Basically, several forms of tango are prevalent: The Argentine Show Tango, The Argentine/American Salon Tango, and the International Ballroom Tango. The Argentine Show Tango is essentially a series of wide moving steps needing much room to perform, and so, suitable only for the Stage, or for Solo Ballroom exhibition. The International Ballroom Tango is quite a different dance, - used mainly in International Ballroom dance competitions - and will not be discussed here. The Salon Tango, danced in the Milongas (dance halls) of Argentina is the "real" Tango. The American Tango is a very minor modification developed in North America during the early part of the 20th century, - and now very widely used. The American Tango and the Argentine Tango are extremely close in form and feel. The International Tango bears little resemblence to either.

When one peruses the Tango Literature, something called "the 8 Count Basic Step" is often found. Truth is.. there is no such thing as a "basic step". Back around 1910, Argentineans began the dance with whatever improvisation they wished. When the dance was seen by the world, in films and at Dance exhibitions given by Argentine instructors, people began asking for the "basic step". We now know that these traveling instructors, to satifsy the public's demand, 'invented' a "basic step". The "True" Tanguero or Tanguera has an arsenal of simple little steps, and the real art of the Tango is to improvise step patterns as the dance proceeds.

If we forget about the International Ballroom Tango (which is quite a separate thing indeed), we may differentiate between the "8 Step Argentine" and the "5 Step American" Tango steps. Today, most all references to the "Argentine Basic Tango Step", involves the Lead beginning with a backward step (and a corresponding forward step by the lady - which is sometimes harder for a beginner to master.).

In the "American Basic Step", the Lead begins with a Forward step, (which is a bit easier, and basically a better way for newcomers to learn the Tango). In the remainder of the dance, there is not much difference between the two styles other than the Argentines tend to use a more 'staccato' style, while the North Americans tend to a little slower, and smoother pattern.

Interestingly, people who have spent years in Argentina observing native Tango dancers, have observed that the Argentine Lead never starts off with a 'Backward Step'. They always start with a 'Sideward Step'. Let's consider this "Sideward Step" start of the Tango.

There is a historical precedent for this. In Argentine Tango Bars and Milongas, it was traditional for ladies to sit at tables on one side of the room, while the men lined up at the Bar on the other side, - with the dance floor between them. In this fashion, the ladies could choose which of the males seemed interesting to her, while the men could look over the ladies waiting to dance. When a gentleman spotted a lady with whom he would like to dance, the custom was for him to look straight at the woman and to give some sign. He might just nod his head a little. If the woman was receptive to the offer, she too would give some very small sign. She could perhaps just move her lips, or a very slight smile, or a nod of her head. Then, the man would start to walk across the floor to her, while the lady would stand up and move to the edge of the dance floor awaiting her new partner. (She would continue to look straight directly at him, letting him know that he was the one, and not someone walking close behind him.)

Think of that for a moment. The lady has stood up and is standing at the edge of the dance floor, - her back to the wall, awaiting the gentleman who is now facing her ... and the wall. The 'Line of Dance' is moving, behind the man, to his left. How is he to begin the dance. If he moves forward, he crashes into the tables and the wall. If he moves to his right, he is crashing into the oncoming line of dancers. He could move straight back of course.... cutting through the middle of a line of dancers, - equally dangerous. There is really only one logical action to take. If he steps to the Left, with his left foot, he is moving with the 'Line of Dancers' and only need make a small turn to be in line and facing forward with the others.

Since North Americans didn't follow the Argentine customs, the very first sideward step was not needed. North American dancers simply walked directly onto the dance floor, - faced forward and began dancing.

For our E-Z 30 Minute Dance Course, we have chosen an interesting set of first steps. We first show the '5 Step Basic' (the "American Tango Start"), and, along side, we immediately show the "Cruzada" or "Crossing" step. In this way, one may begin with either the '5 Step Basic', or with the "Sidestep", and then go immediately into the 5 Step Basic. If you are facing a wall, ... by all means, start off the way native Argentineans start.. with the Cross Step (shown on either side of our Basic step. But if you just step out onto a dance floor facing forward, ready to move with the line of dance (counter-clockwise), then start with the 'normal' American forward step, and use the 'cruzada' or 'cross' step later on in the dance

Ballroom dance, refers collectively to a set of partner dances, which originated in the Western world and are now enjoyed both socially and competitively around the globe. Its performance and entertainment aspects are also widely enjoyed on stage, in film, and on television. It is for young and old.

While historically ballroom dance may refer to any form of formal social dancing as recreation, with the eminence of dancesport in modern times the term has become much narrower in scope, usually referring specifically to the International Standard and International Latin style dances (see dance groupings below). In the United States, two additional variations—"American Smooth" and "American Rhythm"—have also been popularized and are commonly recognized as styles of "ballroom dance".

Argentine Tango has been described in many different ways. Some take a tongue in cheek approach and call it "the vertical expression of horizontal desire." Others view the dance as a physical expression of the pain, the passion, and the life of a people. I've often heard tango described as a wonder drug that makes you younger, sexier, and more of who you really are, while others shrug their shoulders and say simply, "It's a way of life." The response of a philosopher.

Over the past century, the evolution of the dance has matched the evolution of the rich Argentine culture it embodies. And, while the dance has changed as it has crossed borders and generations it's strength lies in it's complex simplicity.

