourist shows, the real tango culture is found in the back-ally tango bars where the Argentine people meet to share their love for the music and dance.