International Tango Day: everything about the most popular dance in Argentina

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Today is a very special day: it is International Tango Day! As you may know, tango is a typical ballroom dance in Argentina.

Therefore, today we are going to tell you a little bit more about this dance, how it came about and where to enjoy it, whether it is on December 11th that you are traveling to Argentina and want to take a tour of the city of Buenos Aires or any other day of the year. Tango is enjoyed 365 days a year in Argentina!

Why is Tango Day celebrated?

In the 1960s, composer and artistic producer Ben Molar realized that two great tango artists, Julio De Caro and Carlos Gardel, shared birthdays (December 11th).

For this reason, he decided to propose to the Secretary of Culture of the City of Buenos Aires to declare December 11th National Tango Day in honor of them.

However, it was not until a decade later, in 1977, that they approved their proposal, and since then the National Day of Tango in Argentina is celebrated every December 11th. As a result of the celebration in Argentina, it has spread throughout the world and today December 11th is known as the Day of Tango globally.

Origin of Tango in Argentina

The tango is a dance full of sensuality that was born at the beginning of the 19th century in the poorest areas of Buenos Aires, Argentina. In these communities, there was a great diversity of people from Africa, the Caribbean, and indigenous origins, who were joined by European immigrants at the end of the century.

This exotic cultural mix of the first tango dancers can be seen in the elegant and passionate movements of the tango.

As it gained popularity, the tango spread to the richer areas of Buenos Aires, and little by little throughout the country; everyone wanted to learn how to dance it! By the beginning of the 20th century, tango had already reached Europe and the United States, where it became a sensation.

During Argentina’s golden age, between 1930 and 1950, there was an explosion in the popularity of this dance and new styles of Argentine tango emerged.

Today, tango is a dance known throughout the world and practiced by millions of people globally. In 2009, UNESCO included it in its list of Intangible World Heritage Sites.

Destinations where to enjoy tango in Argentina

Although nowadays tango can be enjoyed in every corner of Argentina, there is no doubt that the best milongas (the place where tango is traditionally danced) are in Buenos Aires.

If you want to live the full experience you can’t miss a gaucho party in Santa Susana, where besides a tango show you can ride a horse and taste an authentic Argentinean barbecue.

If you want to see the tango and dance it, don’t worry, there are places where you can enjoy it yourself even if you don’t have much experience. At night, La Glorieta de Belgrano becomes an open-air milonga where locals and tourists, professionals, and amateurs mix to enjoy this special dance.

Whether you want to take a tango class or just enjoy it in a different way, it’s a magical place in Buenos Aires that you can’t miss.

Now that you know everything you need to know about tango in Argentina, all you have to do is decide when you are going to experience it first hand!

And you, have you ever danced the tango? Do you dare to try it on International Tango Day?