Somehow that simplicity lends itself to layer upon layer of meaning. Yearning, desire, escape. Each person brings their own light and darkness with them, and each looks to finds their place in tango. And we all work to make our peace with the dance. It may be a constant struggle. Like any good fight, though, it's worth it. There are moments of transcendence, of desire fulfilled, of finding oneself lost in another's arms. That's the power of this dance.

There are two sources of the dances: one Spanish and the other African. Although the main growth was in Cuba, there were similar dance developments which took place in other Caribbean islands and in Latin America generally.

The "rumba influence" came in the 16th century with the black slaves imported from Africa. The native Rumba folk dance is essentially a sex pantomime danced extremely fast with exaggerated hip movements and with a sensually aggressive attitude on the part of the man and a defensive attitude on the part of the woman. The music is played with a staccato beat in keeping with the vigorous expressive movements of the dancers. Accompanying instruments include the maracas, the claves, the marimbola, and the drums.

As recently as the second world war, the "Son" was the popular dance of middle class Cuba. It is a modified slower and more refined version of the native Rumba. Still slower is the "Danzon", the dance of wealthy Cuban society. Very small steps are taken, with the women producing a very subtle tilting of the hips by alternately bending and straightening the knees.

The American Rumba is a modified version of the "Son". The first serious attempt to introduce the rumba to the United States was by Lew Quinn and Joan Sawyer in 1913. Ten years later band leader Emil Coleman imported some rumba musicians and a pair of rumba dancers to New York. Real interest in Latin music began about 1929. In the late 1920's, Xavier Cugat formed an orchestra that specialized in Latin American music. He opened at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles and appeared in early sound movies such as "In Gay Madrid". Later in the 1930's, Cugat played at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. By the end of the decade he was recognized as having the outstanding Latin orchestra of the day.

In Europe, the introduction of Latin American dancing (Rumba in particular) owed much to the enthusiasm and interpretive ability of Monsieur Pierre (London's leading teacher in this dance form). In the 1930's with his partner, Doris Lavelle, he demonstrated and popularized Latin American dancing in London.

Some people see tango as primarily a dance - a connection between two people in a beautiful pas de deux. However most will say tango is the music, and the lyrics, and the dancers' interpretation of that music, and the sentiments it expresses. Getting to know the music is part of learning tango. Learning both the general style and the individual compositions and recordings enables you to dance with much more confidence and enjoyment.

The classic tango orchestra or 'orquesta típica' is made up of bandoneons, violins, piano, and bass. The guitar is also a common instrument, especially accompanying singers, notably Carlos Gardel. Other instruments are added viola, cello, saxophone, lute, flute electric guitar, drums in various styles. The Bandoneon, perhaps the key to the tango sound, is a large and fiendishly complicated concertina, originally developed in Germany for churches that could not afford organs.

In the first years of the century the first tangos were written e.g. El Choclo(Angel Villoldo)', Yo Soy La Morocha (Enrique Saborido, 1906), and were big hit and best sellers of piano scores. Recording came in in the 1910s and older songs, like La Cumparsita were arranged as tangos. Gardel recorded his first tango Mi Noche Triste in 1917, and became an enormous force in popularising tango.

Early orchestras (pre 1920s) include Firpo, Fresedo and Canaro. Firpo in particular helped define the new tango sound with arrangements of songs such as Alma de Bohemio (1914). They were influenced by the jazz sounds they encountered on tour in the US and Europe. In the 1920s two streams of music developed: the 'traditional', exemplified by Canaro, which concentrated on the rhythm and dancability, and the 'evolutionary', led by Julio de Caro and his brothers who explored harmony, melody, the fraseo, and created the modern sextet featuring innovative musicians such as Laurenz and Maffia. These two steams continued into the Golden Age of Tango in the 1940s and 50s The most popular bandleaders and composers in the traditional stream are Canaro, Ricardo Tanturi, Juan D'Arienzo (the 'King of Rhythm'), Rodolfo Biagi ("Manos Brujos") and Alfredo De Angelis. The evolutionary or 'decareano' school was developed by Troilo, one of the greatest composers and bandoneon players. In the deareano school we also find Carlos Di Sarli, Osvaldo Pugliese, Miguel Caló, Salgan, Gobbi, Maffia, Laurenz, Piazzola, Francini and Pontier.

In the late 19th century, Buenos Aires was filled with immigrants and transients from Europe and Africa, many of whom found themselves lonely and looking for companionship in their new foreign habitat. Naturally, these forlorn people found their way to the portenos, seeking drinks to drown their sorrows, temporary friendship, and any entertainment to help distract their depressed feelings. The variety of cultures combined to bring about a new style of music, formed from African beats, Indian rhythms, Latin influences, and the popular music of the pampas (flatlands) in Argentina.

As you may guess, this new music was dubbed Tango. Historians argue the name comes from the African candombe drum beat known as "tan-go", or possibly from Latin word tangere (to touch). The dance began as a pantomime of communication between prostitute and pimp. The improvisation was filled with emotional outpouring and suggestive gyration. This sexual choreography was accented by the melancholy drone of the bandoneon, a German instrument very similar to the accordion.

These crude beginnings developed into less obscene styles that symbolized the lower class of Argentina through the turn of the century. Throughout the tango’s evolution, two things remained constant: the background music of the bandoneon, and the passionate translation of emotions into dance.