Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combination of Rioplatense Candombe celebrations, Spanish-Cuban Habanera, and Argentine Milonga.[1] The tango was frequently practiced in the brothels and bars of ports, where business owners employed bands to entertain their patrons with music.[2] The tango then spread to the rest of the world.[3] Many variations of this dance currently exist around the world.On August 31, 2009, UNESCO approved a joint proposal by Argentina and Uruguay to include the tango in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.[4][5]Tango is a dance that has influences from African and European culture.[6] Dances from the candombe ceremonies of former African enslaved peoples helped shape the modern day tango. The dance originated in lower-class districts of Buenos Aires and Montevideo. The music derived from the fusion of various forms of music from Europe.[7] The words "tango" and "tambo" around the River Plate basin were initially used to refer to musical gatherings of slaves, with written records of colonial authorities attempting to ban such gatherings as early as 1789.[8] [Wikipedia]
