Tango

Tango is a partner 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 from a combination of Argentine Milonga, Spanish-Cuban Habanera, and Uruguayan Candombe celebrations. It was frequently practiced in the brothels and bars of ports, where business owners employed bands to entertain their patrons. It then spread to the rest of the world. A number of variations of this dance currently exist around the world.

Quotes

• Several women spoke of how they applied Bivolaru’s teachings on Tantra in their professional life. B., for example, teaches “esoteric Tango”: “I teach a course with my lover on Argentinian Tango. We focus on the polarity aspects of Tango; how men behave, how women behave. We say, ‘Don’t think what it was, what will be, just give yourself to the dance.’ After a few months, the woman learns to abandon herself. And this is what a woman does in Tango, she just follows. When [my lover and I] have a tension, we often try to apply principles from Tango to our relationship. Sometimes I say to him, ‘Please behave like we were dancing.’ Like he must be in control of the situation and take care of me. So, there’s a Tango philosophy that you can live by. We study with an Argentinian teacher, and everything that I tell you now was so natural to him that it was not a philosophy, but for us it is. There is a similarity between Tango and Tantra, because Tantra is all about this game of polarity between men and women and how we need to learn to love each other… and if we learn each other’s languages, we will be happy and reach harmony.”
  • Susan J. Palmer, "#SheToo: The Experience of MISA Women. 6. A Form of “Second-Wave Feminism”?", Bitter Winter (February 6, 2025)