Dance Lessons
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TANGO Tango music comes from a mixture of cultural influences including Africa, India, France, Spain, and Latin America. Modern Tango music comes in two distinct flavors: The melodic Argentinian style, and the rhythmical European style. At the heart of the Argentinian style is the bandoneon, which is often accompanied by a small band, including a piano, guitar, one or two violins, and sometimes a singer. True Argentine Tango music never has a heavy drum beat, if drums are used at all. The European style, in contrast, is a strong march with a steady, consistent downbeat played by a snare drum. The music is often played by a large orchestra with or without the bandoneon.
American style Tango is danced to music of either variety, sometimes to something in between. It may be written in 2/4 or 4/4 time, but to the dancer it usually feels as though beats occur in groups of 8. The tempo is medium; 120 - 128 beats per minute (30-32 mpm at 4/4) is recommended for competitions and examinations at all levels. Because of the way most of the syllabus figures are configured, the best music for Bronze and social dancing shoud have steady, predictable two-measure (8-beat) phrases with a strong cadence. |
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